Paula Morency

A highly experienced litigator, Paula J. Morency has tried complex, high-stakes commercial cases successfully before juries, judges and arbitrators across the country. She has also resolved hundreds of complicated claims in mediation. She is determined to achieve successful outcomes that meet her clients’ business and legal goals.

The head of the firm’s Franchise and Distribution Client Service Team, Paula concentrates her practice on litigation and arbitration of commercial disputes, including consumer class actions, franchise and distribution suits, antitrust claims, vicarious liability and data privacy disputes.

Paula teaches trial advocacy at Northwestern University School of Law and is a faculty member for the National Institute for Trial Advocacy.

EXPERIENCE:

• Paula has successfully represented franchisors, manufacturers, and national consumer products companies across the country.  Her clients have prevailed both before trial and in the courtroom.
• In trials and arbitration proceedings, Paula and her teams have defeated multimillion dollar damage claims.  Those victories have been consistently affirmed on appeal.
• In pre-trial victories, Paula has obtained the dismissal of several nationwide class actions, and has succeeded in compelling arbitration, on an individual basis, of claims brought on behalf of a class.
• In other cases, her work has led to summary judgment victories, including judgments in favor of franchisors and manufacturers on contract, statutory and antitrust claims, consumer suits, and catastrophic personal injury claims.
• Paula has successfully defended and resolved hundreds of disputes in mediation as well, including Robinson Patman claims, consumer class and mass tort actions, franchisee and distributor terminations.

EDUCATION:

• University of Virginia School of Law, J.D.
• Princeton University, A.B.

BAR ADMISSIONS:

• Illinois
• U.S. Supreme Court
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
• U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (Trial Bar)
• U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana
• U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois
• U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
• U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan
• U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS:

• Paula has been active in national and local bar associations and served on the Merit Selection Panel for the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. She has also served on the Governing Committee of the ABA Forum on Franchising, co-chaired its annual program, and served on its Litigation and Dispute Resolution Steering Committee, Publications Committee, and the Editorial Board for the Franchise Lawyer.

CIVIC AND CHARITABLE MEMBERSHIPS:

• Constitutional Rights Foundation of Chicago, Board of Directors (1993-present), Executive Committee and former Board Chair
• Princeton AlumniCorps, Board of Directors (2010-2016)