July 25, 2016 American Association for Justice Honors Gary Paul with One of its Highest Awards for Distinguished Service
LOS ANGELES – July 25, 2016 – Waters Kraus Paul & Siegel partner Gary M. Paul has been awarded the prestigious Leonard Ring Champion of Justice Award by the American Association for Justice (AAJ) and presented by AAJ President Larry Tawwater. The award bestows recognition to Mr. Paul’s tireless commitment to the civil justice system during a legal career spanning more than four decades. Mr. Paul received the award on July 24, 2016 at the organization’s annual conference in Los Angeles, California.
Leonard Ring was a prominent personal injury attorney in Chicago, IL, and a former president of AAJ. He was known as a strong and vocal advocate for victims’ legal rights. The Leonard Ring Champion of Justice Award, which honors his memory and work, is presented annually by the leadership of AAJ to a member who has shown outstanding integrity, overall character, and has demonstrated Leonard Ring’s devotion to human and civil rights. The award is given to a member who has provided distinguished service in advancing AAJ’s mission and growth, and made outstanding contributions to trial advocacy and the legal profession.
“I am honored and deeply grateful to receive this prestigious award from AAJ for protecting the rights of consumers and working men and women. I am simply doing what I love to do. I am proud to be “on the side of the people,” said Mr. Paul.
Mr. Paul received the AAJ’s Harry M. Philo Award in 2014 recognizing his leadership in protecting the rights of individuals through the civil justice system. From 2011 to 2012, taking a step back from his Los Angeles law practice, Mr. Paul served as AAJ president in Washington D.C. During his presidency, Mr. Paul advanced the AAJ mission by leading efforts to educate political leaders, the press, and the public on the importance of civil jury trials and equal access to justice. He spurred growth in the organization by galvanizing members’ commitment to effective legal representation of their individual clients and to the resulting public safety benefits for everyone.
After returning to California, Mr. Paul achieved the largest jury trial award of its kind in Ohio in December 2013. His client was a young professor dying of mesothelioma, a result of the professor’s exposure to asbestos as a child.
Mr. Paul has also long encouraged trial lawyers to hone their advocacy skills through continuing legal education. He has prominently served in the leadership of several lawyers’ organizations throughout his career with a commitment to achieving this goal. The Leonard Ring Champion of Justice Award marks his success in this endeavor.
About Waters Kraus Paul & Siegel
Waters Kraus Paul & Siegel is a national plaintiffs’ law firm devoted to helping families in personal injury and wrongful death cases involving asbestos and mesothelioma, benzene and leukemia, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and birth defects caused by toxic chemical exposures in agriculture and semiconductor chip manufacturing. The law firm also represents plaintiffs in qui tam whistleblower matters and cases of false claims against the government. Our attorneys have won record-setting verdicts, negotiated monumental settlements, and established ground-breaking new law in cases involving toxic exposure and defective products. Based in Texas, with offices in California and by appointment in Illinois, Waters Kraus & Paul has represented families from all fifty states and many foreign countries, as well as foreign governments.
