Biography

Paul has represented numerous financial institutions, public and privately held companies, boards of directors, employee benefit plan trustees, and individual corporate executives. Paul also regularly counsels clients in connection with executive compensation, employee benefits and ERISA matters, as well as pension investments and fiduciary matters. His practice includes advising on equity and incentive compensation plans, nonqualified pension plans, and employment, severance and change in control agreements.
Paul also represents clients on the compensation and benefits aspects of bankruptcy and restructuring matters, and advises debtors in possession and creditors' committees on pension and employee benefits matters in bankruptcy. Additionally, his practice involves regulatory matters with the U.S. Department of Labor, Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation and the Internal Revenue Service.
Paul is a frequent speaker on employee benefits and compensation matters and has been published and quoted in the media on current issues in the area.
Paul is recognized as a leading lawyer for Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation in New York by Chambers USA, where clients note “his strengths are his ability to manage the client relationship extremely effectively in a challenging environment and his command of the legal issues to be addressed.” He is listed in the Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation “Hall of Fame” by Legal 500 US. Paul was also named a 2018 Benefits “MVP” by Law360. He is named among Lawdragon’s “500 Leading U.S. Corporate Employment Lawyers” list, consistently named a “Bankruptcy Tax Specialist” by Turnarounds & Workouts magazine and recognized by Best Lawyers in America. Paul was ranked third for handling 25 deals in the 2021 “Top Employment Lawyers in North America” by MergerLinks.
Awards and Recognition, Firm News & Announcements
Awards and Recognition
- Paul Wessel Named to the Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation “Hall of Fame” Award Brief — Legal 500 US
- Paul Wessel Named a “Leading” Lawyer for Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation in New York Award Brief — Chambers USA
- Practice Head Paul Wessel Named a 2018 MVP: Benefits Award Brief — Law360
- Paul Wessel Named Among the “500 Leading U.S. Corporate Employment Lawyers” Award Brief — Lawdragon
- Paul Wessel Named a “Best Lawyer” for Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law in New York Award Brief — Best Lawyers in America
- Paul Wessel Ranked Third for Handling 25 Deals in the 2021 “Top Employment Lawyers in North America” Award Brief — MergerLinks
Firm News & Announcements
- Weil-Led Deal Recognized for M&A Deal of the Year at the 2023 D CEO and Association for Corporate Growth-DFW Mergers & Acquisitions Awards Deal Brief — May 08, 2023
- Weil-Led Sale of BPEA EQT Portfolio Company HCP Packaging to Carlyle Named 2022 Cross-Border Deal of the Year by China Business Law Journal Firm Announcement — February 09, 2023