Paul D. Schmitt

Paul Schmitt has a broad practice focusing on various aspects of international and commercial litigation. He has represented and advised clients on various issues, including the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act, the Alien Tort Statute, international human rights, False Claims Act liability, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and other white collar matters, commercial contractual disputes, and commercial speech rights. Paul’s clients have included foreign governments, government contractors, pharmaceutical companies, and public interest and human rights groups.

Paul has extensive appellate experience. He has argued and prevailed in appeals in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit and the D.C. Court of Appeals. He has also written appellate briefs in numerous matters, including in the Supreme Court of the United States, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third, Fourth, Ninth and Eleventh Circuits, the D.C. Court of Appeals, and the Maryland Court of Appeals. At the trial level, Paul has participated in two state court trials and an international arbitration in Singapore.

Paul earned his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center and his Ph.D. in European History from the University of Maryland at College Park. His doctoral dissertation focused on France’s colonial and diplomatic relationship with sub-Saharan Africa during the twentieth century.