Attorney Profile

Download my Contact Information

Attorney Paula A. Aylward began her career as an Assistant District Attorney in New York, prosecuting countless cases of child abuse, sex crimes, domestic violence, assault and murder. She conducted evidentiary hearings and all legal and factual research to prepare each of her many cases for trial, as well as negotiated resolution for those cases that were not tried before a judge or jury.

She then continued her successful trial work with a Boston, Massachusetts civil litigation firm, and later, with a Houston, Texas, boutique plaintiff litigation firm.

Since relocating to Michigan in 2000, Paula's law practice has covered diverse legal areas such as Administrative Agency Appeals, Appeals to Michigan State and Federal Courts, Business Formation and Advising, Child Abuse & Neglect Expunction Proceedings, Child Custody / Child Support, Child Protective Services Defense, Divorce, Estate Planning, Family Law, Foster Care / Day Care Licensing Appeals, Real Property / Real Estate Matters, and Veterans Law.

Paula Aylward is fully accredited to prosecute Veterans' claims for compensation and pension with the Department of Veterans Affairs and before the Court of Appeals for Veterans' Claims. She is a member of the National Organization for Veterans' Advocates, assisting our nation's Veterans in obtaining the compensation and pension benefits to which they are entitled.

Education

• Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI
       M.A., 2011, Department of Comparative Religion

• Suffolk University Law School, Boston, MA
       J.D. 1989
• Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA
       B.A. 1985
  
  

Language Skills

• Fluent in Spanish
  
  

Publications and Presentations

• "Integrity Meets Integrity: Using ombuds to comply with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act", co-author, Winter, 2005, ABA Dispute Resolution Magazine.
• "Gambling with Tribal Sovereignty, Betting on Federal Recognition", 2003
• "The Ethics of Apology and The Role of Ombuds", co-author, 2003 paper for Western Michigan University Center for the Study of Ethics in Society.
• "Ethical Dilemmas Confronting Ombudsmen", co-author of chapter, 2002, American Bar Association's Dispute Resolution Ethics: A Comprehensive Guide.
• "Therapeutic Jurisprudence and the Ombudsman", co-author of paper presented, 2001, Therapeutic Jurisprudence seminar, Kalamazoo, MI.
  
  

Awards

• Young Israel of Queens Valley Community Service Award, 1995, Queens, NY.
• Vulnerable Child Witnesses, 1994, Queens County Criminal Bar Association Seminar presenter, Queens, NY.
• American Jurisprudence Award - Constitutional Law and Criminal Procedure, 1988.
  
  

Bar Admissions

• State Bar of Michigan, 2000
• State Bar of Texas, 1998
• State Bar of Massachusetts, 1989
• U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, 1990
• U.S. District Court for the Southern and Northern Districts of Texas, 1999
• United States Court of Federal Claims, 1999
• U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan, 2000
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, 2004
• U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, 2010
  
  

Memberships

• Michigan Bar Association (Appellate Practice Section, Family Law Section, Children's Law Section, Criminal Law Section, Real Property Section)
• American Civil Liberties Union, Lawyers Committee
• Children's Law Section, Amicus committee
• Central Registry for Child Abuse and Neglect, Working Committee convened by State Court Administrative Office, 2009-2010
• Calhoun County Bar Association
• Michigan Association for Justice
• American Bar Association
• National Organization of Veterans' Advocates, Inc (sustaining member)
• Texas Bar Association