Cohen Seglias Promotes Three Attorneys to Partner Across Key Practices Areas
We are pleased to announce the promotions of associates Sean Gaynor, Michael Schwartz and Paul Simon to the firm’s partnership, effective January 1, 2025. Sean is based in the Newark office, Mike is located in the Philadelphia office, and Paul practices in the Washington, D.C. office. These promotions reflect the firm’s growth across three distinct practice areas—Family Law, Construction, and Research Misconduct, demonstrating Cohen Seglias’ dedication to expanding its capabilities while cultivating the next generation of leaders within the firm.
“Sean, Mike and Paul are valued members of our firm who provide top-tier service to their clients and who have consistently demonstrated leadership and a commitment to excellence in their practices and to the legal profession,” said Cohen Seglias managing partner Steven Williams. “We congratulate this group of attorneys on their new role and look forward to their continued success as partners.”
Sean, who is licensed to practice in both New Jersey and New York, is a member of the firm’s Family Law Group and is a New Jersey Supreme Court Certified Matrimonial Law Attorney. He represents litigants in a wide variety of family law cases, including issues relating to custody and parenting time, removal/relocation, psychological parents and grandparent visitation, domestic violence, alimony, child support and college contribution, emancipation, division of assets, and business valuations. Sean is an experienced litigator who was previously an assistant prosecutor with the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office where he gained extensive trial experience and training on forensically sound interviews of children. He uses his prior experience to achieve better results for his clients, whether that be through settling matters or by way of trial. Sean is a member of the firm’s Pro Bono committee. He received his J.D. from the Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law and earned his B.A. from the Catholic University of America. After graduating law school, he clerked for the Honorable Ann R. Bartlett in Warren County.
A member of Cohen Seglias’ Construction Practice Group, Mike concentrates his practice on litigation. He represents contractors, subcontractors, design professionals, owners/developers, and other parties of both private and public construction contracts. Mike is an active member of the firm and has served as the co-editor-in-chief of the firm’s newsletter, Construction in Brief, and is a member of the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee. He previously worked at a Philadelphia law firm defending owners, contractors, and subcontractors against construction defect claims. Mike earned his J.D. from the Rutgers School of Law and his B.S. from Pennsylvania State University. After graduating law school, he served as a judicial clerk with the New Jersey Superior Court and was a judicial intern with the United States Bankruptcy Court. Mike is a member of the Pennsylvania and New Jersey bars.
As a member of the firm’s Research Misconduct Group, Paul regularly represents scientists across the country and internationally who have been accused of plagiarism, fabrication, or falsification of data in the context of scientific research supported by federal funds. He has extensive experience guiding clients through institutional research misconduct inquiries and investigations, federal oversight review, and interactions with journals. Paul has additional experience in a wide variety of civil and criminal litigation, as well as internal and external white-collar investigations. Prior to joining Cohen Seglias, Paul gained valuable experience working with both a large, international law firm and a small litigation boutique, assisting in the representation of clients ranging from major international corporations to individuals. He has worked with clients from a variety of industries, including academia and scientific research, medical devices and pharmaceuticals, defense, oil and gas, financial, commodities, and telecommunications. Paul received his J.D. from American University Washington College of Law and earned his B.A. from Sarah Lawrence College. While attending law school, he served as a judicial intern to the Honorable Marvin J. Garbis in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, Baltimore Division.
