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(Washington, DC)— Gary M. Paul, a counsel with the law firm of Water & Kraus LLP has been elected to a one-year term as Parliamentarian of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, the world’s largest trial bar.
Paul was elevated to the post Wednesday during ATLA’s 60th annual convention in Seattle, Washington. He succeeds C. Gibson Vance, of Alabama.
With about 65,000 members worldwide, ATLA promotes justice and fairness for injured persons, defends the constitutional right to trial by jury and strengthens the civil justice system through education and disclosure of information critical to public health and safety. The association provides lawyers with the information and professional assistance they need to serve clients successfully and protect the democratic values of the civil justice system.
ATLA is dedicated to preserving the civil justice system and making sure that powerful special interests are held accountable when they engage in misconduct or negligence.
Paul, with more than 30 years experience, has successfully litigated cases ranging from products liability to construction negligence, was elected to serve as parliamentarian. He has handled more than 100 jury trials. He currently serves as a counsel with the law firm of Waters & Kraus LLP with a primary focus on the trial of mesothelioma asbestos cases. Waters & Kraus, LLP, is a national plaintiffs’ firm concentrating on complex product liability and personal injury/wrongful death cases, particularly toxic tort litigation and pharmaceutical product liability.
Paul graduated from Loyola Law School in Los Angeles in 1974. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering from Arizona State University and a Master of Science degree in Engineering from UCLA.
Prior to beginning his law career in 1975, Paul was a missile and space engineer, working in electronic design and systems engineering for aerospace companies, including the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. As an engineer, he was involved in the design of spacecraft that both orbited and landed on Mars.
"We will make it clear that in the battle to defend and protect the civil justice system, powerful corporations working to eliminate people’s rights are on the wrong side, and the American public with trial attorneys at their side are on the other," he said.
Paul has dedicated time and energy to improve the field of law and was cited as the Trial Lawyer of the Year by the Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles in 1981 and in 1996 he received the Edward I. Pollock Award for his "dedication, efforts and effectiveness" in consumer matters. He has also held such prestigious position as the President of both the Los Angeles Consumer Attorneys and the California Consumer Attorneys and an elected member of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers.
Also elected were: Lewis S. “Mike” Eidson, President; Kathleen Flynn Peterson, President-Elect; Les Weisbrod, Vice President; Anthony Tarricone, Secretary; and C. Gibson Vance, Treasurer.
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