Overview
Paul Williams, an experienced trial lawyer, defends businesses and individuals against complex torts claims, including product liability, professional negligence and commercial litigation matters. He has represented institutional and corporate "target" defendants before juries in cases involving:
- Technical and product liability claims
- Catastrophic personal injury, including death and brain injury
- Sexual abuse
- Corporate conduct, such as breach of contract and unfair trade practices
Paul has tried cases to verdict and judgment in state and federal courts in Connecticut, New York and Massachusetts. He has been statewide trial counsel for a major automobile manufacturer on all high-exposure automobile lessor litigation, and has represented corporate defendants throughout the United States, including serving as national litigation counsel for a major chemical manufacturer in toxic tort and class action litigation. Paul also represents religious, charitable and educational organizations in lawsuits and claims of breach of fiduciary and/or statutory duties. Paul has been published and regularly speaks on trial law issues. He is very active in professional organizations for trial lawyers. He was selected to be a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, which is extended by invitation only to less than one percent of the total lawyer population of any state or province who have "mastered the art of advocacy," amongst other qualifications. He serves on its Complex Litigation Committee, is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, and is certified as a trial and pretrial specialist by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. Paul’s trial skills and experience also form a solid foundation for him to serve as a private mediator and arbitrator in complex matters.
Experience
No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the highest court of any state. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Obtained a complete defense verdict on behalf of a boat engine manufacturer in a jury trial in the Complex Litigation Docket involving a products liability claim which resulted in the death of two individuals and seriously injuring two others
Obtained numerous defense verdicts in jury trials on behalf of product manufacturers involving claims of defective design and manufacture involving seatbelts, airbags, passive resistance systems, ABS systems, seat design, axles, and crashworthiness claims
Obtained a complete defense verdict on behalf of a truck manufacturer in the U.S. District Court involving three deaths and claims of product defect
Obtained a complete defense verdict on behalf of a hospital in a three-month jury trial involving a misdiagnosis of a brain tumor
Obtained a complete defense verdict for a cruise line in a three-week jury trial in federal court involving claims of breach of contract, fraud, unfair and deceptive trade practices, and intentional interference with contract relationships
Obtained a complete defense verdict for an automobile manufacturer in a six-week jury trial in state court involving claims of breach of franchise agreement, unfair and deceptive business practices, and fraud
Obtained a complete defense verdict on behalf of a pediatrician in a wrongful death jury trial involving claims of failure to diagnose medical conditions in a 24-month-old child
Obtained a complete defense verdict on behalf of a surgeon in a five-week jury trial involving claims of negligent surgery on an ankle resulting in permanent disability and reflex sympathetic dystrophy
Obtained a defense judgment in a class action brought in New York Supreme Court, Commercial Division, against a product manufacturer involving claims of deceptive trade practices
Served as trial counsel for a major medical center defending over 160 lawsuits involving allegations of child sexual abuse by a former employee
Served as trial counsel for a major rating company in defense of a $75 Million claim brought by a hedge fund
Education and Credentials
Education
- Brooklyn Law School, J.D., cum laude
- City College of New York, B.A.
Admissions
- State of Connecticut
- State of New York
- Commonwealth of Massachusetts
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
- U.S. District Court, District of Connecticut
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York
- U.S. Supreme Court
- Mohegan Tribal Court
Affiliations
- American College of Trial Lawyers, Fellow, Former Connecticut State Chair
- American Board of Trial Advocates, Connecticut Chapter, President
- Connecticut Defense Lawyers Association, Board of Directors, Past President and Chairman
- Connecticut Bar Association, Litigation Section, Member
- Connecticut Judicial Branch, Jury Selection Task Force, Co-Chair
- Defense Research Institute, Past Connecticut State Representative and Member
- Connecticut Bar Foundation, James W. Cooper Fellow
- National Board of Civil Pretrial Practice Advocacy, Certified Pretrial Practice Advocate
- National Board of Civil Trial Practice Advocacy, Certified Civil Trial Practice Advocate
- Connecticut Judicial Branch Jury Selection Task Force, Committee Member
- National Institute of Trial Advocacy, Quinnipiac University, Faculty, March 2001 - March 2005
Recognition and Community
No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the highest court of any state. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. See Awards Methodology.
Recognitions
Selected as the Product Liability Litigation - Defendants Lawyer of the Year for the Hartford Metro Area by The Best Lawyers in America (Woodward/White, Inc.), 2023, 2025
Selected to the list of Connecticut Super Lawyers (Thomson Reuters), Civil Litigation: Defense, 2006-2024
Selected to the list of the top 10 Connecticut Super Lawyers Top Attorneys (Thompson Reuters), 2019-2021
Selected to the list of the Top 100 New England Super Lawyers (Thomson Reuters), 2019
Recognized as a "Litigation Star" in Benchmark Litigation: The Definitive Guide to America's Leading Litigation Firms & Attorneys, 2021-2022
Chosen for inclusion in Chambers USA Legal Directory (Chambers & Partners) of recognized practitioners for Litigation: General Commercial in Connecticut, 2018
Selected as the Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants Lawyer of the Year for Connecticut by The Best Lawyers in America (Woodward/White, Inc.), 2018
Chosen for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America (Woodward/White, Inc.), Commercial Litigation, 2015-2025, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants, 2016-2025, Product Liability Litigation - Defendants, 2017-2025
Fellow of The American College of Trial Lawyers
Advocate of the American Board of Trial Attorneys
Member of Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel
Recognized as a leading litigation practitioner in Benchmark: Litigation, the Definitive Guide to America's Leading Litigation Firms and Attorneys (Euromoney Institutional Investor PLC), 2015
Selected by Peer Recognition, Top Attorneys in New England, 2012
Recipient of the American College of Trial Lawyers Outstanding Leadership Award, October 2012
Recipient of the Connecticut Defense Lawyers Association President's Award of Excellence, presented to a civil defense attorney who has provided outstanding and distinguished service and contribution to the defense bar, excellence in practice, and the development and furtherance of the fair administration of justice and application of law to society, 2008
Recipient of the 1999 Defense Research Institute Exceptional Performance Citation
AV Preeminent rated by Martindale-Hubbell (LexisNexis)
Community Involvement
Saint Francis Hospital Foundation, Corporator
Hartford Habitat for Humanity, Past Board Member
Foodshare Regional Food Bank, Past Board Member and Officer
Foundation for the Advancement of Catholic Schools, Former Trustee
Product Liability Advisory Council, Former Member
News & Insights
Thought Leadership
- Revisiting the Relatedness Standard: The Supreme Court's Decision in Ford Motor Co. v. Montana Eighth Judicial District Court Refines the Standard for Specific Jurisdiction and Leaves Unanswered Questions , March 29, 2021
- COVID-19 Update on Opening of Connecticut Courts , June 10, 2020
- Updated: Lamont Executive Order Grants Partial Immunity to Healthcare Providers Responding to COVID-19 , April 7, 2020
- The Connecticut Supreme Court Extends Physician's Duty of Care to an Identifiable Non-Patient Third Party , July 29, 2019
- Federal Preemption Under the Federal Aviation Act , July 16, 2019
News
- Paul Williams Selected as President of the Connecticut Chapter of American Board of Trial Advocates, November 9, 2022
- Day Pitney Secures Summary Judgment for St. Vincent's Medical Center, April 16, 2021
- Chase Rogers Selected by Connecticut Chief Justice to Co-Chair Jury Selection Task Force to Eradicate Racial Bias from the Jury System, July 21, 2020
- Chambers USA 2019 Ranks 38 Day Pitney Attorneys and 12 Practices, May 8, 2019
- Chambers USA 2018 Ranks 39 Day Pitney Attorneys and 11 Practices, May 25, 2018
In The Media
Publications
- Connecticut Product Liability Law, January 1, 1998
Media Mentions
- Paul Williams Recognized as a Benchmark Litigation Star by Benchmark Litigation, Benchmark Litigation 2023 Guide, October 5, 2022
- Paul Williams Recognized as a Benchmark Litigation Star by Benchmark Litigation, Benchmark Litigation, October 5, 2021
Speaking Engagements
- Titans of the Defense, March 11, 2019
- American Board of Trial Advocates "Civility Matters" Seminar, September 15, 2017
- Program Chair, Connecticut State Committee of the American College of Trial Lawyers Trial Skills Seminar, March 14, 2014, March 14, 2014