Paul Schnell

Practice Areas

Paul Schnell focuses on U.S. and global mergers and acquisitions, private equity, anti-takeover and activist preparedness, finance, and corporate governance. Mr. Schnell has been named as one of the leading lawyers practicing in the U.S. and globally, where he has been recognised as a leading lawyer in areas such as M&A, private equity, finance, corporate, corporate governance, health care and Latin America. His practice includes Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Latin America (where he co-chairs the firm’s practice group).

Personal

JD, New York University School of Law; BA, Amherst College.

Career

Paul Schnell has been recognized as a U.S. legal “legend” for being included among the top 500 lawyers practicing in the U.S. in each of the last 10 years (Lawdragon).

In 2021, he was named one of the top 29 M&A lawyers in the U.S. (Insider). Mr. Schnell has been named one of the leading lawyers globally and in the U.S. in areas such as M&A/corporate (top Band 1 ranking in Chambers in the U.S., International & Cross-Border, Latin America and Brazil categories), private equity, corporate governance, corporate, finance and health care. He has long been a leading adviser to companies on shareholder activism and hostile takeover preparedness. Surveys that recognize Mr. Schnell include Chambers Global, Chambers USA, Chambers Latin America, U.S. News and World Report, The Best Lawyers in America, Who’s Who Legal, Latinvex, Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America, IFLR1000 and LMG Life Sciences.

He has received numerous accolades for his work, including being named multiple times as a Dealmaker of the Year and Dealmaker of the Week by The American Lawyer and as a leading lawyer for the Financial Times’ most innovative M&A transactions.

Work Highlights

Mr. Schnell has worked on many of the most significant M&A transactions over the last several decades. He consistently is involved each year in dozens of transactions, many having a value in excess of $1 billion. Altogether, Mr. Schnell has advised on deals having an aggregate value over $1 trillion in recent years. He has worked extensively in the U.S., Latin America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East, including in all of the BRIC countries.