Paul Stafford, Immediate Past Chair
Paul K. Stafford is the 2021-’22 Chair of the State Bar of Texas African American Lawyers Section.
Paul is a licensed attorney who received his B.S. (Political Science, minor in Economics) from Texas A&M University in 1990, and his J.D. from Texas Tech School of Law in 1994. He is admitted to the State Bar of Texas, all four U.S. District Courts in Texas (Northern, Southern, Eastern, and Western), the U.S. District Court for Northern District of California, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, and the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals.
Paul currently serves as founder and managing partner of STAFFORD LAW FIRM, P.C., a majority/minority owned litigation and corporate boutique. Paul focuses his practice primarily on civil litigation, torts, complex commercial and business litigation, and insurance policyholder and coverage litigation; he also has experience in data privacy & cyber-security matters, intellectual property and technology litigation, labor and employment, and corporate matters. He previously served as an Assistant Criminal District Attorney in Denton and Dallas Counties; studied at La Escuela de Idioma de Francisco Marroquin, Antigua, Guatemala; was Trial Counsel for Farmers Insurance Group and Zurich North America; and practiced at Hughes & Luce LLP (which merged with K&L Gates) and Thompson & Knight., LLP. Paul also serves as an Adjunct Professor at Texas Tech University School of Law and Texas A&M University School of Law.
During his career, Paul has tried more than 200 cases to verdict, including approximately 100 criminal cases and approximately 100 civil cases. Paul has successfully represented numerous parties in multi-million dollar complex civil and criminal litigation throughout Texas and the nation, is a frequent speaker and lecturer, and has written and presented numerous articles, papers, and CLE presentations on insurance, e-discovery, cyber-security and litigation. For over two decades, Paul has been recognized by his peers as a Texas Monthly Super Lawyer, Texas Lawyer Top Commercial Litigator, and among D-Magazine’s Best Lawyers in Dallas. Paul is also a previous recipient of the AALS Trailblazer Award (2014).
Paul is a Past-President of the Dallas Bar Association (2012) and the J.L. Turner Legal Association (2002), and previously served on the Boards of the Dallas Bar Foundation, Texas A&M University Association of Former Students, and the German Marshall Fund of the United States. Paul currently serves on the Boards of Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Dallas, the J.L. Turner Legal Association Foundation, the State Bar of Texas Insurance Law Section, and Texas Tech University School of Law.
Paul is also a strong supporter of the arts – including the Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing & Visual Arts (Advisory Board; Mock Trial Coach), the Dallas Black Dance Theatre, the Dallas Museum of Art, and the Dallas Symphony Orchestra (Board of Governors, Corporate Committee, and the Diversity Equity & Inclusion Committee).
To speak with Mr. Metayer regarding more information about the AALS, please contact him directly here.