Paula Zecchini

Paula L. Zecchini focuses her multi-state practice on complex commercial and intellectual property litigation, with an emphasis on the Internet, technology, and cross-border disputes. She has over a decade of experience litigating trademark infringement, unfair competition, false advertising, and defamation claims on behalf of Fortune 500 companies, small businesses, and individuals.

Paula also provides clients with strategic guidance on a wide range of issues related to advertising and brand protection, including compliance with the Telephone Consumer Protection Act and the enforcement of intellectual property rights.

A skilled and decisive attorney, Paula has tried numerous cases to verdict as lead counsel. She most recently served as lead counsel for GoDaddy in a $30 million, “bet-the-industry” cybersquatting action filed by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences; the defense verdict is widely regarded as one of the top verdicts of 2015.

Paula also has broad experience representing clients throughout the appellate process, having briefed and argued appeals before the Second and Ninth Circuits, as well as various state appellate courts, while serving as lead counsel on behalf of clients such as Bank of America, GoDaddy and Sea Shepherd.

Prior to practicing law, Paula served as a Special Operations soldier in the U.S. Army Reserve, graduating first in her class from the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School. She now serves as a volunteer attorney with the ABA Military Pro Bono Project and the Veterans Consortium Pro Bono Program, providing legal aid to veterans and service members at home and abroad. In 2015, Paula was selected to participate in the World Affairs Council’s Fellow Program.

EXPERIENCE :

• Counsel for a prominent racetrack in action receiving national media attention, including spot on HBO’s Real Sports; secured dismissal on the pleadings
• Lead counsel for an American manufacturing corporation in a dispute arising from a series of international contracts implicating the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG); secured dismissal on the pleadings
• Lead appellate counsel for an American multinational banking corporation in proceedings before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit related to charges of fraud; remanded after oral argument
• Lead appellate counsel in proceedings before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit related to the dismissal of a New York lawsuit alleging RICO violations and other tort claims arising from investments in an Italian Serie B football club; secured dismissal after oral argument
• Lead counsel for GoDaddy in class action lawsuit filed by victims of revenge porn related to hosting of various domains used by alleged revenge porn operators in Texas; secured dismissal of matter on appeal
• Lead appellate counsel for Sea Shepherd in proceedings before the U.S. Court of Appeal for the Ninth Circuit arising from the loss of the vessel Ady Gil, as documented on the television show Whale Wars; matter settled

EDUCATION :

• Washington University School of Law, J.D., 2005
• University of California, Riverside, B.A., 2001
• University of California, Riverside, B.S., 2001

BAR ADMISSIONS : California; Illinois; Washington; Arizona

COURT ADMISSIONS :

• U.S. Supreme Court
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
• U.S. District Court — Arizona
• U.S. District Court — Central District of California
• U.S. District Court — Eastern District of California
• U.S. District Court — Northern District of California
• U.S. District Court — Northern District of Illinois
• U.S. District Court — Southern District of California

AFFILIATIONS :

• American Bar Association, Section of Litigation, Consumer Litigation Committee (Co-Chair, Class Action Subcommittee)
• Master, Seattle Intellectual Property American Inn of Court
• Member, International Trademark Association
• Member, World Affairs Council