Paul Murphy is a founding member of Murphy Rosen LLP, bringing 35 years of experience to complex business and entertainment litigation. Recognized as one of the Daily Journal’s Leading Commercial Litigators of 2026 and a "Troubleshooter" by The Hollywood Reporter, Paul is the lawyer Chief Executive Officers and "Hollywood heavyweights" alike call when they find themselves in a jam. His practice focuses on trying complex business disputes, ranging from fiduciary breaches and disputes over ownership and control of businesses, to professional malpractice and trade secret theft.
With a perfect rating from Avvo and Martindale-Hubbell, Paul has built a reputation for delivering incredible results in high-stakes and often high-profile litigation.
Areas of Focus
- Complex Business Litigation: Breach of contract, corporate governance, and partnership disputes.
- Anti-SLAPP Litigation: Long track record of success dismissing meritless lawsuits early, often recovering full attorneys’ fees for clients.
- Charitable & Non-Profit Advocacy: Protects first amendment rights and defends organizations against regulatory overreach.
- High-Profile Representation: Trusted counsel for sports figures, entertainers, and high-net-worth individuals in sensitive disputes.
Representative Successes
High-Profile Entertainment & Media
- Brad Pitt v. Angelina Jolie: Currently defending Angelina Jolie in a complex international dispute over Angelina’s sale of a jointly owned winery, overlayed by complex issues of French and Luxembourgish law.
- Anti-SLAPP Defense: Filed and defended dozens of anti-SLAPP motions, earning the firm the title of “Best for Anti-SLAPP Motions in California” by Legal Elite.
Defense Verdicts & Summary Judgments
- Federal False Claims Act: Obtained a unanimous defense verdict for a client accused of a $33 million importation scam. Despite the client invoking the Fifth Amendment over 100 times, Paul and partner Dan Csillag’s creative strategy secured a total win, earning them the Daily Journal’s award for one of the 20 Top Defense Verdicts for 2020.
- RICO & Fraud Defense: Secured summary judgment for medical providers in a $110 million federal RICO case, resulting in a multi-million dollar award of attorneys’ fees for the client.
- Products Liability: Obtained full summary judgment in 2024 for a commercial refrigerator manufacturer in a $30 million product defect case.
First Amendment & Non-Profit Advocacy
- Constitutional Victory: Successfully challenged two state statutes as unconstitutional under the First Amendment, defeating the Attorney General’s claims against a major charitable service client, and securing a permanent injunction against the Attorney General’s continued use of one of those statutes, plus a stipulated judgment reflecting the Attorney General’s agreement to no longer use the other statute.
Corporate & Professional Liability
- Legal Malpractice Defense: Hired post-trial after a $10 million jury verdict; successfully convinced the judge to throw out the entire verdict—the first time in the judge’s career she had granted such a motion.
- Trust & Probate Litigation: Successfully defended a client against $30 million in trust-related claims, resulting in the court ordering the petitioner to pay the client’s legal fees.
Professional History
- Partner, O'Neill, Lysaght & Sun (1995–2003)
- Associate, Davis Polk & Wardwell (1992–1995)
- Law Clerk to the Honorable William J. Rea, U.S. District Court, Central District of California (1991–1992)
Affiliations & Credentials
- Admissions: California and New York.
- Professional Activities: American Bar Foundation; Association of Business Trial Lawyers; Irish American Bar Association; Litigation Counsel of America; LACBA; Santa Monica Bar Association.
