Jonathan Pugh-Smith – GC, funds, Bregal Investments
Year of qualification: 2010
Berwin Leighton Paisner, 2008-11
International Justice Mission, 2011-12
Berwin Leighton Paisner, 2012-13
Bregal Investments, 2013-present
Why did you want to become a private equity lawyer?
To be honest, I did not specifically set out to become a private equity lawyer. I have always sought out opportunities in my career where I am valued, where I can continue to grow and learn, that are dynamic and where I feel I can make a difference. Across the last ten years of working in private equity these boxes have more often than not been ticked across the board.
What has been the most memorable moment or deal of your in-house career?
It is hard to pick out one specific moment or deal as the most memorable from my career. I do look back over the last ten years and feel proud of the part I have played in growing the firm into what it is today – launching new teams, helping facilitate their growth and success; in particular taking the firm from a single investor platform to now having a diverse, global LP base across our various funds.
What are the major differences between working in-house and private practice?
No billable hours is the oft-quoted one that jumps to mind, but for me the ability to engage in different practice areas across multiple jurisdictions has been the biggest difference for me since moving in-house. For example, my day-to-day role currently covers fund formation, secondaries, M&A, employment law, regulatory, antitrust and corporate.
Do you ever miss working for a law firm?
Not really – as alluded to above, I enjoy the breadth of practice that I have in-house and that was one of the driving forces for me moving in-house as I could see private practice becoming increasingly specialised.
Why would you recommend a career working in private equity?
It is incredibly dynamic and rewarding – you are working with some of the sharpest minds on the planet on a myriad of new and evolving strategies that requires constant growth and evolution both personally and corporately.
