John Raveney

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.”