Overview
Paul is a litigator and a co-leader of the General and Commercial Litigation Practice Group. Paul has a diverse practice built on 30-plus years of experience and an unwillingness to turn down a case. He began his career at a boutique firm in Bloomfield Hills specializing in transportation regulatory cases. The firm merged into Foster Swift in 1991 and, except for several years at a plaintiff personal injury firm, Paul has remained at Foster Swift ever since. Paul’s practice includes Michigan No-Fault (PIP and third party), transportation and logistics, mass tort defense, and commercial litigation. A tireless litigator, Paul enjoys taking cases to trial, but is also a highly effective negotiator. Clients appreciate his concern over their bottom line and often thank him for the passion he puts into all his cases, regardless of the magnitude.
Paul is admitted in Michigan, along with the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan and the U.S. Supreme Court. He is a member of the American Bar Association, the State Bar of Michigan, and a Board member of the Detroit Bar Association where he was President from 2022 to 2023. He is also a fellow of the Michigan State Bar Foundation and the Detroit Bar Foundation.
Committed to keeping clients abreast of changes in the law, Paul frequently speaks to a variety of groups, including transportation industry leaders, health care financial officers, trade organizations, chambers of commerce, insurance companies, and attorneys. He was a visiting lecturer on Constitutional Law at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law, and the former President of the Northern Michigan University Alumni Association Board of Directors. He previously served as the Vice President of the firm’s Southfield office and was a member of the Executive Committee.
Honors & Recognitions
Detroit Bar Asscociation, Executive Director’s Award, 2024
AV® Preeminent™ Martindale-Hubbell
"Leaders in the Law" Class of 2022, Michigan Lawyers Weekly
Detroit Bar Association, 2016-2017 Committee of the Year Award – Third Circuit Luncheon Committee
Best Lawyers® 2017 & 2023"Lawyer of the Year" - Detroit, Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Defendants
Best Lawyers® in America - Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants, 2013-2025
Michigan Super Lawyers, Employment & Labor, 2016
Michigan Super Lawyers, Business Litigation, 2017-2024
Affiliations
Memberships & Affiliations
Legal Affiliations:
- State Bar of Michigan
- Administrative Law Section
- Negligence Section
- American Bar Association
- Detroit Bar Association, Board Member, 2011 to present
- President, 2022-2023
- Vice President, 2021-2022
- Secretary/Treasurer, 2020-2021
- University of Denver Sturm College of Law, Visiting Lecturer, 2008 to 2011
- Michigan State Bar Foundation, Fellow
- Detroit Bar Foundation, Fellow
- ACADEMIC POSITION: Baker College, Business Law, adjunct professor
Industry & Professional Associations:
- Michigan Truck Safety Commission, Appointed Commissioner, 2010-2011
- Transportation Club of Detroit
- Board Member
- Michigan Movers Association
- Michigan Trucking Association
Community Involvement:
- Northern Michigan University Alumni Association Board of Directors, president 2013-2014; vice president 2012-2013
- Attorney advisor, Grosse Pointe South High School Mock Trial Team
Communications
Publications
- Michigan Supreme Court Announces Seismic Shift in Premises Liability Cases, Insurance Regulatory News E-blast, August 2, 2023
- Recent Updates to Michigan No-Fault Act Changes, Foster Swift Litigation News Update E-blast, June 20, 2019
- Court of Appeals Interprets Overweight Truck Law, Foster Swift Transpost E-News, December 3, 2010
- Overweight Trucks, Foster Swift Construction Law News, June 2009
- MPSC Issues Two Opinions Affecting Its Authority to Regulate Carriers, Foster Swift Transpost, February 2007
- New Overweight Law Takes Effect, Foster Swift Transpost, April 2006
News & Events
Speaking Engagements
- The New Normal: Cybersecurity Essentials for Business Owners, Second Wednesday Sessions, October 9, 2024
- Best Practices to Avoid Legal Consequences for Parents & College Bound Students, Second Wednesday Sessions, July 10, 2024
- Michigan's Changed Premises Liability Laws Pose Real Threat to Business and Property Owners, Second Wednesday Sessions, May 8, 2024
- Classification: Employees vs. Independent Contractors in a New Era, Second Wednesday Sessions, April 10, 2024
- Unintended Consequences Your College Student May Face, Foster Swift Second Wednesday Lunch Break, October 11, 2023
- Learn About Key Issues of Business Interruption Insurance, Foster Swift Second Wednesday Morning Break, March 10, 2021
News
- Foster Swift Attorneys Named 2025 Best Lawyers in America, Best Lawyers in America, August 15, 2024
- 17 Attorneys Selected to 2024 Michigan Super Lawyers and “Rising Stars”, Michigan Super Lawyers, August 12, 2024
- Foster Swift Attorneys Named 2024 Best Lawyers in America, Best Lawyers in America, August 17, 2023
- 17 Attorneys Selected to 2023 Michigan Super Lawyers and “Rising Stars”, Michigan Super Lawyers, August 11, 2023
- The Faces of Strategic Business Law, dBusiness, November 1, 2022
- Millenbach Named to 2022 Class of “Leaders in the Law”, October 27, 2022
- Foster Swift Attorneys Named 2023 Best Lawyers in America©, Best Lawyers in America, August 18, 2022
Media
Practice Areas
Education
Thomas M. Cooley Law School, J.D., 1989
Northern Michigan University, B.S., 1984
Bar and Court Admissions
Michigan
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
U.S. Supreme Court