Paul T. Schnell

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.

Transactions

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.

Mr. Schnell has been active in virtually every industry, including, for example:

• Health Care: Becton Dickinson, Caris, Catalent, Centene, Grupo Ferrer, Humana, MC-21, National Veterinary Associates, OrthoNet, Pfizer, Rede D’Or, RIMSA, Well-Dyne and Win Healthcare
• Transportation: Avianca, Embraer, FedEx Corp., Marcopolo, Renault, Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, Triton International and Union Pacific
• Consumer: AmBev, Anheuser-Busch, Caribou Coffee, Compañía Cervecerías Unidas, Coty, Empresas Polar, Jacobs, Douwe Egberts, Jos. A Bank, Keurig Dr. Pepper, Krispy Kreme, NVA Compassion First, Panera Brands, Peet’s Coffee, Pret a Manger, Quinenco and WhistlePig
• Industrial/Chemicals/Mining/Infrastructure/Energy: Air Products and Chemicals, Ash Grove Cement, Braskem, BRF, CBMM (Companhia Brasileira de Metalurgia e Mineração), Cimento Tupi, Gerdau, Grupo Gondi, Grupo Mexico, Odebrecht, Pacific Oil & Gas Limited, RGE Pte., A. Schulman, Southern Copper, Ultrapar and Vale
• Financial Institutions and Insurance: Allstate, Banco BBM, Bank of America, BlackRock, Centerview, Citigroup, Deutsche Bank, Evercore, Goldman Sachs, Grupo Sul America, Jefferies, JP Morgan and Morgan Stanley
• Private Equity/Family Office: Apax, Carlyle, GP Investimentos, JAB Holding and Tarpon
• Technology, Media and Telecom: Al Jazeera, America Movil, Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF), Hasbro, TuSimple and XP Investimentos
• Services: Adtalem and Heidrick & Struggles
• Sovereigns: Republic of Chile and BNDES, the Brazilian government’s social-economic arm
• SPACs: A dozen SPACs and targets in de-SPAC transactions, including GP Investimentos, NeubergerBerman, Panera Brands and Waldencast

Mr. Schnell coordinates the firm’s worldwide health care practice and is active in all sectors of the industry, including pharmaceuticals, services, medical devices and life sciences. He also co-chairs the firm’s Latin America practice.

Editorial/Lectures/Teaching/Public Service

Mr. Schnell has chaired the editorial board of The M&A Lawyer, a leading M&A publication, since its founding in 1997. The editorial board is made up of leading M&A lawyers from around the world. He also writes and lectures frequently on M&A, corporate governance, private equity and international finance. Mr. Schnell also chairs the annual M&A Latin Lawyer Conference in Latin America.

Mr. Schnell has been a guest teacher at a number of law schools, including Columbia Law School, Harvard Law School, University of Pennsylvania Law School and Vanderbilt University Law School.

He serves in leadership positions at numerous educational, arts, social justice and other not-for-profit organizations. Mr. Schnell currently serves as chair of the Amherst College Mead Art Museum Advisory Board; honorary trustee and former co-chair of the Board of Trustees of the Ethical Culture Fieldston School; trustee of the Manhattan School of Music; director of Friends of MASP Inc., the U.S. support group for the São Paulo Museum of Art (MASP); vice chair of the Board of Trustees of The New Museum of Contemporary Art; trustee of The Opportunity Network; and member of the leadership Committee of the Cyrus R. Vance Center for International Justice.

Firm Management

Mr. Schnell has been active in firm management, including serving on Skadden’s governing body, the Policy Committee, and co-chairing the Client Engagement Committee.