Paul Lancaster Adams

Paul Lancaster Adams is the Managing Shareholder of Ogletree Deakins' Philadelphia office. With a strong in-house and outside counsel background, Paul brings a unique perspective and focus to his national clients. He has skillfully addressed a broad range of key employment issues critical to the modern workplace through counseling, negotiation and litigation. Paul has particular experience with employment single/multiple plaintiff and class action matters as well as wage and hour, non-compete and trade secret litigation. He has successfully tried to verdict over 25 matters in federal and state courts and handled numerous arbitrations and mediations. Among many honors, Paul is listed in the Best Lawyers in America. He has been further singled out, nationally, as one of "The Legal 500" and the National Law Journal rates him as one of the "Top Lawyers in Pennsylvania." He has been recognized regionally as a "Top Pennsylvania Lateral Hire" and named "Pennsylvania Diverse Attorney of the Year" by The Legal Intelligencer (oldest law journal in the United States). The Philadelphia Business Journal distinguished Paul as one of the "Noteworthy Philadelphia-Area Lateral Attorney" hires of the year and most recently, selected him to receive the "Minority Business Leader Executive Award" which recognizes top level Corporate Executives and Advocates who play a strong role in their respective industries and communities. Prior to joining Ogletree Deakins, Paul served as Associate General Counsel and Chief Employment Litigator to Microsoft Corporation. He also led the strategic and tactical handling of class actions and high-level domestic and non-United States corporate investigations. As part of the company's Legal and Corporate Affairs External Leadership, he also served as Sr. Director of Government Affairs where he supported and advised the company's largest customer base. During his career with Microsoft, he was honored with the National Bar Association's "Clyde E. Bailey Award for Corporate Leadership." Preceding Microsoft, Paul was a partner at one of the premier law firms in Philadelphia. Paul is involved in numerous civic and charitable activities. He currently serves on the Governing Board of Directors for Big Brothers Big Sisters of South Eastern Pennsylvania and re-elected to the Board of Directors for Philadelphia Young Playwrights (term starting in September 2013).