Paul “Chip” Lion J.D. ’82 is a partner at the firm Morrison and Foerster, and in September he became chair of the American Bar Association’s Business Law Section. The Business Law Section, a renowned institution with over 50,000 members and 50 substantive law committees, provides thought leadership on corporate law issues and is considered to be the premier community for business law professionals.
In this role, Chip will continue to advance the Section’s key strategic objectives, focus on enhancing member benefits, including the development and distribution of substantive content, and coordinate its primary meetings.
Chip commented: “I’m delighted and honored to take on this role. I look forward to working with the leaders of our Section, and superb staff, to furthering the development and improvement of business law, and continuing to provide valuable member services.”
Chip has been actively involved with the Business Law Section for most of his professional career, having served most recently as chair-elect, responsible for managing the implementation of the Section’s business plan, and before that as vice-chair and secretary of the Section. He has served as editor-in-chief of The Business Lawyer, the highly regarded journal of the Section, and as co-editor-in-chief of Business Law Today, the Section’s online monthly magazine. He is the past chair of the Venture Capital & Private Equity Committee of the Section.
Chip’s practice focuses on advising pooled investment fund sponsors and institutional investors in connection with the formation of venture capital funds, leveraged buyout funds, real estate opportunity, and other private equity funds. He also has extensive experience in advising emerging growth companies at every stage of development and, venture capitalists who invest in them, including, matters relating to the initial public offering of securities mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, auction transactions, tender offers, leveraged buy-outs, and cross-border transactions.