Paul R. Townsend

Paul Townsend joined Robert C. Gottlieb & Associates in May 2019 and is senior counsel to the firm. He represents clients in a wide variety of white-collar and traditional criminal defense matters in federal and state courts both in New York and throughout the country. Mr. Townsend has obtained countless favorable results for his clients through non-prosecution agreements, motion practice, plea negotiations, hearings and trial. Since joining the firm, he has tried both federal and state cases in New York, Vermont and California. Additionally, he has been published in the New York Law Journal.

Prior to coming to the firm, Mr. Townsend worked as an associate for a boutique criminal defense practice and handled complex high-profile criminal litigation. He has successfully tried cases in both the state and federal courts in New York and has handled cases in Colorado, Connecticut, and Florida. Notably, Mr. Townsend was one of the attorneys on the trial team representing Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman-Loera during his trial for being the leader of the Mexican Sinaloa Cartel in the federal court for the Eastern District of New York.

Mr. Townsend previously served as an Assistant District Attorney with the Kings County District Attorney’s Office in Brooklyn, New York. While at the District Attorney’s Office, Mr. Townsend prosecuted hundreds of felony cases in the Major Narcotics and Firearms Bureau, and specialized in utilizing wiretaps, pen registers, trap and trace devices and other methods of electronic surveillance against criminal organizations. Mr. Townsend presented hundreds of cases to grand juries, including the possession and sale of largescale narcotics and firearms, attempted murder, robbery, assault, robbery, burglary, and white-collar fraud.

Mr. Townsend earned his juris doctorate from Brooklyn Law School and a double major bachelor of arts degree from the University of Pennsylvania. He is admitted to practice in all New York State Courts as well as the U.S. District Courts for the Southern, Eastern and Northern Districts of New York.

“Mr. Townsend is also the creator and host of the popular legal podcast, In Summation: The Final Word. In it, Mr. Townsend examines some of the most famous, infamous – and often misunderstood – court cases to make headlines across America. In doing so, he provides listeners with a true and unbiased understanding of the underlying facts as the judge or jury would have heard them at the time. He then explains the role of each party, breaks down the legal arguments presented, and gives “the final word” on who ultimately prevailed, and why.

Recently, Robert Gottlieb of Robert C. Gottlieb & Associates PLLC, joined Paul Townsend as a co-host in a special episode dedicated to the infamous legacy of Fred Korematsu v. United States. The attorneys discuss how the Supreme Court’s understanding of civil liberties has evolved – or not- since Korematsu, particularly with regard to the recent decision in Trump v. Hawaii.

In Summation: The Final Word can be found wherever you get your podcasts including Apple Podcasts, Listen Notes, and Spotify. “