Kasowitz Benson Torres LLP

Partner

Banking and Capital Markets Litigation; Commercial Litigation; Complex Financial Products Litigation; Insurance Recovery; Intellectual Property Litigation; International Disputes and Cross Border Litigation; Mass Tort, Toxic Tort and Product Liability Litigation; Plaintiffs' Litigation; Real Estate and Hotel Litigation; Securities Litigation

Paul “Tad” M. O’Connor, Co-Chair of the firm's Real Estate Litigation practice, is a distinguished trial and appellate litigator focusing on complex commercial cases.  He is regularly cited for his legal knowledge by publications including The Wall Street Journal, The American Lawyer and Law360.  Tad’s clients have included, among others, private equity powerhouse TPG, Fortress Investment Group, a lender in a dispute relating to Liverpool Football Club, and many major international real estate and hospitality companies including Related, JDS Development, L and L Holdings, Maximus, InterContinental Hotels Group, Crowne Plaza, Morgans, sbe, Hilton and Aman Resorts.

Tad represents private equity firms, financial institutions, real estate developers and owners, hotel operators, major corporations and wealthy individuals in federal and state courts around the country and before arbitration tribunals in the United States and Europe. 

Tad also has significant experience handling real estate disputes related to commercial and hotel properties around the country, including the representation of hotel operators in disputes with owners.  His successful work in this area has been instrumental in the firm’s Real Estate Litigation Practice Group being recognized as Band 1 by Chambers USA, and Tier 1 by U.S. News – Best Lawyers. 

In addition, Tad has been recognized as a Band 1 practitioner by Chambers USA, where clients describe him as “extremely smart, sagely experienced, very thorough and a pleasure to work with.”  The Legal 500, Benchmark Litigation and Super Lawyers also recognize him as one of the top litigators in the United States.

As a result of his work, Tad has been appointed by courts to serve as a bankruptcy trustee and as a director of a facility administering large product liability settlements.

Connecticut; New York; U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York; U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York; U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit; U.S. Supreme Court; U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit; U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit; U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit

Georgetown University Law Center (J.D., cum laude, 1987); Colgate University (B.A., magna cum laude)