White & Case Boosts Public M&A with the Return of Patrick Sarch

White & Case Boosts Public M&A with the Return of Patrick Sarch

White & Case bolsters its UK public M&A practice with the appointment of Patrick Sarch as a partner and UK head of public UK M&A, Sarch was previously co-head of Hogan Lovells.

“Patrick’s ideas, market reputation, mentoring skills and energy will increase the strength of the London M&A platform that he himself helped to shape, and further drive forward our work with public companies,” said White & Case partner Alan Burke, regional section head EMEA M&A/corporate.

“His addition in London reaffirms our reputation for handling complex, international M&A involving listed entities,” Burke added.

The news of Patrick Sarch's return to White & Case as head of UK public M&A comes shortly after Hogan Lovells hired a five-strong disputes team in Paris from White & Case, led by Jean-Pierre Picca, a former prosecutor and advisor to then-French president Nicolas Sarkozy.

Sarch's impressive career spans nearly 30 years, marked by impactful deals like Softbank's £1.6 billion investment in The Hut Group while at Hogan Lovells and Advent's £4 billion acquisition of Cobham during his previous stint at White & Case. He brings this wealth of experience and expertise in corporate finance, M&A, and restructurings back to White & Case.

Sarch's expertise extends beyond M&A to advising companies and activist shareholders on navigating complex shareholder activism situations, particularly those involving ESG considerations, strategic campaigns, and M&A-related disputes. Before joining White & Case in 2017, he spent 16 years at Clifford Chance, further strengthening his understanding of these multifaceted situations.

“We are delighted to welcome Patrick back to White & Case as we intensify our focus on acting for major clients on their significant public M&A and public company work,” John Reiss, a White & Case partner and head of the firm’s global M&A practice, said.

According to John Reiss, over the past five years, White & Case has fostered a substantial UK M&A practice encompassing both public M&A and public company work. This strategic growth included key lateral partner hires and partner promotions, solidifying the firm's expertise in the area.

“The addition of Patrick supports the reinforcement of our corporate practice, particularly in the realm of public takeovers and engagements for clients,” John Reiss added.