In Memoriam: Paul Anapol

Founding member Paul Anapol passed away on July 6, 2012. His colleagues and friends remember him and his career fondly and mourn his passing.

Paul Anapol once said about the practice of law, “Be the best prepared lawyer and most dedicated advocate in the courtroom. The rest will take care of itself.” That elegantly simple observation has become the guiding principle for the firm’s 24 lawyers in three states and has resonated in courtrooms nationwide. When Paul Anapol passed away on July 6, 2012, he left behind a legacy that will carry on for decades to come in the passionate arguments made on behalf of Anapol Schwartz clientele. Paul Anapol created a firm that shapes case law across the country. Most importantly, he changed life’s destiny for thousands of clients who otherwise would have suffered tremendous physical and financial obstacles for the rest of their lives.

There’s great pride in being among the best in one’s profession and in the size of verdicts and settlements won for our clients. But the greater and longer lasting ambition is to bring about assistance that positively affects the course of people’s lives. That’s the lesson Paul Anapol imparted and that will always be honored by every one at the law firm.

There was the case of a 20 year-old meat processing employee whose arm was violently amputated up to the shoulder by a meat grinder that had its safety guards disabled. Paul Anapol “prepared for that case like no one else I ever saw,” said one of his colleagues. Paul knew and reminded others that for the client there is no tomorrow to try again. It had to be right the first time, because there was no other time. The young man who lost his arm received a substantial settlement that was structured over time to ensure he would be able to meet the challenges of his entire life. What was once a bleak and uncertain future of physical and financial hardship was righted into one of stability and assurance.

Paul exhausted every resource and angle to pursue a client’s best interests. He was among a group of lawyers who were the architects of the now famous Mary Carter Release. The legal tactic is a twist on a state prosecutor’s ability to grant immunity to one defendant in order to convict another in a criminal case. In a multiple defendant case for tort liability, Paul settled with the least liable defendant in order to gain their assistance to pursue the defendant with greater liability. The innovative approach settled many cases quickly and with less conflict.

The law profession attracts many types to its practice, but some are so memorable and distinguished for their conduct and integrity that the entire community feels a sense of loss with their passing. Such is the case for Paul Anapol. We will always remember his consummate preparation and ardent passion for each client’s cause and make it a measure of our own professionalism.