

Paul M. Kessimian
Paul serves as Chair of the Firm's Litigation Practice group and represents corporate clients and individuals in nearly every type of complex litigation, including breach of contract, commercial, insurance, intellectual property, environmental, and real estate disputes. He represents clients in all phases of litigation in state and federal courts and has tried both bench and jury trials. Applying a business-minded approach to every dispute, Paul has a proven track record advising clients across a broad range of industries in high stakes, big dollar disputes often alongside or against some of the largest and most established firms in the country. He is skilled at resolving cases before litigation - but when litigation is necessary, he represents his clients effectively, proficiently, and creatively.
Prior to joining Partridge Snow & Hahn LLP, Paul was a litigator at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP.
Education
- Columbia University School of Law, J.D., Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar, Articles Editor, Columbia Business Law Review
- Providence College, B.A. Political Science and Economics, summa cum laude
Bar Memberships & Admissions
- Massachusetts
- Rhode Island
- U.S. Federal District Court, Massachusetts
- U.S. Federal District Court, Rhode Island
- U.S. Court of Appeals, 1st Circuit
Practice Areas
Honors
- Recognized for commercial litigation by Best Lawyers in America
- Selected as a “Local Litigation Star” and 40 & Under Hot List 2019 by Benchmark: Litigation
- Recognized as a "Rising Star" in business litigation by Rhode Island Super Lawyers
- Selected by Providence Business News as a 2012 40 Under Forty Honoree
- Recognized by the New England Business Bulletin as a 2011 Top Young Professional Under Forty
Professional Affiliations
- American Bar Association
- Litigation Section’s Commercial & Business Litigation Committee
- Co-Chair, E-Discovery Subcommittee of Commercial & Business Litigation Committee
- Web and Practice Point Editor of Commercial & Business Litigation Committee
- Defense Counsel of Rhode Island
- Vice President
- Massachusetts Bar Association
- Rhode Island Bar Association
- Federal Bar Association
- Secretary & Executive Committee Member
- Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel
- Member
- Vice Chair, EVOLVE Committee
- Vice Chair, Commercial Litigation Section
Community Activities
- Providence College
- Vice Chair, Liberal Arts Honors Leadership Council
- Member, President's Council
Representative Cases
- Advise client with regard to scope and applicability of insurance regulation in Rhode Island and Massachusetts.
- Co-chaired six week federal jury trial on behalf of client seeking to recover costs associated with cleaning up environmental contaminants under Massachusetts law (Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 21E) to verdict and through appeal to the First Circuit.
- Defended publicly traded pharmaceutical company in qui tam suits brought in Federal Court in Rhode Island and Boston.
- Represented one of the nation's largest insurance companies in litigation involving life insurance sales practices.
- Successfully briefed and argued before the Massachusetts Appeals Court on behalf of a municipality concerning the scope of its power to revoke building permits, issue cease and desist orders, and control the application of its bylaws.
- Successfully defended a publicly traded chemical manufacturing and biotechnology firm against a multi-million dollar suit brought by a former landlord.
- Obtained a judgment, on behalf of mechanics' lienholders, subordinating over $20 million in mortgages held by an international bank to the clients' liens.
- Successfully represented financial institution on reopened Chapter 11 bankruptcy adversary proceeding upholding the validity of the financial instruments it had obtained pursuant to that bankruptcy.
Representative Publications
- Five Tips for Using Proportionality to Limit Wild Goose Chases in Discovery
June 11, 2020 - RI Supreme Court Decision to Impact Real Estate, Title and Mortgage Industries
June 3, 2020 - 'Business Interruption' Recovery May Be Uphill Climb For Insureds
As seen in Rhode Island Lawyers Weekly, May 14, 2020 - Christian Jenner & Paul Kessimian: Data Hygiene
December 6, 2019 - Paul M. Kessimian Comments on Appellate Decision in Long-Arm Statute Case
As seen in Mass Lawyers Weekly, July 2, 2019 - U.S. District Court Officially Adopts Established R.I. Deposition Standards
As seen in RI Lawyers Weekly, August 16, 2018 - Bankruptcy bar assesses Supreme Court nixing of structured dismissal
Paul Kessimian was quoted in a Rhode Island Lawyers Weekly article, April 13, 2017 - New Supreme Court Decision Reminds Parties to Bankruptcies to Keep their Priorities Straight
March 31, 2017 - Got A Priority Bankruptcy Claim? Nothing To Worry About Then, Right? Wrong.
03 November 2016 - The Nature of Workers' Compensation as Affected by Pain and Suffering
March 2016 - Harsh & Costly Lesson from Unilateral Use of E-Discovery Tools
September 2014 - e-Discovery Update: Avoid Sanctions by Appropriately Preserving Electronically Stored Information
July 2013
Representative Speaking Engagements
- Paul Kessimian Shares Insights in Virtual Litigation Academy Video
August 3, 2020 - PS&H Partner Paul Kessimian Speaks at National Center for State Courts Webinar
July 20, 2020 - PS&H Partners Michael Gamboli and Paul Kessimian Speak at Rhode Island Bar Association 2018 Annual Meeting
June 6, 2018
Recognitions
- Partridge Snow & Hahn Named in Benchmark Litigation's 2021 Rankings and Stars
November 2020 - Partridge Snow & Hahn Attorneys Recognized in the 2021 Edition of Best Lawyers in America
August 20, 2020 - Partridge Snow & Hahn Attorneys Recognized in Professional Excellence Law Issue In Rhode Island Monthly
June 2020 - Chambers USA 2020 Recognizes Partridge Snow & Hahn
May 2020 - Paul Kessimian Elected to Secretary of Rhode Island Chapter of Federal Bar Association
November 13, 2019 - Partridge Snow & Hahn Named in Benchmark Litigation's 2020 Rankings and Stars
November 8, 2019 - PS&H Partner Paul Kessimian Elected Vice President Of Defense Counsel
June 14, 2019 - Chambers USA 2019 Recognizes Partridge Snow & Hahn in Massachusetts and Rhode Island
May 1, 2019 - Partridge Snow & Hahn Named in Benchmark Litigation's 2019 Rankings and Stars
December 7, 2018 - Partridge Snow & Hahn Attorneys Have Been Named to the 2019 Edition of Best Lawyers in America
November 5, 2018 - PS&H Attorneys Named 2018 Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
American Lawyer Media, October 22. 2018 - PS&H Attorneys Named 2017 Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
October 2017 - Best Lawyers in America 2018 Names PS&H Providence Attorneys Bernardo, Gamboli, Gilden, Merten and McCarthy "Lawyers of the Year"
11 Attorneys in Providence and Boston Named “Best Lawyers”, August 16, 2017 - Partridge Snow & Hahn LLP Announces New Managing Partner and Other Firm Leaders
April 1, 2017 - Paul Kessimian named a winner of Benchmark Litigation Under 40 Hot List - 2016
August 16, 2016