Paul Sweeney joined Coughlin & Gerhart, LLP, following active duty as a Marine Corps judge advocate. As a partner in the firm, he chaired the firm's Labor & Employment Law Practice Group and served on its Management Committee. Now Of Counsel to the firm, Paul counsels and defends employers against liability, discrimination, disability and wage & hour claims and represents employers in contract negotiations, arbitration, discipline and administrative proceedings before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the New York State Human Rights Division (NYSHRD), the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) and the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA). In addition, he also represents clients in complex contract, construction and real estate disputes and serves as a mediator for the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York.
Paul retired as a colonel in the Marine Corps Reserve. His career included active duty as a criminal defense attorney at MCRD Parris Island, South Carolina and a deployment to Fallujah, Iraq where he served as the operational law advisor to the commander, I Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward). Prior to his retirement, he served as the senior Marine Reserve judge advocate in the Office of the Counsel for the Commandant of the Marine Corps and was the officer-in-charge of all Marine Reserve attorneys assigned to support the Commandant, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and DoD Office of General Counsel. His personal awards include the Legion of Merit, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal and the Meritorious Service Medal, with gold star device.
Past Positions
• U.S. Marine Corps, Captain and Judge Advocate, 1987 - 1992, Colonel
• U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, Colonel, 1984 - 1987; 1992 - 2013
Honors
• Peer Rated “AV Preeminent” by Martindale-Hubbell, 2015 - Present
• Selected as 2025 Lawyer of Year in Labor and Employment Law - Litigation for the Binghamton Area by Best Lawyers in America
• Listed, Best Lawyers in America, 2012 - Present.
• Listed, New York Super Lawyers, 2011 - Present.
• Member of the Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel, 2017 - Present.
• fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America, 2020 - Present.
• Selected to the 2020 edition of the Irish Legal 100.
• Contributing Editor, The Developing Labor Law (8th Edition)
• Editor, BLR’s New York Employment Law Letter, 2012-2022.
• Recipient, Broome County Bar Association Community Service Award, 2005.
