Paul Schwartz
Member
pschwartz@sgslitigation.com
303-530-3452 x 3
Paul Schwartz represents business clients in federal and state courts, arbitrations, and investigations. His civil litigation focus includes corporate governance, post-merger and acquisition, banking, securities, trade secrets, and regulatory enforcement matters. A former law clerk to two United States Supreme Court justices, Paul excels at honing in on a matter's key legal and factual touchpoints.
Paul earned his undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering before cutting his litigation teeth at a leading boutique firm in Atlanta. He then became a partner in the Colorado office of a major national firm where he played key roles in high-profile matters such as the proxy litigation arising from Hewlett-Packard’s merger with Compaq Computer Corp. and the accounting scandal that enveloped telecommunications giant Qwest Communications. A co-founder of SGS, Paul has been recognized as a Colorado Super Lawyer since 2011 and in Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business since 2013.
Paul's community and pro bono activities have taken him from boardrooms in Colorado and Washington, D.C. to hearing rooms of the Texas Legislature and the U.S. Congress. Born and raised in New York, Paul now unwinds hiking and cycling the endless trails and mountain roads of Colorado.
Education
University of North Carolina School of Law, J.D. with Highest Honors, 1992; Editor-in-Chief, North Carolina Law Review; Order of the Coif; Chancellors Scholar
Brown University, Sc.B., 1988
Clerkships
Associate Justices Stephen G. Breyer and Harry A. Blackmun (Ret.), U.S. Supreme Court
Judge Phyllis A. Kravitch, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
Prior Associations
Cooley Godward LLP, Partner and Associate
Bondurant Mixson & Elmore LLP, Associate
Community Involvement
President and other leadership roles, Congregation Har HaShem
Former Board Member, United to End Genocide
Bar & Court Admissions:
Colorado
U.S. Supreme Court
U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Ninth, Tenth, and Eleventh Circuits
U.S. District Courts for the District of Colorado, Northern District of Georgia, Eastern District of Texas
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Though past cases are not predictive, Paul’s experience includes:
• Representing the FDIC in its capacity as receiver of numerous failed banks in cases alleging securities fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, gross negligence, and breach of contract, resulting in recoveries totaling more than $50 million
• Obtaining multiple plaintiff and defense victories in the Delaware courts and at arbitration in breach of fiduciary duty and breach of contract cases arising out of M&A transactions
• Defending company against action brought under New York’s version of the Uniform Foreign-Country Money Judgments Recognition Act
• Obtaining nearly $15 million judgment in trade secret trial
• Obtaining reversal by Tenth Circuit in precedent-setting case concerning requirements for preliminary injunction under the Defend Trade Secrets Act and Colorado Uniform Trade Secrets Act
• Earning defense jury verdict over a Colorado “Lawyer of the Decade” on behalf of a publicly traded pharmaceutical company in case alleging breach of contract and fraud
• Winning two precedent-setting Colorado Supreme Court appeals on the same day, one establishing principles for interpreting the Colorado Securities Act, the other concerning state-law preemption of local ordinances under the Colorado Constitution
• Representing numerous individuals and companies in response to SEC and Colorado Division of Securities investigations
• Recovering in multiple actions for Ponzi-scheme victims and other defrauded investors
• Obtaining dismissals of securities actions brought against public-company and individual defendants
Paul “is particularly well regarded by sources for his ‘great trial preparation and excellent cross-examination skills.’ He is sought after for his knowledge of commercial contracts, fraud and corporate governance work.”
— Chambers USA