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Paul J. Komyatte

Mr. Komyatte graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Notre Dame with a B.A. in government in 1985. At Notre Dame, he was awarded the Brean Medal for excellence in oratory. In 1988, he received his J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School, where he won the Hinton Moot Court competition and was also selected as a Tony Patino Fellow. He was admitted to the Illinois Bar in 1988 and the Colorado Bar in 1993. Mr. Komyatte spent two years with the Chicago office of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom and a year with Greenberger, Krauss & Jacobs in Chicago before relocating to Colorado where he was a partner in the firm of Gilbert, Ollanik & Komyatte, P.C. for 17 years, specializing in automotive product liability litigation. In 2013, he founded the Komyatte Law Firm LLC. He is a member of the American Association of Justice, the Colorado Trial Lawyers Associationand Public Justice. He is also on the Board of the Attorneys Information Exchange Group.

Mr. Komyatte stays at the forefront of important national litigation affecting consumer safety. In 2002, his work on 15 passenger van litigation was featured on Denver’s 9News.In 2007, his work on behalf of a child victim of an unsafe magnetic toy was featured on Denver’s 7News. In 2013, Mr. Komyatte’s $4.2 million verdict in the Shinn v. Ansung case was featured in Law Week Colorado’s feature on top Colorado verdicts. Mr. Komyatte has published dozens of articles and book chapters on product liability issues and trial preparation topics. In 2000, he received the award for the Best Trial Talk Article from the Colorado Trial Lawyers Association. Mr. Komyatte is also a frequent lecturer for various trial lawyer associations across the country and a frequent faculty member on programs sponsored by the American Association of Justice National College of Advocacy.

Mr. Komyatte was selected as a Colorado “Super Lawyer” in the years 2006-2008 and 2010-2023, and he was selected as one of the 500 Leading Plaintiff Lawyers in America in 2007 by Lawdragon.

Mr. Komyatte is also active with volunteer organizations and has donated his time to various social and environmental causes. He served as a state certified firefighter with the Genesee Fire & Rescue volunteer fire department, and he has also served as a pro bono volunteer lawyer for the Sierra Club Legal Defense Fund, the Land and Water Fund of the Rockies, the Chicago Bar Association Pro Bono law project, and the Denver Metro Volunteer Lawyers. He served as Chair of the Amnesty International Chicago Lawyers Committee in Chicago, Illinois from 1989 to 1991. Currently, he is a member of the Executive Committee and a Board member of Play Like A Champion Today, which works to provide youth sporting opportunities to underprivileged communities.

Mr. Komyatte’s publications (author or co-author) and seminar speeches and presentations include:

PUBLICATIONS:

  • “Crossing the Defense Witness – Seven Quick Tips for Deposition and Trial,” Trial Talk, December/January 2013.
  • “Making sure child-restraint seats protect,” Trial, November, 2008.
  • “Pursuing the Lack-of-ESC Case,” Trial Talk, December 2007/January 2008.
  • “Keeping the ESC Case on Course,” Trial, November, 2007.
  • “Recognizing Automotive Product Liability,” Chapter 13 in Colorado Auto Litigator’s Handbook (Colorado Trial Lawyers Association 2006).
  • “‘It’s a Small World’ – Globalization Opens Doors in Auto Defect Litigation,” Trial Talk, December 2005/January 2006.
  • “The Small World of Auto Defect Litigation,” Trial, November, 2005.
  • “Automakers Gloss Over Glass Defects,” Trial, November 2004.
  • “Use a Computer to Build a Safer Alternative Design,” Trial, March 2004.
  • “Automobile Window Glass – A Design Defect That Should Not Be Overlooked,” Trial Talk, December 2003/January 2004.
  • “Auto Design Defect,” Chapter 59 in ATLA’s Litigating Tort Cases (West-ATLA Press 2003).
  • “15 Passenger Vans – Dangerous And Unpredictable When Used As Intended,” Trial Talk, December/January, 2002.
  • “Hitting The Wall In The Discovery Race,” Trial, March, 2002.
  • “Simplify Complex Cases With Focus Groups,” Trial, April, 2001.
  • “Defective Tire Litigation: Recognizing and Pursuing Defective Tire Cases,” Trial Talk, December/January, 2000.
  • “Crashworthiness Litigation: Recognizing the Automotive Design Defect Case,” The New Mexico Trial Lawyer, February/March 2000.
  • “Crashworthiness Litigation: Recognizing the Automotive Design Defect Case,” Trial Talk, December/January, 1999.
  • “Recognizing the Auto Restraint Defect Case,” Trial Talk, December/January, 1998.
  • “The Trouble with Sport Utility Vehicles” in Products Liability Litigation: Product Studies (West-ATLA Press 1997).
  • “The Trouble with Sport Utility Vehicles,” Trial, November, 1996.
  • “Recognizing and Investigating Crashworthiness Cases,” Trial, November, 1995.
  • “Medical Monitoring Damages: An Evolution of Environmental Tort Law,” The Colorado Lawyer, July, 1994.

SEMINAR SPEECHES AND PRESENTATIONS:

  • “Virtual Case Analysis: Online Focus Groups And One-On-One Strategy Planning,” AAJ Education’s National College of Advocacy, Online | Zoom, December 9 – 11, 2020 (faculty – focus group leader).
  • “Finding the Product Case In Your Auto Crash Case,” Colorado Trial Lawyers Association 2019 Convention, Breckenridge, Colorado, August 8-10, 2019.
  • AAJ Education’s Case Plus: Focus Groups for Plaintiffs’ Cases, National College of Advocacy, Sheraton Nashville Downtown, Nashville, TN, November 13-16, 2014 (faculty – focus group leader).
  • AAJ Education’s Case Plus: Focus Groups for Plaintiffs’ Cases, National College of Advocacy, Hotel Palomar Los Angeles – Westwood, Los Angeles, CA, October 24 – 27, 2013 (faculty – focus group leader).
  • “Chrysler Brake Shift Interlock Cases – A New Problem,” Attorneys Information Exchange Group Spring Seminar, Miami, Florida, April 12, 2013.
  • “Are You Missing a Product Case in Your Auto Crash Cases,”Colorado Trial Lawyers Association and the Ohio Association of Justice Trial Tactics and Advanced Wage & Hour Seminar, Steamboat Springs, Colorado March 12, 2013.
  • “Simplify Complex Cases With Focus Groups,” Western Trial Lawyers Association Ski Seminar, Lake Tahoe, California, February 28, 2013.
  • AAJ Education’s Case Plus: Focus Groups for Plaintiffs’ Cases, National College of Advocacy, Albuquerque, New Mexico, November 28 – December 1, 2012 (faculty – focus group leader).
  • “Admissibility of Other Similar Incidents (“OSIs”) to Prove Liability at Trial,” Colorado Trial Lawyers Association 2012 Annual Convention, Steamboat Springs, Colorado, August 2012.
  • “Pretensioners – What, Why, Where and Failure Modes,” Attorneys Information Exchange Group Restraint Systems Seminar, Memphis, Tennessee, August 10, 2011.
  • “Recognizing the Defective Seatbelt Case,” Attorneys Information Exchange Group Spring Seminar 2011, Austin, Texas, March 23-25, 2011.
  • AAJ’s Case Plus -- The Next Step in Developing and Testing Your Trial Story, National College of Advocacy, Houston, Texas, December 2-5, 2009 (faculty – focus group leader).
  • “Inadvertent Seatbelt Buckle Release,” as part of “Proving They Were Belted” Panel, Attorneys Information Exchange Group Spring Seminar 2009, San Francisco, California, March 27, 2009.
  • “Vehicle Structure,” Attorneys Information Exchange Group Nuts & Bolts Seminar, Denver, Colorado, July 31-August 1, 2008.
  • “Getting to Your Best Venue,” Attorneys Information Exchange Group Spring Seminar 2008, Seattle, Washington, April 3, 2008.
  • “Recent Auto Safety Developments and Auto Products Litigation,” Colorado Trial Lawyers Association Blockbuster Auto Seminar 2008, Denver, Colorado, January 17, 2008.
  • “Focus Groups on a Dime,” Colorado Trial Lawyers Association 2007 Annual Convention, Steamboat Springs, Colorado, August 9-12, 2007.
  • “Protecting Your Children in Your Car,” Colorado Trial Lawyers Association 2007 Annual Convention, Steamboat Springs, Colorado, August 9-12, 2007.
  • “Seatbelt Buckle Defects,” Western Trial Lawyers Association Ski Seminar, Steamboat Springs, Colorado, March 1-3, 2007.
  • “Finding the Product Case in the Terrible Crash or Tragic Event/Proving the Alternative Design in Auto Defect Cases With Computer Modeling,” Colorado Trial Lawyers Association 2006 Annual Convention, Copper Mountain, Colorado, August 2-6, 2006.
  • ATLA’s Case Workshop Program, National College of Advocacy, Boston, Massachusetts, April 20-23, 2006 (faculty – focus group training).
  • “ATLA’s Case Plus – The Next Step in Developing and Testing Your Trial Story,” San Jose, California, November 30 - December 4, 2005 (faculty – focus group leader).
  • “Vehicle Structural Defects,” Attorneys’ Information Exchange Group “Nuts and Bolts” Seminar, Denver, Colorado, August 24, 2005.
  • “What a Focus Group Can and Cannot Tell You,” ATLA Teleseminar on Focus Groups: How Can They Help Your Practice, August 12, 2005.
  • “ATLA’s Case Plus – The Next Step in Developing and Testing Your Trial Story,” New Orleans, Louisiana, December 1-4, 2004 (faculty – focus group leader).
  • “Small World – Internationalization Creates Opportunities for Plaintiffs,” Attorneys’ Information Exchange Group Auto Focus 2004 Seminar, Santa Fe, New Mexico, October 27-30, 2004.
  • “Proving the Alternative Design with Computer Modeling,” Attorneys’ Information Exchange Group Spring Seminar 2004, Las Vegas, Nevada, March 24-27, 2004.
  • “Focus Groups For Any Budget,” Colorado Trial Lawyers Association 2003 Annual Convention, Vail, Colorado, August 7-10, 2003.
  • “The Missing Evidence: Is There An Innocent Explanation?” Attorneys’ Information Exchange Group Rollover Symposium IV, Denver, Colorado, June 12-13, 2003.
  • “The Glass Defect,” Attorneys’ Information Exchange Group Spring Seminar 2003, New Orleans, Louisiana, April 9-12, 2003.
  • “Psychology and Effective Trial Strategies – Using focus groups to overcome jury bias, develop trial themes and strategies and maximize your case potential,” Western Trial Lawyers Association, 2003 Annual Ski Seminar, Beaver Creek Colorado, March 9, 2003.
  • ATLA’s Case Workshop Program, National College of Advocacy, Atlanta, Georgia, February 27-March 2, 2003 (faculty – focus group training).
  • ATLA'sCase Workshop Program, National College of Advocacy, Phoenix, Arizona, April 18-21, 2002 (faculty – focus group training).
  • “The Hows and Whys of Focus Groups – Why conduct them, the various options, conducting them in-house and knowing when and how to use a consultant,” Colorado Trial Lawyers Association’s Using Focus Groups to Advance Trial Advocacy Seminar, March 15, 2002 (seminar chair and speaker).
  • “Schafersman v. Agland Coop – Facing & Overcoming Daubert and its Progeny,” Nebraska Association of Trial Attorneys Annual Meeting and Fall Seminar, Lincoln, Nebraska, October 19, 2001.
  • ATLA’s Essentials of Civil Litigation, National College of Advocacy, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, May 20-25, 2001 (faculty).
  • “Facing and Overcoming Daubert, Kuhmo & Joiner (and also Weisgram),” The Inner Circle of Advocates Experts Seminar, Denver, Colorado, April 27, 2001.
  • “Using Focus Groups to Address Juror Bias and Make Your Case Compelling,” New Mexico Trial Lawyers Association Annual Damages Seminar, Albuquerque, New Mexico, December 8, 2000.
  • “Presenting the Complicated Case in an Understandable Manner,” South Dakota Trial Lawyers Association 2000 Fall Seminar, Spearfish, South Dakota, September 15, 2000.
  • “Early Morning Ethics,” ATLA Annual Convention, Chicago, Illinois, August 1, 2000 (moderator).
  • ATLA's Case Workshop Program, National College of Advocacy, Atlanta, Georgia, April 13-16, 2000 (faculty – focus group training).
  • “Supplemental Juror Questionnaires – Building Upon and Using Pretrial Research to Improve Jury Selection,” presented at the ATLA Case Workshop Program, Atlanta, Georgia, April 13-16, 2000.
  • “Personal Injury Practice: Spotting the Products Liability Claims in Your Case Files,” Continuing Legal Education/Colorado Bar Association, Denver, Colorado, December 11, 1999.
  • ATLA’s Case Workshop Program, National College of Advocacy, Dallas, Texas, September 23-26, 1999 (faculty – focus group training).
  • “The Use of a Manufacturer's Software for Alternative Design,” Attorneys' Information Exchange Group Spring Seminar 1999, Atlanta, Georgia, April 15-17, 1999.
  • “Ulmer v. Takata – Retractor Failure Skip-Lock Case,” Attorneys' Information Exchange Group Spring Seminar 1999, Atlanta, Georgia, April 15-17, 1999.
  • “Recognizing A Crashworthiness Case,” Douglas & Elbert County Bar Associations, Castle Rock, Colorado, November 4, 1998.
  • "Effective Use of Demonstrative Evidence," Kansas Trial Lawyers Association Automobile & Personal Injury Seminar, Topeka, Kansas, May 15, 1998.
  • “Locating, Requesting, and Using Electronic Data: Discovery Rules, Obligations, and Strategies,” Continuing Legal Education/Colorado Bar Association Discovery of Electronic Information for Evidence Seminar, Denver, Colorado, June 26, 1997.
  • “The Minivan Liftgate Latch Litigation,” Attorneys’ Information Exchange Group Spring Seminar 1997, Atlanta, Georgia, May 8-10, 1997.
  • “Using the New Federal Rules to the Plaintiff's Advantage in Automobile Products Cases,” Attorneys’ Information Exchange Group Spring Seminar 1996, San Antonio, Texas, April 18-20, 1996.