Chris Paulos

Christopher G. Paulos is a shareholder at Levin Papantonio. He graduated from the University of Southern California in 2000 obtaining a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication Arts and Sciences, with an emphasis in Argumentation and Advocacy, as well as Cinema/Television Critical Studies.

In May 2010, Mr. Paulos received his Juris Doctor degree from Thomas Jefferson School of Law in San Diego, California. In law school, Mr. Paulos was President of the Student Bar Association during which he oversaw the activities of more than 40 student organizations and represented the student body in consultations with the American Bar Association, faculty, administration, and local community organizations. He was also the president of the Entertainment Law Society. Mr. Paulos was also member of both the Moot Court Honor Society and Mock Trial Team, competing and prevailing in both national and regional competitions that included topics such as medical malpractice, wrongful death, criminal law, entertainment law, and copyright and trademark disputes.

From 2008 to 2010, during a clerkship at the San Diego County Office of the Public Defender, Mr. Paulos worked closely with the Felony Trial department on cases involving violent crimes, drug crimes, and financial wrongdoing. Transitioning to private practice, Chris went on to work for several of San Diego’s most well-known and respected criminal defense attorneys handling motion and appearance work, and participating in the resolution of international discovery disputes, the representation of parties accused of violations of international and offshore gaming regulations, high intensity drug trafficking conspiracies, healthcare fraud, and professional malpractice.

Mr. Paulos joined Levin Papantonio in February 2011 and has developed a diverse practice that includes pharmaceutical, medical device and environmental mass torts, as well as catastrophic personal injury, qui tam/false claims cases, and counter-terrorism/human rights litigation. Chris was a member of the MDL Yaz bellwether Trial Team in Sims v. Bayer, conducted apex corporate deposition discovery in the GranuFlo MDL, and was a member of the trial team in all four DuPont C8 MDL bellwether trials. Chris has handled the day-to-day litigation of the Yaz, NuvaRing, Zimmer NexGen, GranuFlo, and Abilify mass tort cases, and also oversees the daily operation of the qui tam and counterterrorism departments.

Mr. Paulos has significant expertise in the handling of evidence and issues of admissibility at trial. He has written and argued numerous legal briefs to address complex legal issues, and has routinely published articles on various issues related to litigation and jury trials. He is a frequent lecturer at national mass tort and trial lawyer conferences.

Year Joined Law Firm
2011

Present Position with Law Firm
Shareholder

Areas of Practice
Mass Tort
Catastrophic Personal Injury
Qui tam and federal False Claims Act
Products Liability
Environmental
Counterterrorism & Human Rights

Bar Admissions
Florida (2011)
California (2010)
District of Columbia (pending)
United States District Court, Southern District of California
United States District Court, Central District of California
United States District Court, Eastern District of California
United States District Court, Northern District of California
United States District Court, Southern District of Florida
United States District Court, Middle District of Florida
United States District Court, Northern District of Florida

Education
Juris Doctor, Thomas Jefferson School of Law; San Diego, California; 2010
Bachelor of Arts, Communication Arts and Sciences: Argumentation and Advocacy, Cinema/Television Critical Studies; University of Southern California; Los Angeles, California; 2000

Published Works
Counter-Terrorism Litigation: Evolving Laws at Home & Abroad, Journal of the Florida Justice Association (2017)
Gambling with Lives: The Abilify Tragedy, Journal of the Florida Justice Association (2017)
Making Mass Torts a Valuable Addition to Your Solo or Small Firm, The Practitioner -Vol. 23, No. 2 (Winter 2017)
Proton Pump Inhibitors & Kidney Damages: The Dangers of the Purple Pill, Journal of the Florida Justice Association (2016)
DuPont’s Deadly Legacy, Journal of the Florida Justice Association (2016)
GranuFlo: FMC’s Dark Secret Revealed, Journal of the Florida Justice Association (2013)
For-Profit Education: Exploiting the American Dream one Student at a Time, The Trial Lawyer (2012)
Yaz: Blockbuster Drug, Blockbuster Lies, The Trial Lawyer (2012)
Tales from China and London, The National Jurist (2009)

Honors and Awards
SuperLawyers Rising Star (2014 – 2019)
National Trial Lawyers Top 100 – Civil Plaintiff (2017 – 2018)
Top 40 Under 40, The National Trial Lawyers (2016 – 2017)
Rising Star Award, Pensacola Independent News (2012)
BMA/Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law Entertainment Law Moot Court Competition, quarter finalist and “Top Ten Oralist” (2010)
Texas Young Lawyers Association Regional Trial Competition, 2nd Place (2009)
ABA Labor Law Mock Trial Competition, Semi-Finalist (2008)High Grade Award: Written Appellate Advocacy
High Grade Award: Lawyers in American Film
Dean’s Scholar (2007)
Who’s Who: American Law Students (2009)
TJSL Pro Bono Honors Award Recipient (2010)
“Best Back” USC Varsity Rugby Club (2000)
Boy Scouts of America, Eagle Scout

Professional Associations and Memberships
Florida Association of Justice – EAGLE
American Association of Justice
National Trial Lawyers Association
Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties Bar Association
Mass Tort Trial Lawyers Association
Phi Alpha Delta

Prior Employment
Before coming to Levin Papantonio, Mr. Paulos worked at various film production companies in California and Utah, as well as for the San Diego County Department of the Public Defender, and in private practice.