Image of Paula Anderson

Paula Anderson

Partner

Email

paula.anderson@aoshearman.com

Phone

+1 212 848 7727

Offices

New York

Links

LinkedIn

V-CARD
Paula is US Co-Head of Commercial Litigation.

Her experience is broad, with an international focus, and encompasses a wide range of areas, including internal and government investigations, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (“FCPA”) risk assessments and compliance reviews, cross-border litigation, corporate governance, bankruptcy litigation, antitrust, M&A-related litigation, and international arbitration. Her clients have included global leaders in the finance, insurance, automotive, telecommunications, oil and gas, engineering, media and entertainment, consumer goods, healthcare and manufacturing industries.

Paula has taught Advanced Trial Advocacy Training programs for prosecutors at the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, and at the International Criminal Court.

Prior to joining the firm, Paula served as a judicial clerk to the Honorable Diane Lebedeff, New York Supreme Court in 1999, and the Honorable Donna Mills, Civil Court of Manhattan, New York in 1998.

Experience

Representative matters

  • An independent monitor in the FCPA compliance monitorship of York International.
  • An independent monitor in the FCPA compliance monitorship of Baker Hughes, Inc.
  • An international engineering and construction company in a criminal investigation by the United States Department of Justice for possible violation of United States export control laws.
  • A U.S.-based global manufacturing company in a corruption investigation of its Asian subsidiary.
  • A U.S.-based engineering company in an internal corruption investigation of its African operations.
  • General Electric Company (“GE”) in a series of litigation matters in state and federal court relating to its acquisition and subsequent sell down of its majority stake in Baker Hughes, Inc.
  • Liberty Global, Inc. in a shareholder class action challenging its $23 billion acquisition of Virgin Media Inc.
  • Synthes, Inc. and its directors in a shareholder class action challenging the company’s $20 billion acquisition by Johnson & Johnson.
  • The audit committee of a leading global insurance company in an internal investigation of its accounting and financial controls.
  • Daimler AG in a fraudulent conveyance action by Chrysler’s creditors based on Daimler’s divestiture of 80% of its interest in Chrysler in a 2007 transaction with Cerberus Capital Partners.
  • One of the largest financial institutions in the Asia Pacific region in a multi-million dollar international arbitration against the government of South Korea relating to investment in the state-owned insurance company.
  • EMLICO, an insurance subsidiary of GE, in a multi-jurisdictional reinsurance dispute.
  • Consolidated Edison (“ConEd”) in tax litigation against the New York City and New York State tax authorities.
  • BCE Inc. in creditor derivative litigation involving corporate governance and fiduciary duty issues.
  • Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd in a pre-merger dispute with Taro Pharmaceutical Industries.
  • Schindler Elevator Corporation in a class action antitrust lawsuit by foreign and domestic plaintiffs.

Published Work

  • Author, (2019), A Wealth of Challenges: Anti-Corruption Compliance Risks Posed by Sovereign Wealth Funds, Risk & Compliance
  • Author, (2018), The Changing Tide of Delaware Deal Litigation, The Review of Securities and Commodities Regulation
  • Author, (2014), Avoiding Successor Liability in M&A Transactions: How to Conduct Anticorruption Due Diligence on Target Companies and Joint Venture Partners, Financier Worldwide Magazine
  • Author, (2013), “Win-Win” Scenarios for Shareholders in M&A Transactions, The Review of Securities and Commodities Regulation
  • Author, (2013), Indian Bribery and Corruption Exposed, International Financial Law Review

Speaking Engagements

  • Panelist, Hot Topics in Mergers & Acquisitions, Practising Law Institute (New York/Chicago, 2014, 2015 and 2017)
  • Panelist, Board Responsibilities in Managing Investigations and Crises, Directors and Boards Magazine (New York, 2014)
  • Panelist, Delaware Law Developments 2014, Practising Law Institute (New York, 2014)
  • Panelist, In Pursuit of a Level Playing Field: FCPA and the Global Anti-Corruption Movement, Regulatory Compliance Association (New York, 2014)
  • Presenter, Public Procurement and Tender Awards: Unlawful and Illegal Practices Associated with Tender Processes (Johannesburg, S. Africa, 2014)
  • Panelist, Recent Developments in Delaware Corporate Law, Practising Law Institute (New York, 2013)
  • Panelist, Recent Developments in Global Anti-Corruption Enforcement (New York, 2013)
  • Panelist, How Not to Go to Jail in Four Places at Once: A Discussion on Recent Anti-Corruption Trends (New York, 2012)
  • Panelist, Navigating the FCPA in India (New York, 2012)
  • Panelist, Hot Issues in Securities Laws, Practising Law Institute (New York, 2011)
  • Columbia Law School, International Law Panel (New York, 2010)
  • Harvard Law School, International Arbitration Panel (Cambridge, MA 2008)
  • International Law Conference for Implementation of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (Sierra Leone, 2006)
  • Moderator, Panel on Women of Color at Law Firms (Shearman & Sterling LLP, New York, 2006)
  • Moderator, Panel on Motherhood and the Law (Shearman & Sterling LLP, New York, 2006)

Leadership Positions And Professional Affiliations

  • Fellow, Board Leadership Council on Legal Diversity
  • Board of Trustees, John Jay College of Criminal Justice
  • Audit Committee, John Jay College of Criminal Justice
  • New York City Bar Association, African Affairs Committee
  • Subcommittee on Doing Business in Africa, African Affairs Committee
  • Subcommittee on International Tribunals, African Affairs Committee
  • Editorial Board, Shearman & Sterling LLP FCPA Digest
  • Judicial Screening Panel, Metropolitan Black Bar Association
  • Harvard Law School Alumni Association
  • South African Chamber of Commerce in America
  • Faculty Member, Bridge-the-Gap Program for New Attorneys, Practising Law Institute
  • Diversity Committee (2005–present), Shearman & Sterling LLP
  • Black Lawyers Affinity Group (Co-Chair, 2007–2009), Shearman & Sterling LLP
  • Women’s Affinity Group, WISER (Mentoring Committee, 2008–2010), Shearman & Sterling LLP
  • Summer Associate Committee (2008–present), Shearman & Sterling LLP

Qualifications

Admissions

New York, 2002

Courts

United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, 2022

United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, 2022

United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, 2012

Academic

Bachelor of Arts, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, 1998
– Class Valedictorian 
– Alex Smith Award for Excellence in the Criminology Major
– Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Award

J.D., Harvard University, 2001
– Editor, Harvard Black Letter Law Journal

Languages

French
Disclaimer
A&O Shearman was formed on May 1, 2024 by the combination of Shearman & Sterling LLP and Allen & Overy LLP and their respective affiliates (the legacy firms). Any matters referred to above may include matters undertaken by one or more of the legacy firms rather than A&O Shearman.