Paul B. La Scala is a partner in the firm’s Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Division. He also is a member of the firm’s Agribusiness & Food Systems industry practice group. In addition, Paul practices in the areas of toxic tort, business litigation and appellate law.

Paul concentrates his practice on defending corporations in product liability and consumer fraud actions involving pharmaceuticals, medical devices, dietary supplements, and packaged foods. Over the last few years, he has provided value to clients faced with mass tort litigation in a variety of ways, such as:

• Activating insurance policies of a client’s business partners to defray the client’s cost of defense;
• Monitoring local counsel in multiple jurisdictions to ensure a unified litigation strategy;
• Facilitating the resolution of litigation impacted by the bankruptcies of players in the supply chain; and
• Developing additional risk mitigation and risk transfer techniques based on lessons learned in litigation.

Paul serves on the firm’s Associates Committee, manages the paralegal program in the firm’s Orange County office, and supervises pro bono matters handled by Orange County associates. His contributions to the community have included trying misdemeanor cases as a volunteer deputy district attorney, counseling individuals through the Corbin Legal Clinic and volunteering as an assistant coach for youth soccer and baseball teams.

Paul is a member of the Defense Research Institute (Drug & Medical Device and Toxic Tort and Environmental Law Committees) and the American Bar Association (Litigation Section).

Mass Tort 911: The Company’s Been Sued! Now What?, Grocery Manufacturers Association's 2010 Food Claims & Litigation Conference: Emerging Issues in Food-Related Litigation, Austin, Texas (February 2010)

Hot Topics in Agribusiness & Food Safety Webcast, Shook, Hardy & Bacon L.L.P. (February 2010)

Hot Topics in Agribusiness & Food Safety Webcast, Shook, Hardy & Bacon L.L.P. (November 2009)

Food Safety: Factoring in New Threats Associated with Foreign Food Product Imports, American Conference Institute's 3rd National Forum on Food-Borne Illness Litigation: Advanced Strategies for Assessing, Managing & Defending Food Contamination Claims, Chicago, Illinois (October 2009)

Electronic Document Preparation, Management, and Retention in the Claims Process, Grocery Manufacturers Association's Modern Management of Consumer Complaints: Unlocking the Secrets of Great Service, New Orleans, Louisiana (May 2009)

Country-of-Origin Labeling: A Legal Mandate for Some, a Marketing Opportunity for Others, and a Litigation Risk for All, Grocery Manufacturers Association's 2009 Food Claims & Litigation Conference, Rancho Mirage, California (February 2009)

Deceptive Trade Practice Claims: Strategies for Responding to a Growing Trend, American Conference Institute's 2nd National Forum on Food-Borne Illness Litigation, Scottsdale, Arizona (December 2008)

Product Liability When There is No Injury: The Deceptive Trade Practices Class Action, Grocery Manufacturers Association Food Claims & Litigation Conference: Emerging Issues in Food-Related Litigation, New Orleans, Louisiana (February 2008)

Paul is admitted to practice before the state courts of California, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, and the U.S. District Courts for the Central, Eastern and Southern Districts of California.

1996   J.D., Loyola Law School, Los Angeles
           (St. Thomas More Law Honor Society)

1992   B.B.A., University of San Diego

Volunteer deputy district attorney for the Orange County District Attorney's Office. Handled all responsibilities of sworn deputy including several misdemeanor trials and preliminary hearings, settlement negotiations and case initiation. (Summer 2003)

Participant in the IADC Trial Academy sponsored by the International Association of Defense Counsel. (July 2001)

Presenter at Products Liability Litigation seminar sponsored by Continuing Education of the Bar. (Spring 2000)

Member of the Defense Research Institute and the Orange County Bar Association. (1997 to present)

LaScala