Debevoise & Plimpton partner Paul Bird will serve as chair and moderate the “General Counsel Panel” at the IBA Private Equity Transactions Symposium, a virtual conference presented by the Private Equity Subcommittee of the International Bar Association Corporate and M&A Law Committee on October 8.

This year’s panel will include Susanne Clark of Centerbridge, Karen King of Silver Lake, Robert Knauss of Warburg Pincus, David Sorkin of KKR and John Suydam of Apollo. The panel will discuss the challenges and opportunities for private equity firms during the pandemic, including strategies for allocating Covid risk in M&A transactions, the emergence of SPAC and PIPE transactions as alternatives to traditional M&A, the emerging role of long duration funds and their impact on M&A, key issues for sponsors when holding stakes in public companies and general risk management for sponsors in these unprecedented times.

The Private Equity Subcommittee (PE) of the Corporate and M&A Law Committee provides updates and analysis on legal developments to practitioners and other parties interested in international private equity law. The committee focuses on current trends and anticipated changes in the law affecting international private equity practice. PE serves as a forum for lawyers, professionals and investors to discuss, follow and plan for various and significant changes in this field and encourages and promotes knowledge sharing among its members.

Mr. Bird is a member of the firm’s Management Committee. He was Co-Chair of the firm’s Corporate Department and led the M&A Group for over a decade. Mr. Bird’s practice focuses on advising private equity firms, public companies, boards of directors and special committees in connection with mergers and 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.