Mr Paul Bird > Debevoise & Plimpton LLP > New York, United States > Lawyer Profile

Debevoise & Plimpton LLP Offices

Debevoise & Plimpton LLP
66 HUDSON BOULEVARD
NEW YORK
United States
Visit website 1 212 909 6000 1 212 909 6836

Mr Paul Bird

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+1 212 909 6435 [email protected] View profile

Work Department

Paul Bird is Head of the firm’s European Corporate Practice and a senior M&A partner.

Position

His practice focuses on advising private equity firms, public companies, boards of directors and special committees in connection with mergers & acquisitions and other significant corporate matters, including cross-border transactions, leveraged buyouts, spin-offs and takeover defense. He also regularly counsels corporations and their directors on corporate governance and fiduciary duty matters. A former member of the firm’s Management Committee, Mr. Bird was Co-Chair of the firm’s Corporate Department from 2010 to 2016 and Co-Head of the firms’ Mergers & Acquisitions Practice from 2001 to 2010.

Career

From 1990 to 1993, Mr. Bird was resident in the firm’s Paris office, where he became a member of the Paris bar and worked extensively on international mergers & acquisitions and other cross-border transactions, which continue to represent a significant portion of his practice. Prior to joining Debevoise, Mr. Bird served as law clerk to the Hon. Robert W. Sweet, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

Memberships

Mr. Bird is Treasurer and a member of the Board of Trustees and the Executive Committee, Finance Committee and Human Resources and Compensation Committee at Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts. He is also Treasurer and a member of the Board of Directors of the Star of Hope Foundation and a member of the Board of Trustees and member of the Finance and Nominating Committees of YMCA Camp Belknap. He formerly served on the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of the French-American Foundation and on the Board of Directors of The Legal Aid Society of New York City.

Education

He received his B.A. from Yale University in 1983 and his J.D. from Yale Law School in 1987, where he was senior editor of the Yale Law Journal.

Lawyer Rankings

United States > M&A/corporate and commercial > M&A: large deals ($1bn+)

Representing domestic and international clients across the finance, aviation, and insurance sectors, the team at Debevoise & Plimpton LLP boasts a network of offices across the US and is highly adept at handling high-value cross-border M&A. Overseeing the San Francisco offering, global co-chair Michael Diz has broad-based transactional expertise, frequently advising public companies and special committees on complex governance issues, whilst the ‘top-notch’ Kevin Rinker co-heads the team from New York and is noted for advising on impactful transactions in the healthcare and banking sectors. Further key contacts in the New York office include Paul Bird, who is highly knowledgeable on leveraged buyouts, and Jennifer Chu, who focuses on joint ventures. Similarly based in New York, Jonathan Levitsky is an expert in the tech and media fields, while both William Regner and Jeffrey Rosen handle critical governance matters on behalf of global corporations.

United States > M&A/corporate and commercial > Private equity buyouts: large deals ($500m+)

(Hall of Fame)

Paul Bird – Debevoise & Plimpton LLP

Debevoise & Plimpton LLP offers clients ‘significant experience in the full range of PE transactions‘, including domestic and cross-border leveraged buyouts as well as PIPE deals, continuation fund transactions, and take-private acquisitions. Integrated cross-practice expertise in antitrust, tax, finance, and IP matters furthermore enables the team to guide clients through all stages of complexly structured acquisition, including joint governance matters as well as antitrust reviews. The New York-based team, which is particularly active across transactions in the healthcare and industrials sectors, is led by Kevin Schmidt, who stands out for his advice on cross-border acquisitions, joint ventures, and strategic investments. Experienced partner Paul Bird is noted for his M&A experience as well as his ability to handle spin-offs and takeover defense matters, and Kevin Rinker is a key contact for private equity deals in the healthcare and life sciences space. Further key contacts include Uri Herzberg and Jennifer Chu, who are sought out by leading funds such as Clayton, Dubilier & Rice in connection with high-value acquisitions, as well as Christopher Anthony, who handles a wide range of public and private M&A.

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