Paul V. Cassisa, Jr.
Office Information
Paul has tried many lawsuits --- in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Florida, Kentucky, Kansas, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Arizona. His products liability trial experience includes pharmaceutical and medical device cases for Johnson & Johnson, Janssen, McNeil and Ethicon, and automotive cases for General Motors, Mazda and Nissan.
Biography – View PDF Bio
- About Paul
- Associations
- Bar Admissions
- Distinctions
- Education & Honors
- Experience
- In the News
- Papers, Presentations, & Publications
- Recent Blogs
Narrative Bio
Paul is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and International Academy of Trial Lawyers. He has been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America®, which selected him as Lawyer of the Year for Product Liability Litigation–Defendants in 2013, and Mid-South Super Lawyers. He is AV®-Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell®.
He earned his J.D., cum laude, from Loyola University in New Orleans and his B.A., cum laude, and M.J. from Louisiana State University. He is admitted in both Mississippi and Louisiana.
Bar Admissions
- Mississippi, 1986
- Louisiana, 1985
- U.S. District Courts
- Mississippi: Northern, Southern
- Louisiana: Western, Middle, Eastern
- Tennessee: Western
- Florida: Northern
- U.S. Court of Appeals
- 5th Circuit
Distinctions
- Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers
- Fellow, International Academy of Trial Lawyers
- Best Lawyers in America®
- Product Liability Litigation – Defendants, 2013-2022
- Lawyer of the Year, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants, 2013, 2020, 2022
- Super Lawyers®
- Mid-South Super Lawyers, Personal Injury – Products: Defense, 2012-2021
- Top 50: Memphis Super Lawyers, 2013
- Top 50: Mississippi Super Lawyers, 2013
- Martindale-Hubbell®
- AV®– Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated
- Benchmark Litigation
- Member of the team selected as nationwide Product Liability Firm of the Year, 2018
Education & Honors
- Louisiana State University, M.J., 1991
- Loyola University, J.D., cum laude, 1985
- Loyola Law Review
- Louisiana State University, B.A., Journalism, cum laude, 1982
Experience
- Lead trial counsel for Johnson & Johnson, Janssen, McNeil and Ethicon in pharmaceutical and medical device products liability cases.
- Lead trial counsel for General Motors, Mazda and Nissan in automotive products liability cases.
- Trial counsel for Linde and Clark Equipment in forklift products liability cases.
- Federal and state court appeals in Mississippi and Louisiana.
- Salinero v. Ethicon, USDC for the Southern District of Florida (January, 2020) – Trial.
- Samuels v. Sinha, Chancery Court, Lafayette County, Mississippi (October, 2019) – Trial.
- Yeager v. Southern Cardiovascular, PLLC, Circuit Court, Lafayette County, Mississippi (October, 2017) – Trial.
- Bindom v McNeil, Civil District Court, Orleans Parish, Louisiana (June-July, 2016) – Trial.
- Broome v General Motors LLC – County Court, Jackson County, Mississippi (July, 2015) – Trial. More...
- Taylor v Johnson & Johnson, Circuit Court, Copiah County, Mississippi (November, 2014) – Trial.
- Lifestyle Homes v A-Tech Engineers – Circuit Court, Desoto County, Mississippi (August and December, 2014) – Arbitration.
- Taylor v Johnson & Johnson – Circuit Court, Copiah County, Mississippi (August, 2014) – Trial.
- Hunt v. McNeil Consumer Healthcare, USDC for Eastern District of Louisiana (March-April, 2014) – Trial
- Esquivel v. Johnson and Johnson, Court of Common Pleas, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania (January, 2014) – Trial.
- Honeywell, Inc. v. Gibson, 2020 WL 957416 (N.D. Miss. 2020).
- Anthony v. Genie Industries, Inc., 2019 WL 5777385 (N.D. Miss. 2019).
- Salinero v. Johnson & Johnson, Inc., 400 F.Supp.3d 1334 (S.D. Fla. 2019).
- Salinero v. Johnson & Johnson, Inc., 2019 WL 2410076 (S.D. Fla. 2019).
- Johnigan v. Ethicon, Inc., 2018 WL 6335774 (E.D. La. 2018).
- Johnson & Johnson, Inc. v. Fortenberry, 234 So.3d 381 (Miss. 2017).
- Smith v. General Motors Corp., 2017 WL 4582330 (N.D. Miss. 2017).
- Clark v. General Motors LLC, 2017 WL 3581671 (S.D. Miss. 2017).
- Caravella v General Motors LLC – 34th Judicial District Court for the Parish of St. Bernard, Louisiana (August, 2017) – Summary Judgment.
- Whitaker v. General Motors, 2017 WL 2424717 (E.D. La. 2017).
- Mays v. General Motors, 2017 WL 1398471 (N.D. Ala. 2017).
- Whitaker v. General Motors, 2017 WL 1346271 (E.D. La. 2017).
- Clark v. General Motors LLC, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 81831 (N.D. Miss. 2016).
- Thompson v. General Motors LLC, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 50411 (N.D. Miss. 2016).
- Moore v. General Motors LLC, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 43041 (W.D. Tenn. 2016).
- Moore v. General Motors LLC, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 15987 (W.D. Tenn. 2016).
- Underwood v General Motors LLC, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 124774 (M.D. La. 2015), aff’d 2016 U.S. App. LEXIS 6201 (5th Cir. 2016).
- Cantrell v. General Motors LLC, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 165614 (N.D. Miss. 2014).
- Thomas v. FireRock Products, LLC, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 86492 (N.D. Miss. June 25, 2014).
- Hunt v. McNeil Consumer Healthcare, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 39542 (E.D. La. 2014).
- Hunt v. McNeil Consumer Healthcare, U.S. Dist. 14263 (E.D. La. 2014).
- Broome v. General Motors LLC, 145 So.3d 645 (Miss. 2014)
- Kennedy v. UCB Pharmaceuticals, et al, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 113874 (W.D. La. 2014)
- Lucas v. General Motors LLC, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 111272 (W.D. La. 2014)
- Hunt v. McNeil Consumer Healthcare, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 61955 (E.D. La. 2014)
- Esquivel v. Johnson and Johnson, Court of Common Pleas, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania (January, 2013) – Trial.
- Reckis v. Johnson & Johnson, Superior Court, Plymouth, Commonwealth of Massachusetts (January-February, 2013) – Trial.
- Jones v. Polaris Industries, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 40354 (N.D. Miss. 2013).
- Steede v. General Motors LLC, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 184873 (W.D. Tenn. 2012), aff’d 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 5557 (W.D. Tenn. 2013).
- Woolens v. Merck & Co., 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 176692 (E.D. La. 2012).
- Steede v. General Motors LLC, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 184628 (W.D. Tenn. 2012).
- Harris v. Merck & Co., 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 157079 (W.D. La. 2012).
- Hunt v. McNeil Consumer Healthcare, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 151318 (E.D. La. 2012).
- Hunt v. McNeil Consumer Healthcare, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 150071 (E.D. La. 2012).
- Hunt v. McNeil Consumer Healthcare, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 96557 (E.D. La. 2012).
- Hunt v. McNeil Consumer Healthcare, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 86950 (E.D. La. 2012).
- Graham v. Hamilton, 872 F. Supp.2d 529, 2012 U.S. Dist. 71962 (W.D. La. 2012).
- Postley v. General Motors, 2012 U.S. App. LEXIS 10865 (5th Cir. 2012).
- Graham v. Hamilton, 2012 U.S. Dist. 52492 (W.D. La. 2012).
- Steede v. General Motors LLC, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 81103 (W.D. Tenn. 2012), aff’d 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 79465 (W.D. Tenn. 2012).
- Steede v. General Motors LLC, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 81292 (W.D. Tenn. 2012), aff’d 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 79467 (W.D. Tenn. 2012).
- Graham v. Hamilton, 2012 U.S. Dist. 35316 (W.D. La. 2012), rev’d 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 35322 (W.D. La. 2012).
- Murray v. General Motors, LLC, 2011 WL 52559, rehearing denied, 2011 WL 3684517 (S.D. Miss. 2011), aff'd Murray v General Motors LLC, 2012 U.S. App. LEXIS 11323 (5th Cir. 2012).
- Maya v. Johnson & Johnson, Court of Common Pleas, First Judicial District of Pennsylvania (March-May, 2011) – Trial.
- West v. Drury Co., 2011 U.S. App. LEXIS1308 (5th Cir. 2011).
- Rutledge v. Harley-Davidson Motor Co., 2009 WL 1635762 (S.D. Miss. 2009) aff’d 2010 WL 445498 (5th Cir. 2010).
- Hoffpauir v. Linde Lift Truck, USDC, Western District of Louisiana (September, 2009) – Trial.
- West v. Drury Company, USDC, Northern District of Mississippi (June, 2009) – Trial.
- Doyle v. General Motors Corp., Rapides Parish, Louisiana (March, 2009) – Trial.
- Simmons v. General Motors Corp., St. Clair County, Alabama (February, 2009) – Trial.
- Richardson v. General Motors Corp., 2009 WL 2487379 (N.D. Miss. 2009).
- Brown v. General Motors Corp., 4 So.3d 400 (Miss. App. 2009).
- Forbes v. General Motors Corp., 993 So.2d 822 (Miss. 2008).
- Washington v. General Motors Corp., 2008 WL 1782344 (N.D. Miss. 2008).
- Green-Johnson v. Enterprise Rent-A-Car, 2008 WL 941708 (E.D. La. 2008).
- Roy v. Optima Batteries, Inc., 2008 WL 1968326 (W.D. La. 2008).
- Bellow v. General Motors Corp., Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana (October, 2007) – Trial.
- Burns v. General Motors Corp., Hinds County, Mississippi (September, 2007) – Trial.
- Cook v. General Motors Corp., Pearl River County, Mississippi (August, 2007) – Trial.
- Jacobs v. General Motors Corp., Morgan County, Alabama (February, 2007) – Trial.
- Lowery v. General Motors Corp., 2007 WL 4374291 (W.D. La. 2007).
- Palmer v. State, ex rel. Dept. of Transp. and Development, 2006 WL 3110610 (La. App. 1st Cir. 2006).
- Caboni v. General Motors Corp., 398 F.3d 357 (5th Cir. 2005).
- General Motors Corp. v. Myles, 905 So.2d 535 (Miss. 2005).
- Beckham v. General Motors Corp., Jackson County, Mississippi (October, 2004) – Trial.
- Dykes v. General Motors Corp., Shelby County, Tennessee (March-April, 2004) – Trial.
- Noah v. General Motors Corp., 882 So.2d 235 (Miss. App. 2004) cert. denied 882 So.2d 772 (Miss. 2004).
- Bennett v. General Motors Corp., Hinds County, Mississippi (October, 2003) – Trial.
- Vassar v Mazda Motor of America, Inc., Monroe County, Mississippi (September, 2003) – Trial.
- Forbes v. General Motors Corp., Marion County, Mississippi (May, 2003) – Trial.
- Caboni v. General Motors Corp., USDC for the Eastern District of Louisiana (May, 2003) – Trial.
- Myles v. General Motors Corp., Humphreys County, Mississippi (November, 2002) – Trial.
- Williams v. General Motors Corp., Orleans Parish, Louisiana (June – July, 2002) – Trial.
- Lewis v. General Motors Corp., Lawrence County, Mississippi (April, 2002) – Trial.
- Smith v. General Motors Corp., Greene County, Mississippi (March, 2002) – Trial.
- Mulcahy v. General Motors Corp., Elmore County, Alabama (January, 2002) – Trial.
In the News
- 63 Butler Snow Attorneys Listed in 2021 Mid-South Super Lawyers® and Rising Stars
- 237 Butler Snow Attorneys Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2022
- The Legal 500 U.S. Ranks Butler Snow for Pharmaceutical, Medical Device and Health Care Work
- 86 Butler Snow Attorneys Listed in 2020 Mid-South Super Lawyers® and Rising Stars
- 198 Butler Snow Attorneys Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2021
- 93 Butler Snow Attorneys Listed in 2019 Mid-South Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
- Butler Snow Attorneys Named in Best Lawyers 2020, “Lawyer of the Year” - Mississippi Business Journal
- 173 Butler Snow Attorneys Named in Best Lawyers® 2020, 19 Named “Lawyer of the Year”
- Butler Snow Ranked No. 2 in Lex Machina’s ‘Top Law Firm Report’ More...
- 106 Butler Snow Attorneys Listed in 2017 Mid-South Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
- 102 Butler Snow Attorneys List in 2015 Mid-South Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
- 117 Butler Snow Attorneys Listed in 2013 Mid-South Super Lawyers®
Papers, Presentations, & Publications
- Panelist, "Trial Lawyer Roundtable," Pro Te: Solutio, Vol. 15, No. 1, March 2022.
- Presenter, (Tailoring Your Experiences, Resume and CV to Fit the Job): University of Mississippi Black Law Student Association Professional Symposium, Oxford, MS, October 27, 2018.
- Co-Author of Mississippi Section of DRI’s Products Liability Defenses, A State-by-State Compendium, 2014 and 2017.
- Presenter, (Opening Statements), "Trial Tactics," DRI in Miami FL, March 13, 2014.
- Speaker, "Insight into Effective Trial Techniques," Sirote & Permutt CLE in Birmingham, Ala., December 2009.