Rich Paul has been a fixture among California management employment lawyers for over 30 years, with a special emphasis on representing research and institutions of higher education and technology, as well as community impact and other complex organizations, in transactions and litigation.
After graduating from Stanford Law School, Rich joined the Gray Cary firm, and became a partner and Chair of that firm’s Employment Law Group. In 1998, Rich co-founded Paul, Plevin, Sullivan & Connaughton, LLP, to continue focusing on private and public sector employment law issues for California employers and matters affecting high tech, research, higher education, arts and other community organizations. He is an accomplished trial lawyer and a Master Barrister in the American Inns of Court.
Rich is a frequent lecturer on California and national employment law panels, having been an invited presenter in Chicago; Atlanta; New Orleans; Las Vegas; Scottsdale; Toronto; Washington, D.C.; and other venues. He has been an Adjunct Professor of Employment Law at USD Law School for 20 years, and has been a regular lecturer at UCSD and a visiting lecturer at other law schools. He has served on a variety of Boards, including the Editorial Review Board for the California Employment Law Letters; currently serves on the Board of Directors of the National Center for Conflict Resolution; and is past Chairman of the Board of The San Diego Blood Bank.
Rich has been named annually by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® since 1987. He has also been ranked among the “Best Lawyers in San Diego” (San Diego Magazine), “Best Employment Lawyers in San Diego” (San Diego Daily Transcript), “San Diego Super Lawyers” (New York Times), “Best Labor and Employment Counsel in California” (Corporate Counsel Magazine), “Southern California Super Lawyers” (L.A. Times) and similar publications. In 2010, he was invited to become a Fellow in the prestigious National College of Employment and Labor Lawyers.
Rich was selected as a 2014 “Lawyer of the Year” for Labor Law - Management in the San Diego area by Best Lawyers. Rich was previously named in 2011 as Best Lawyers “Lawyer of the Year” in Labor and Employment Law. Rich was ranked by Martindale-Hubbell as a Top Lawyer for 2016 and 2017 in the Labor & Employment Category as published in San Diego Magazine. He was just named a 2017 triple winner by Best Lawyers, being named by his peers as among the best in all three subspecialties in the same year (Employment Law, Labor Law and Employment Litigation).
Education
- Juris Doctor, Stanford Law School (1973)
- B.A., with Honors, Valparaiso University (1970); Distinguished Alumni Award (2005)
Professional Experience
- Paul, Plevin, Sullivan & Connaughton LLP
Partner (August 1998 - Present) - Gray Cary Ware & Freidenrich (1973-1998)
Admissions
- All California State Courts
- United States District Court; Northern, Eastern, Central and Southern Districts
- Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals