Weil partner Paul Wessel, Co-Chair of the Firm’s Tax Department and head of the Executive Compensation & Benefits Group, was named an MVP for Benefits by Law360 in recognition of his role advising corporations on the executive compensation and benefit issues involved in several multibillion dollar transactions during the past year.

Mr. Wessel was noted for recently advising Sanofi in its $11.6 billion acquisition of Bioverativ, Brookfield Asset Management and Brookfield Property Partners in their $14.4 billion acquisition of GGP, and Walter Investment Management in its $1.4 billion loan restructuring.

When asked what motivates him, Mr. Wessel highlighted the variety of his work in helping companies navigate bankruptcies, restructurings, mergers & acquisitions and representing boards of directors. “I enjoy the feeling of being a specialist and providing a service clients can’t get anywhere else,” he said. “That’s what keeps me going as a professional.”

With regard to advice for younger benefits attorneys, Mr. Wessel emphasized the importance of investing time in learning the intricacies of the law. “You can’t just learn it all on the job – you need to make the investment of time,” he said. “Be ready to learn new things. The practice will change in your career – it certainly did in mine – and you need to be ready for those changes.”

Law360's MVPs are attorneys who have distinguished themselves from their peers over the past year through high-stakes litigation, record-breaking deals and complex global matters. A team of Law360 editors selected the 2018 MVP winners after reviewing nearly 1,000 submissions.