Waters Kraus Paul & Siegel, a national law firm devoted to helping families in personal injury and wrongful death cases, has been named a 2023 U.S. News-Best Lawyers “Best Law Firm” once again, with two of the firm’s partners recognized as among the top in their fields.
Founding partner Peter A. Kraus was voted the 2023 “Lawyer of the Year” for plaintiff product liability litigation in Dallas-Fort Worth. Partner Gary M. Paul was named a 2023 Best Lawyer for plaintiff personal injury litigation.
The 2023 rankings by U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers are based on an annual rigorous review process that includes more than 12 million lawyer and client evaluations and peer reviews from leading attorneys in their field. Only 5,484 lawyers, which is 0.4% of all practicing U.S. lawyers, were awarded for 2023.
Waters Kraus Paul & Siegel is regionally ranked in three practice areas on the list. In Dallas-Fort Worth, the firm ranked Tier 1 in plaintiff personal injury litigation and plaintiff product liability litigation. In Los Angeles, the firm ranked Tier 1 in plaintiff personal injury litigation.
Waters Kraus Paul & Siegel is based in Dallas, Texas, with offices in Los Angeles, California; New Orleans, Louisiana; and by appointment in Moline, Illinois. The law firm has represented families from all 50 states and many foreign countries, as well as foreign governments.
Firms that receive a tier designation reflect the highest level of respect a firm can earn among other leading lawyers and clients from the same communities and practice areas, according to U.S. News.
As part of the ranking process, clients were asked to provide feedback on expertise, responsiveness, understanding of a business’ needs, cost-effectiveness, civility, and whether they would refer another client to the firm.
Lawyers voted on expertise, responsiveness, integrity, cost-effectiveness, whether they would refer a matter to the firm, and whether the firm was considered a worthy competitor. A law firm leaders survey provided insight into the legal landscape surrounding the nationally ranked practice areas. The group was asked to vote on law firms that have a preeminent national presence within specified legal practice areas they know well.
About Peter A. Kraus
Kraus is a founding and managing partner. A native of Dallas, Texas, Peter earned his bachelor’s degree from Duke University and his law degree from the University of Texas. He began his career as a commercial litigator in Washington, D.C., and has since focused his practice on toxic torts, False Claims Act whistleblower cases, and pharmaceutical injury litigation. He has tried numerous asbestos, benzene exposure, and pharmaceutical cases to verdict in state and federal courts across the country, including many multimillion-dollar verdicts. He is an ardent supporter of consumer and victims’ rights, having testified before the Texas Legislature and frequently lobbied Congress on behalf of asbestos litigants. Kraus also serves on several asbestos bankruptcy creditor and trustee advisory committees. He is involved in steering committees for both federal and Texas asbestos multidistrict litigation and has served on the ABA Commission on Asbestos litigation. He has been selected by his peers for inclusion in the U.S. News & World Report/The Best Lawyers in America report for his work on behalf of plaintiffs from 2016 through 2023.
About Gary M. Paul
Paul is a partner in the firm’s West Coast practice. He brings a distinguished legal portfolio to the firm, including more than four decades as a trial lawyer in complex civil matters such as consumer and medical product liability, medical and professional malpractice, commercial and insurance litigation, and employment and labor law. After earning a bachelor’s degree in engineering from Arizona State University and a master’s in engineering from UCLA, Paul worked as a space and missile engineer for a decade before deciding to pursue a career in law. He earned his law degree from Loyola Law School in Los Angeles in 1974 and was admitted to practice by the State Bar of California the same year. Paul has been selected by his peers for inclusion in the U.S. News & World Report/The Best Lawyers In America report for his work on behalf of plaintiffs in personal injury litigation from 2017 through 2023.
About Waters Kraus Paul & Siegel
Waters Kraus Paul & Siegel is a national plaintiffs’ law firm devoted to helping families in personal injury and wrongful death cases involving asbestos and mesothelioma, benzene exposure, dangerous pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and birth defects caused by pesticides, toxic chemicals, opioid use, and semiconductor chip manufacturing. The law firm also represents plaintiffs in qui tam whistleblower matters and cases that uncover false claims submitted to the government. Based in Dallas, Texas, with offices in Los Angeles, California, New Orleans, Louisiana, and by appointment in Moline, Illinois, Waters Kraus Paul & Siegel has represented families from all fifty states and many foreign countries, as well as foreign governments.
