Education

University of Scranton
BA 1984, magna cum laude

Georgetown University
Law Center
JD 1987

Paul L. Leclair

Paul Leclair is a founding partner of Leclair Korona Giordano Cole LLP.  He brings more than 20 years of experience in commercial, construction, toxic tort, and personal injury litigation.  He has successfully represented clients in jury and bench trials and other proceedings in state, federal and bankruptcy court, and at mediations and arbitrations.

A majority of Paul’s work is received from referrals from other attorneys in the community, and he is known for being responsive, diligent and providing excellent service.  His commercial matters include traditional disputes such as breach of contract, real estate, insurance coverage, and partnership disagreements, but he also spends considerable time counseling contractors and preparing notice of claims when problems arise on construction projects. 

Paul has been selected as one of "The Best Lawyers in America" and a “Super Lawyer” for business litigation. He is AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell.  He has been invited regularly to Rochester's sister-city, Novgorod, Russia, to address Russian judges and lawyers on advocacy skills to promote the rule of law through the Russian American Rule of Law Consortium.

An active member of Rochester's legal community, Paul presently serves as a Trustee of the Monroe County Bar Association, and is past-president of the Rochester Inns of Court. He serves as a member of the board of directors of Saint’s Place, an organization that serves the needs of international refugees. Paul has made public presentations and authored many articles on a variety of litigation topics to legal and professional associations.      

In 2001, Paul received the Rochester Business Journal's 40 Under 40 Award for his contributions to the Rochester community. In 1997, Paul was honored by the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York Special Service Award for excellence in the vigorous representation of a pro bono client in a civil rights action.

Prior to forming Leclair Korona Giordano Cole LLP, Paul was a partner in the firm of Wolford & Leclair LLP with which he had been associated since 1993.  Paul began his career as an associate in the litigation practice group at Nixon, Hargrave, Devans & Doyle from 1987 through 1991, and from 1991 to 1993, he managed the litigation of the Rochester Telephone Company.

Paul enjoys running, and has completed the Chicago Marathon and the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, D.C.  Whenever given the opportunity, Paul also boasts of his four children, Doug, Aline, Dane and Natalie, with whom he is very active in Scouts, sports and homework.  He raises them all with his wife of more than 20 years, Rebecca Leclair.