John Patten

Partner Technology & IP Transactions
Kirkland & Ellis International LLP

London +44 20 7953 2544

John Patten

Overview

John Patten is a partner in the London office of Kirkland’s Technology and Intellectual Property Transactions practice. John’s practice focuses on advising clients on a variety of complex commercial and corporate transactions in which technology, IP and data play a major role, including M&A (sales, acquisitions and carve-outs), mergers, transfers, licensing, brand co-operations, security, joint ventures, research & development agreements, settlements, and services, manufacturing and supply arrangements. John also advises clients on data protection compliance in relation to European data privacy laws, and has experience advising on aspects of European healthcare regulations.

John has a wealth of experience across a range of sectors and industries, including life sciences, software, media, gaming, entertainment, telecommunications, IT, food & beverages, sports data, adtech, digital marketing, hospitality, and investment management. John’s prior experience in other international firms and conducting international IP litigation, and his first class grade in the Oxford Postgraduate Diploma in IP law and Practice, provides him with additional valuable experience in international and strategy aspects of commercial transactions and the legal structure underpinning IP that have proved invaluable for his clients.

Prior to and since joining Kirkland, John has worked on the following matters:

  • Preservation Capital on the acquisition of Saltus Partners, a UK wealth management business.
  • GIC on the acquisition of an Enterprise Value logistics portfolio located in northeast England.
  • Platinum Equity on the acquisition of High Temperature Solutions Business.
  • Triton Partners on the sale of Ewellix.
  • Covanta and EQT Infrastructure on the carve-out of Covanta’s European operations to create a standalone Waste-to-Energy platform. 
  • Bain Capital Tech Opportunities on the investment in SumUp.  
  • EQT Private Equity on the £650 million acquisition of SPT Labtech. 
  • Apax Partners on Recommended Cash Offer for EcoOnline Holding AS. 
  • Eagle Street Partners on the formation of a joint venture with Harrison Street to acquire and develop a 554-residential-unit multiphase development at East Road in Dublin, Ireland. 
  • EW Healthcare Partners on the acquisition of a majority stake in Grundium Oy. 
  • Thomas H. Lee Partners on its investment in Kinexon. 
  • General Catalyst on its lead role in a growth equity financing of SonarSource, the leading platform for clean code. 
  • EQT on the €6.8 billion acquisition of Baring Private Equity Asia, a leading private markets investment firm. 
  • Warburg Pincus on the acquisition of Minesoft, a global patent solutions provider. 
  • Oakley Capital on the acquisition of a majority stake in TechInsights by Oakley Capital IV, alongside CVC Growth.
  • EQT on its significant investment, together with Vitruvian Partners, in CFC, a technology-driven, specialist insurance provider.
  • Bain Capital on the c. €1.7 billion acquisition of ITP Aero, an aero engine and gas turbine manufacturer, from Rolls-Royce. 
  • Pamplona Capital Management on the acquisition of Pelsis, a global manufacturer and distributor of pest control products. 
  • Fox Corporation on the joint venture with Gordon Ramsay to jointly form new production entity STUDIO RAMSAY GLOBAL. 
  • BC Partners on the sale of European pharmaceutical company Pharmathen to Partners Group. 
  • An EQT-led consortium on the CHF 10.2 billion exclusive negotiations to acquire Nestlé Skin Health, a leading global skincare company.
  • Thomas H. Lee Partners on its acquisition of AutoStore, a robotics and software company providing automation technology to warehouse & distribution facilities.
  • Bain Capital Private Equity and Cinven on the CHF 4.2 billion definitive agreement to acquire Lonza Specialty Ingredients.
  • Montagu Private Equity on the acquisition of the Education Software Solutions business of Capita plc. and on the agreement to invest in ParentPay.
  • The bidding consortium led by Advent, Cinven and the RAG-Stiftung on the acquisition of the elevator division of thyssenkrupp AG.
  • Alpine Investors and its portfolio company Alpine Software Group on the acquisition of Sendible, a leading UK social media management and data analytics provider.
  • Valence Media on its £45 million investment into Fulwell 73, the British independent production company run by partners Ben Winston, Leo Pearlman, Gabe Turner, Ben Turner and James Corden.
  • Patient Square Capital on the IP arrangements relating to its investment in Apollo Therapeutics, a portfolio-based biopharmaceutical company.
  • GTCR on its €350 million acquisition of TachoSil from Takeda and simultaneous acquisition of Surgical Specialties Corporation from Vivo Capital to create Corza Medical.
  • Bain Capital and Cinven on their $660 million acquisition of Takeda’s OTC portfolio in Russia and the CIS.
  • A global pharmaceutical company in the re-negotiation of its global aesthetics and dermatology alliance.
  • Blackstone on the £4.77 billion recommended cash offer for Merlin Entertainments plc.
  • CapVest Partners and Valeo Food Group on Valeo’s acquisition of the Tangerine Confectionery Group.
  • Blackstone on its acquisition of the business and assets of Murka, a developer and promoter of social casino gaming applications for mobile devices and social media.
  • Funds advised by Apax Partners on the acquisition of Genius Sports, a London based global leader in sports data technology, distribution and commercialisation services.
  • Warburg Pincus on its sale of Accelya, a leading global provider of financial, commercial and analytics solutions to the airline and travel industry.
  • Advanced, a Vista Equity Partners portfolio company and the UK’s third largest software company, on its acquisition of leading legacy modernisation solutions provider Modern Systems.
  • United Group on its €220 million definitive agreement to acquire Tele2 Croatia.
  • Service Express, a portfolio company of Harvest Partners, on its acquisition of Blue Chip, a leading provider of mission-critical IT infrastructure services.
  • Advent International on its investment in the Hermes Group businesses in the UK and Germany.
  • InPost S.A. on the €565 million proposed acquisition of Mondial Relay, the leading French e-commerce out-of-home parcel delivery platform.
  • Preservation Capital on the £100 million acquisition of Parmenion Capital, a provider of investment services and technology solutions for financial advice firms.
  • Flexpoint Ford LLC on its recommended cash acquisition of AFH Financial Group Plc, a financial planning-led wealth management firm.
  • AXA Investment Managers - Real Assets on the acquisition of the Kadans Science Partner platform.
  • GIC as part of a consortium acquiring a 55% a stake in the real estate assets of French multinational hotel group AccorHotels for approximately €4.4 billion.
  • EQT on the acquisition of Dellner Couplers, a global niche market leader in couplers, gangways and adjacent products for passenger rail rolling stock.
  • Novartis on IP and service agreement aspects of its $20 billion asset swap with GlaxoSmithKline.
  • Schneider Electric Software on the IP aspects of its £3 billion merger with Aveva plc.
  • RSA Insurance on the IP aspects of the £403 million sale of its Latin American business to Suramericana.
  • Hertz Corporation on its long-term strategic partnership in Brazil with Localiza.
  • Sanofi S.A. in two UK High Court innovator-innovator patent litigations defending claims for infringement.
  • A leading UK advertising company on a settlement agreement with its supplier.
  • Two international professional services networks on the restructuring of their IP licensing arrangements with network member firms. 
  • An internationally renowned casual dining restaurant on the restructuring of its international franchise arrangements.
  • A consortium of banks of the development and IP ownership of a new trading software platform.
  • One of the world’s largest suppliers of online gaming and sports betting software on a number of pre-litigation IP issues and a WIPO UDRP dispute. 
  • Ben Ainslie Racing on the IP legal aspects of its bid for the 35th Americas Cup.

Linklaters LLP, London

  • Associate, 2015–2018

  • Trainee Solicitor, 2013–2015

More

Thought Leadership

Publications

“The Final Piece to the Schrems II Puzzle? UK Parliament Approves New International Data Transfer Mechanisms, Plus Signs of a Breakthrough on Transatlantic Data Flows from the EU”, John Patten, Emma Flett, Jennifer Wilson and Joanna Thomson, Kirkland Alert, April 2022.

“Court of Appeal Upholds Interim Injunction in Trade Secrets Claim against Chinese Competitor”, John Patten and Alex Zapalowski, European Intellectual Property Law Review, Issue 4, 2021.

“Supreme Court Upholds English Courts’ Jurisdiction in Global SEP Licence Disputes”, Emma Flett and John Patten, European Intellectual Property Law Review, Issue 1, 2021.

“CJEU Confirms the New EUIPO Test on Morality”, Emma Flett and John Patten, Entertainment Law Review, Issue 5, 2020.

“Supreme Court Lowers the Bar for Finding an Outstanding Benefit from Employee Inventions”, Emma Flett and John Patten, European Intellectual Property Law Review, Issue 2, 2020.

“AG Bobek Rolls Out the Red Carpet for a New EUIPO test on morality”, Emma Flett and John Patten, Entertainment Law Review, Issue 8, 2019.

“Court of Appeal Furthers the UK’s Bid to be the SEPs Capital of Europe”, Emma Flett and John Patten, European Intellectual Property Law Review, Volume 41, Issue 6, 2019.

“SEPs Education: Court of Appeal Confirms its FRANDly Approach to Global SEP Licences”, Emma Flett and John Patten, European Intellectual Property Law Review, Volume 41, Issue 3, 2019.

“Data Protection on Both Sides of the Pond: GDPR v California’s Consumer Privacy Act”, Emma Flett and John Patten, Computer and Telecommunications Law Review, Volume 25, Issue 1, January 2019.

“Third Time’s the Charm: Supreme Court Orders Luxury Watchmaker to Pay the Costs of Blocking Web Infringers”, Emma Flett and John Patten, Computer and Telecommunications Law Review, Volume 24, Issue 7, September 2018.

“CJEU Brings AG Spunzar to Heel in Finding Louboutin Registration to be Valid”, Emma Flett and John Patten, Entertainment Law Review, Volume 9, Issue 7, September 2018.

Credentials

Admissions & Qualifications

  • 2015, Admitted to Practice as a Solicitor of England and Wales

Education

  • University of OxfordPostgraduate Diploma in Intellectual Property Law and PracticeDistinction2017
  • University of Law, LondonLL.B.Distinction2013
  • University of OxfordBiological SciencesFirst Class Honours2011