Paul R Taylor

Practice Areas

Paul is a veteran trial lawyer, having tried over 40 cases to verdict or decision.

He has been widely recognized for his trial skills. Following the verdict in a two-month jury case, the trial judge in open court described him as “one of the toughest cross-examiners” she had ever seen.

As former federal antitrust prosecutor and while in private practice, Mr. Taylor has handled a wide variety of antitrust matters. Examples include the following:

• Washington v. StarKist Co. (defense of price fixing claim)

• Washington v. Tyson Foods/House of Raeford Farms (defense of price fixing claim)

• In re Anadarko Basin Antitrust Litigation (lead defense counsel in multistate antitrust class action)

• State of Michigan v. Chesapeake Energy (defense of criminal bid rigging charges in natural gas industry)

• Northstar v. Chesapeake Energy (defense of §1 price fixing claims)

• United States v. Portac, Inc. (successful federal antitrust prosecution)

• Surgical Implant Grand Jury Investigation (defense of seller of artificial joint implants in criminal antitrust investigation)

• Agricultural Chemical Grand Jury Investigation (defense of agricultural chemical seller in criminal antitrust investigation)

• Perishable Produce Grand Jury Investigation (defense of farming operation in criminal antitrust investigation; investigation closed

based on Capper Volstead defense)

• Paving Grand Jury Investigation (defense of paving company in criminal antitrust investigation)

• Seafood Grand Jury Investigation (defense of CEO of seafood company in grand jury investigation)

• International Fur Price-Fixing Class Action (defense of fur brokers)

• Hairston v. NCAA (obtained dismissal of antitrust class action against the National Collegiate Athletic Association)

• Blewett v. Abbott Laboratories (lead counsel for United States pharmaceutical industry; obtained dismissal of antitrust class action

against pharmaceutical manufacturers)

• Bristol Bay Salmon Antitrust Litigation (obtained dismissal of defendant trade association in antitrust class action)

• In Re Soft Drink Antitrust Litigation (defense of soft drink bottler in multiple price-fixing class actions)

• Safeco Field Beer Pricing Litigation (obtained dismissal of beer distributor in class action alleging unfair pricing)

• Cost Management Services v. Washington Natural Gas (successful antitrust case on behalf of plaintiff against regulated utility)

Additionally, as a federal antitrust prosecutor, Mr. Taylor conducted over 20 grand jury investigations in a wide range of industries including interstate movers, pipe fabricators, timber purchasers, waste haulers, electrical contractors, and road builders.

HONORS AND BAR ACTIVITIES

• Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers

• Former Chair, Washington State Bar Section on Consumer Protection and Antitrust Law

• Washington CEO Magazine League of Justice Award (named one of two best antitrust lawyers in Washington)

• Named Among Best Lawyers in Washington by Washington Law and Politics Magazine – 1999 to present

• Listed in Best Lawyers in America

• Listed in Chambers USA –Antitrust, Seattle, Band 1

• Special Counsel for Washington State Commission on Judicial Conduct, investigating and trying judges accused of misconduct

Co-author:

• ABA Criminal Antitrust Litigation Manual, Second Edition

• ABA Antitrust Grand Jury Manual

• Antitrust Counseling and Litigation Techniques (Matthew Bender)

• ABA Antitrust Sentencing Guidelines Handbook

Frequent speaker at CLEs.