Title: Associate
Jean (“John”) Raveney is a transactional attorney in the Austin
office of Naman Howell Smith & Lee. He advises clients on a wide range
of business and corporate matters for various industries, including, telecommunications,
financial institutions, venture capital and private equity, real estate,
and technology. John’s practice focuses on three main areas: corporate,
commercial transactions, and emerging growth companies.
In corporate matters, John has represented both buyers and sellers in mergers
and acquisitions for deals ranging from $100,000 to $150+ million and
has experience managing all aspects of the deal life-cycle. He routinely
advises established companies on a range of daily corporate and business
matters, including, M&A, intellectual property matters, stock plans
and incentives, securities laws compliance, employment issues and corporate
governance. He also works with private equity and venture capital firms
on equity financings, strategic acquisitions, and debt financing. In commercial
transactions, he has experience drafting and negotiating complex technical
agreements and contracts for both vendor and customer clients in a variety
of industries and operations, including, software, SaaS, technology, professional
services, intellectual property, equipment, manufacturing, products and
materials. With emerging growth companies, John advises clients through
all stages of development, from initial formation and early stage fundraising
through Series A equity financings and exits through acquisition or merger.
John works closely with entrepreneurs and new ventures to strategically
grow their businesses, including as relates to capital structure and organization,
financing, compensation, management of litigation risk, and eventual exits.
In all his work, John takes a goal oriented and collaborative approach
to meet the client’s needs and to provide responsive and thoughtful
guidance. With many clients, John serves in the role of outside general
counsel and he is able to provide support and advice as a part of the
team due to his personal connection to and understanding of the client’s
business and long-term goals.
Prior to law school, John was interested in academia and worked as a high
school teacher at a private prep school, and as a college tutor and teaching
assistant. John is a double longhorn and longtime resident of Austin where
he lives with his wife and two sons. He holds dual citizenship with France
and so reflects this with a French name, pronounced as: “Sean”
but with a “J,” or the English version: “John.”
Areas of Practice
Business Counsel
Corporate Law
Telecoms Industry
Credit Unions and Financial Institutions
Education
The University of Texas School of Law J.D., 2020
Research Assistant to Professor Jens C. Dammann (business/corporate law)
Teaching Assistant to Professor Susan C. Morse (Financial Methods for Lawyers)
Texas Law Meet: Transactional Law Competition
Thad T. Hutcheson Moot Court Competition
Publication:
Attorney Withdrawal in Mass Actions: A Proposal for Change (The Review of Litigation, The Brief, December 20, 2019)
The University of Texas, at Austin, B.A., Philosophy and Ancient Greek, 2015
Honors: with
High Honors (magna cum laude)
College and Departmental Honors Scholar
Phi Beta Kappa
Phi Kappa Phi
Research Fellow with the McNair Institute
Publication:
Realism and Powers: Making Sense of the Arguments Facing Current Best Scientific Theories (The McNair Scholars Undergraduate Research Journal, February 1, 2014)
Professional Associations and Memberships
Member, Texas Young Lawyers Association
Member, State Bar of Texas
Member, State Bar of New Mexico
Member, Redeemer Presbyterian Church