David F. Paulson, Jr.

David Paulson is Williams Mullen's Carolinas Regional Managing Partner. He enjoys more than 30 years of experience advising a wide array of public companies and closely held private clients across a variety of industries in mergers and acquisitions, corporate law, business strategy, and complex business transactions. Among the many industries where David has substantial experience and knowledge, David has particularly deep experience in the health care industry. David is a vice president of the firm and in his third term on the firm's board of directors.

David’s business practice concentrates on helping his clients succeed through domestic and international mergers and acquisitions, private equity investments, corporate finance, deal structuring and execution, strategic alliances, multi-party joint ventures and intricate business transactions. David most often serves in the capacity as outside general counsel to his clients—learning and knowing their business and goals, and advising their boards and executive management on both business strategy and legal issues.

Recent Business Transactions/Engagements

• Represents domestic insurance companies in connection with a $2 billion corporate and debt restructuring.
• Represented public company buyer in connection with a $500mm acquisition of aggregates business in the western U.S.
• Represented sports nutrition company in a $100mm sale to strategic buyer and simultaneous spinout of three business lines.
• Represented large strategic buyer in reverse triangular merger with target in the clinical lab industry.
• Represented large privately held software company in the strategic acquisition of a California-based technology company with operations in Europe and Asia.
• Represented large southeastern regional distribution company in sale to publicly held acquirer.
• Represented super-regional specialty pharmacy in stock sale to largest U.S. specialty pharmacy.
• Represented business analytics software and services company in acquisition of professional services company engaged with the US intelligence community.
• Lead counsel in a joint venture of large insurance companies in the acquisition of a controlling interest in a health care informatics company.
• Represented U.S. management in sale of specialty clothing company to Swiss publicly traded buyer.
• Represented institutional buyer of a source code management software company.
• Represented southeast based construction company in sale to strategic acquirer.

David’s health care industry experience includes advising hospitals, physician practices, CROs, home health care providers, health insurance companies, behavioral health providers, specialty pharma companies, institutional investors, and ancillary health care providers in a wide range of business transactions, corporate contracting, state and federal regulatory issues, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and ancillary investments.

Health Care Transactions/Engagements

• Outside deal and state law regulatory counsel to large publicly held health insurer.
• Advise ancillary health services provider on federal regulatory issues including Medicare reimbursement, Medicare Part B, and Managed Medicare.
• Outside general counsel to one of the largest private neurosurgery practices in US; including advising on ancillary business opportunities, acquisitions, employment, contracting and Stark and Anti-kickback compliance advice.
• Represented hospital in development of multi-facility regional healthcare system.
• Represented physician investor syndicate in the development of a 50/50 hospital-physician joint venture with a tax-exempt regional health system to acquire and operate a multi-specialty ambulatory surgery center.
• Served as outside general counsel to multi-state provider of specialized pharmaceuticals for chronic illnesses.
• Represented various physician practices in acquisitions of physician groups.
• Lead counsel in strategic investor roll-up of home health agencies.
• Represent strategic buyer of hospices in multi-state acquisition strategy.
• Served as outside general counsel to board of trustees of multi-facility county hospital system.

David has been recognized as a leading corporate/M&A attorney in the United States by Chambers USA (2012-present), and he is listed in The Best Lawyers in America® for corporate law (2011-present)

David is licensed to practice in North Carolina. He served as general counsel to the Raleigh Chamber of Commerce as well as on its executive committee and board of advisors. He served on the board of directors of the United Way of the Greater Triangle and the board of trustees for the University of North Carolina Center for Public Television. David also served on the board of directors for Durham Nativity School.

David received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Duke University, his Master of Business Administration degree from the Babcock Graduate School of Management at Wake Forest University, and his Juris Doctor degree from the Wake Forest University School of Law.