Paul M. O’Brien, Esq.

Professional Experience

Paul chairs FRB’s Litigation Practice Group. A tactful, solutions-oriented litigator, Paul focuses his practice on estate litigation, representing fiduciaries and beneficiaries in contested probate, accountings and other proceedings in the Surrogate’s Courts. Paul also represents clients in guardianship matters and commercial litigation, guiding individuals and businesses through complex litigation in state and federal courts, spanning international trademark, copyright and licensing matters, breach of contract, claims involving fiduciary conduct, business torts and disputes concerning real estate and closely held business interests through all phases of trial, appeal and other post-judgment proceedings.

Always looking for opportunities to provide practical advice, Paul keeps clients informed of best practices to avoid potential conflicts and seeks opportunities to pursue client goals through alternatives to litigation and other negotiated solutions. Paul has also aided clients in achieving resolution of disputes using both court-sponsored and private alternative dispute resolution mechanisms.

Embracing FRB’s non-siloed approach to the practice of law, Paul applies his experience as a litigator to assist clients in achieving proactive solutions in business succession and estate planning. More recently, and with the assistance of FRB’s Emerging Technologies and Blockchain practitioners, Paul has advised clients about their rights, obligations and remedies in disputes involving cryptocurrency, NFTs and digital asset recovery.

Paul’s dynamic approach to client service has led many he has represented in litigation to include Paul in subsequent transactional work with FRB’s corporate and taxation practices, such as sales and purchases of interests in closely held businesses and Section 1031 exchanges.

Paul is a member of the Suffolk County Bar Association, where is serves as co-chair of the Surrogate’s Court Committee and has been appointed to serve in various Part 36 roles.