Paul S. Scrivano

Head of West Coast M&A. Widely regarded as an authority on public company M&A. Deep experience in proxy contests, shareholder activism and takeover defense.
Paul is the head of our West Coast M&A practice. Paul is a nationally recognized M&A lawyer, and clients across industries turn to him for guidance on their most complex U.S. and cross-border M&A transactions. Paul has extensive experience in a broad range of deals, including mergers, tender and exchange offers, stock and asset acquisitions, divestitures, spinoffs and splitoffs, and joint ventures. Paul’s practice encompasses a full spectrum of corporate, strategic, defensive, board-level and crisis assignments.
Widely regarded as an authority on public company M&A matters, Paul has advised on hundreds of such transactions. He has advised on numerous proxy contests, and he regularly advises corporate boards and committees in transactional and high-profile corporate governance matters, in shareholder activism matters and as to takeover defense strategies.
Paul also regularly advises private equity firms and investment banks in M&A transactions.
Experience highlights
- HP in its $3.3 billion acquisition of Poly
- Natus Medical in its $1.2 billion acquisition by ArchiMed Group
- Gilead Sciences in its $405 million acquisition of MiroBio
- Silicon Valley Bridge Bank in its sale to First Citizens BancShares, resulting in First Citizens BancShares assuming Silicon Valley Bridge Bank’s assets of $110 billion and deposits of $56 billion
- Qorvo in the strategic restructuring of its existing development and commercialization agreement with Zomedica and sale of its Qorvo Biotechnologies subsidiary to Zomedica
- JPMorgan Chase in its acquisition of a substantial majority of assets and assumption of certain liabilities of First Republic Bank
Paul’s representations before joining Davis Polk include the following:
- Altimeter Growth Corp. in its $40 billion stock-for-stock combination with Grab Holdings
- McAfee in its $14+ billion acquisition by Advent, Permira, Crosspoint, CPPIB, GIC and ADIA; and the $4 billion sale of its Enterprise business to Symphony Technology
- HP in its acquisition of Teradici, and its $425 million acquisition of HyperX
- Gilead Sciences in its $1.74 billion exclusive option to acquire Pionyr Immunotherapeutics, and its $1.55 billion exclusive option to acquire Tizona Therapeutics
- BB&T in its $1.8 billion acquisition of National Penn Bancshares
- Baring Private Equity Asia in its $2 billion acquisition of Virtusa
- Veeam Software in its $5 billion acquisition by Insight Partners
- Milacron in its $2 billion merger with Hillenbrand
- Bear Stearns Merchant Banking in its negotiated spinout and transition to independence from JPMorgan Chase during the 2008 Financial Crisis
- Wieland-Werke AG in its $1.2 billion acquisition of Global Brass and Copper
- Qorvo in numerous acquisitions of semiconductor companies
- Bain Capital in its $18 billion acquisition of Toshiba Memory
- Mentor Graphics in its $4.5 billion acquisition by Siemens
- Alaska Air Group in its $4 billion acquisition of Virgin America
- Dealertrack Technologies in its $4 billion sale to Cox Automotive and $1 billion acquisition of Dealer Dot Com
- Microsemi in its successful $2.5 billion “deal jump” for PMC-Sierra, terminating the prior PMC-Sierra/ Skyworks Solutions merger agreement
- Independent Directors of TRI Pointe Homes in its $2.7 billion reverse Morris Trust transaction with Weyerhaeuser
- The Royal Bank of Scotland Group in its successful $33.6 billion hostile acquisition of National Westminster Bank
Insights
News
Credentials
Recognition
American Lawyer – “West Trailblazer,” 2022
Best Lawyers – Corporate Law, Menlo Park
Law360 – “Technology MVP of the Year,” 2021
The Recorder – “California Trailblazer,” 2020
IFLR1000 – M&A, Private Equity, California and New York, Market Leader
Lawdragon – 500 Leading Dealmakers in America, 2021, 2022 and 2024
National Law Journal – “M&A and Antitrust Trailblazer,” 2017
Daily Journal – “Top 100 Lawyers in California,” 2013, 2017 and 2023
California Lawyer – “California Lawyer of the Year,” 2014
Law360 – “Life Sciences MVP of the Year,” 2012
Education
- magna cum laude
- Order of the Coif
Professional history
- Partner, Davis Polk, 2022-present
- Partner, Ropes & Gray, 2017-2022
- Partner, O’Melveny & Myers, 2005-2017
- Partner, McDermott Will & Emery, 2002-2005
- Associate, Cravath, Swaine & Moore, 1996-2002
Qualifications and admissions
- State of California
- State of New York