TransPerfect business booming after years-long ‘custody’ battle

Phil Shawe is proof you can survive a breakup with your business partner — even if the partner is your ex.

Shawe gained control of the “family” business, TransPerfect, earlier this year after a nasty, “War of the Roses”-type court battle with his fiancee — and tells The Post business has hardly been better.

The privately held firm is going to report this week that revenue in the first half of 2018 jumped 19 percent — and that revenue for the year is projected to surpass $700 million.

“The company has enjoyed six months of certainty,” Shawe said from TransPerfect’s New York City headquarters. “The last time we grew like this, we were a $100 million company.”

Shawe and his then-fiancee, Liz Elting, started TransPerfect in 1992 out of an NYU dorm room. When they started their battle for control of the company in 2014, each controlled 50 percent of the firm and neither had the right to buy the other out.

When the battle for control of the language translation company began in 2014, Elting partnered with private equity firm H.I.G. Capital, which owns Lionbridge, a rival service, in a bid to buy out Shawe.

Shawe didn’t partner with anyone in his attempt to buy out Elting.

In February, the four-year battle ended when the Delaware Chancery Court ruled in favor of Shawe — who outbid Elting, and agreed to retain virtually all the 4,000 full-time employees.

The deal closed last month.

Shawe said he has added 200 net jobs this year.

TransPerfect has made one acquisition since the court’s ruling and plans to look for other opportunities, Shawe said, including possibly buying Lionbridge if it comes up for sale.

Shawe said he has not had a conversation with Elting, outside of board meetings, for a few years.