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Lawyer Profile

Image of James M. Paul

James M. Paul

Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C.
  • Recognized Since:
    2010
  • Recognized in:
    Employment Law - Management
    Labor Law - Management...
  • Website:
    http://www.ogletree.com
  • Firm's Phone Number:
    (314) 802.3935
  • E-mail:
    jim.paul@ogletreedeakins.com
  • Location:
    7700 Bonhomme Avenue, Suite 650
    St. Louis, MO 63105
Jim has extensive experience in handling labor and employment law litigation in federal and state courts, and before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the National Labor Relations Board, the Department of Justice, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and several state agencies.  He also regularly advises employers on all labor and human resource management issues in an effort to prevent or resolve employee issues before they escalate into legal disputes.Prior to his private practice of law, Jim served as judicial law clerk to the Honorable Ray Price, Jr. of the Missouri Supreme Court and then as a Missouri Assistant Attorney General.  As Assistant Attorney General, he represented the Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, the Missouri Division of Labor Standards, and the Missouri Commission on Human Rights by enforcing state wage and hour laws, and discrimination laws.  He also worked in Washington, D.C. on legislative issues for the late Missouri Governor Carnahan and has taught Trial Advocacy at Saint Louis University as an Adjunct Professor.
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  • Lawyer Bio
  • Client Comments
  • Firm Details
  • Legal Insights
  • News & Media
  • Case History

Lawyer Bio

Jim has extensive experience in handling labor and employment law litigation in federal and state courts, and before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the National Labor Relations Board, the Department of Justice, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and several state agencies.  He also regularly advises employers on all labor and human resource management issues in an effort to prevent or resolve employee issues before they escalate into legal disputes.Prior to his private practice of law, Jim served as judicial law clerk to the Honorable Ray Price, Jr. of the Missouri Supreme Court and then as a Missouri Assistant Attorney General.  As Assistant Attorney General, he represented the Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, the Missouri Division of Labor Standards, and the Missouri Commission on Human Rights by enforcing state wage and hour laws, and discrimination laws.  He also worked in Washington, D.C. on legislative issues for the late Missouri Governor Carnahan and has taught Trial Advocacy at Saint Louis University as an Adjunct Professor.
Read more on firm website
  • Education
  • Bar Admissions
  • Affiliations
  • Award List
  • Clerkships
  • Additional Information
  • Lawyer of the Year Badge

Education:

  • Washington University in St. Louis, graduated 1995
  • Saint Louis University, graduated 1992

Bar Admissions:

  • Missouri, The Missouri Bar
  • Illinois, Illinois State Bar Association

Affiliations:

  • American Bar Association - Member
  • Bar Association of Central and Southern Federal Districts of Illinois - Member
  • Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis - Member
  • United Hebrew Congregation - Interfaith Outreach Committee
  • ABA - Section of Labor and Employment Law - FMLA Subcommittee - Subcommittee Management Co-Chair
  • Human Resources Management Association of Greater St. Louis - Vice-President of Administration

Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers for:

  • Litigation - Labor and Employment, St. Louis (2016)
 

Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America for work in:

  • Employment Law - Management
  • Labor Law - Management
  • Litigation - Labor and Employment
 

Awards:

  • Super Lawyers (2008-2013)
  • AV rating by Martindale-Hubbell

State Clerkships:

  • Missouri - Supreme Court

Special Focus:

  • Management
 

Lawyer Client Comments

Firm Details

Image for Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C. View Firm Profile
Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C.
http://www.ogletree.com
 
Headquarters
One Ninety One Peachtree Tower, Suite 4800
191 Peachtree Street, NE
Atlanta, GA 30303
(404) 881.1300
47 Office Locations
in 1 Country

United States

United States

Alabama

Alabama

Birmingham, AL

420 Twentieth Street North, Suite 1900

Birmingham, AL 35203

United States

(205) 328.1900

Get Directions

Arizona

Arizona

Phoenix, AZ

Esplanade Center III, Suite 800

2415 East Camelback Road

Phoenix, AZ 85016

United States

(602) 778.3700

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Tucson, AZ

3430 East Sunrise Drive, Suite 220

Tucson, AZ 85718

United States

(520) 544.0300

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California

California

Costa Mesa, CA

Park Tower, Suite 1500

695 Town Center Drive

Costa Mesa, CA 92626

United States

(714) 800.7900

Get Directions

Los Angeles, CA

400 South Hope Street, Suite 1200

Los Angeles, CA 90071

United States

(213) 239.9800

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Sacramento, CA

500 Capitol Mall, Suite 2500

Sacramento, CA 95814

United States

(916) 840.3150

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San Diego, CA

4370 La Jolla Village Drive, Suite 990

San Diego, CA 92122

United States

(858) 652.3100

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San Francisco, CA

Steuart Tower, Suite 1300

One Market Plaza

San Francisco, CA 94105

United States

(415) 442.4810

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Torrance, CA

19191 South Vermonth Avenue, Suite 950

Torrance, CA 90502

United States

(310) 217.8191

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Colorado

Colorado

Denver, CO

Tower Three, Suite 900

2000 South Colorado Boulevard

Denver, CO 80203

United States

(303) 764.6800

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Connecticut

Connecticut

Stamford, CT

281 Tresser Boulevard, Suite 602

Stamford, CT 06901

United States

(203) 969.3100

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District of Columbia

District of Columbia

Washington, DC

1909 K Street, NW, Suite 1000

Washington, DC 20006

United States

(202) 887.0855

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Florida

Florida

Miami, FL

9130 South Dadeland Boulevard, Suite 1625

Two Datran Center

Miami, FL 33156

United States

(305) 374.0506

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Tampa, FL

100 North Tampa Street, Suite 3600

Tampa, FL 33602

United States

(813) 289.1247

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Illinois

Illinois

Chicago, IL

155 North Wacker Drive, Suite 4300

Chicago, IL 60606

United States

(312) 558.1220

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Indiana

Indiana

Indianapolis, IN

111 Monument Circle, Suite 4600

Indianapolis, IN 46204

United States

(317) 916.1300

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Louisiana

Louisiana

New Orleans, LA

701 Poydras Street, Suite 3500

New Orleans, LA 70139

United States

(504) 648.3840

Get Directions

Maine

Maine

Portland, ME

Two Monumental Square, Seventh Floor

Portland, ME 04101

United States

(207) 387.2957

Get Directions

Massachusetts

Massachusetts

Boston, MA

One Boston Place, Suite 3500

201 Washington Street

Boston, MA 02108

United States

(617) 994.5700

Get Directions

Michigan

Michigan

Birmingham, MI

34977 Woodward Avenue, Suite 300

Birmingham, MI 48009

United States

(248) 593.6400

Get Directions

Minnesota

Minnesota

Minneapolis, MN

225 South Sixth Street, Suite 1800

Minneapolis, MN 55402

United States

(612) 339.1818

Get Directions

Mississippi

Mississippi

Ridgeland, MS

207 West Jackson Street, Suite 200

Ridgeland, MS 39157

United States

(601) 360.8444

Get Directions

Missouri

Missouri

Kansas City, MO

4520 Main Street, Suite 400

Kansas City, MO 64111

United States

(816) 471.1301

Get Directions

St. Louis, MO

7700 Bonhomme Avenue, Suite 650

St. Louis, MO 63105

United States

(314) 802.3935

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Nevada

Nevada

Las Vegas, NV

3800 Howard Hughes Parkway, Suite 1500

Las Vegas, NV 89169

United States

(702) 369.6800

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New Jersey

New Jersey

Morristown, NJ

10 Madison Avenue, Suite 400

Morristown, NJ 07960

United States

(973) 656.1600

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New York

New York

New York, NY

599 Lexington Avenue, Suite 1700

New York, NY 10022

United States

(212) 492.2500

Get Directions

North Carolina

North Carolina

Charlotte, NC

201 South College Street, Suite 2300

Charlotte, NC 28244

United States

(704) 342.2588

Get Directions

Raleigh, NC

8529 Six Forks Road, Suite 600

Raleigh, NC 27615

United States

(919) 787.9700

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Ohio

Ohio

Cleveland, OH

Key Tower, Suite 4100

127 Public Square

Cleveland, OH 44114

United States

(216) 241.6100

Get Directions

Oklahoma

Oklahoma

Oklahoma City, OK

The Heritage Building, Suite 400

621 North Robinson Avenue

Oklahoma City, OK 73102

United States

(405) 546.3774

Get Directions

Oregon

Oregon

Portland, OR

222 Southwest Columbia Street, Suite 1500

Portland, OR 97201

United States

(503) 552.2140

Get Directions

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA

1735 Market Street, Suite 3000

Philadelphia, PA 19103

United States

(215) 995.2800

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Pittsburgh, PA

One PPG Place, Suite 1900

Pittsburgh, PA 15222

United States

(412) 394.3333

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South Carolina

South Carolina

Charleston, SC

211 King Street, Suite 200

Charleston, SC 29401

United States

(843) 853.1300

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Columbia, SC

First Base Building, Suite 401

2142 Boyce Street

Columbia, SC 29201

United States

(803) 252.1300

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Greenville, SC

The Ogletree Building

300 North Main Street

Greenville, SC 29601

United States

(864) 271.1300

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Tennessee

Tennessee

Memphis, TN

International Place, Tower II, Suite 300

6410 Poplar Avenue

Memphis, TN 38119

United States

(901) 767.6160

Get Directions

Nashville, TN

SunTrust Plaza, Suite 1200

401 Commerce Street

Nashville, TN 37219

United States

(615) 254.1900

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Texas

Texas

Austin, TX

301 Congress Avenue, Suite 1150

Austin, TX 78701

United States

(512) 344.4700

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Dallas, TX

Preston Commons West, Suite 500

8117 Preston Road

Dallas, TX 75225

United States

(214) 987.3800

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Houston, TX

One Allen Center, Suite 3000

500 Dallas Street

Houston, TX 77002

United States

(713) 655.0855

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San Antonio, TX

112 East Pecan Street, Suite 2700

San Antonio, TX 78205

United States

(210) 354.1300

Get Directions

Virginia

Virginia

Richmond, VA

901 East Byrd Street, Suite 1300

Richmond, VA 23219

United States

(804) 663.2330

Get Directions

Washington

Washington

Seattle, WA

1201 Third Avenue, Suite 5150

Seattle, WA 98101

United States

(206) 693.7057

Get Directions

Wisconsin

Wisconsin

Milwaukee, WI

1243 North 10th Street, Suite 200

Milwaukee, WI 53205

United States

(414) 239.6400

Get Directions

Legal Insights

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News & Media

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Lawyer Case History

Other Court Admissions

  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh and Eighth Circuits
  • U.S. District Court, Central and Southern Districts of Illinois
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern and Western Districts of Missouri
  • U.S. District Court, District of Colorado

Experience

Jim has extensive experience advising employers on all labor and human resource management issues.  Jim has advised and defended international, national, regional and local companies, as well as several cities, counties and related public entities.  Examples of these labor and employment matters include:  discrimination charges; the interaction of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, and workers’ compensation laws; the enforcement and drafting of employee arbitration and jury waiver agreements; the enforcement of, and defense against, employee non-competition agreements; and the drafting and analysis of employee handbooks and policies.  Jim has significant experience with training, advising and defending companies and organizations regarding their obligations to disabled customers and patients pursuant to Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act, as well as with housing and lodging discrimination claims and lawsuits.  Jim has successfully defended and settled numerous discrimination charges and wrongful discharge claims.  When necessary, Jim litigates cases in court and has tried numerous cases in front of juries, judges and arbitrators.

Part 2

He has significant experience drafting and negotiating employment and non-competition/non-solicitation agreements.  Depending on the client’s perspective, he has successfully enforced (or defeated) these types of agreements in court.  Many employment laws vary from state to state, and Jim has worked with clients who have multi-state (and even 50-state) operations to ensure that their policies and practices are compliant in every jurisdiction.  Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act prohibits discrimination by companies and organizations who provide services to the public, and Jim regularly advises such clients regarding ADA compliance and defends those entities when claims are brought against them by the Department of Justice and similar state civil rights agencies.Finally, because of his judicial clerkship experience and the direct handling of many appeals since, he is able to effectively assist clients when it is necessary to either defend a ruling on appeal or to obtain a reversal or other relief from an appellate court.
 
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