Overview

Paula Villela focuses her practice on matters involving commercial general liability, professional liability and first-party property insurance disputes. She is a seasoned insurance litigator and appellate advocate with vast experience representing insurer clients in complex third-party claims. She has successfully handled matters involving bad faith, first-party property claims, underinsured motorist coverage, commercial general liability and excess policies as well as personal injury, skillfully guiding cases from initial analysis through resolution.

Prior to joining the firm, Paula served as an associate at a global insurance firm, where she gained experience monitoring and analyzing suits filed by state and local governments against pharmaceutical manufacturers, distributors and retail pharmacies to assess insurance coverage implications related to emerging exposures. She previously worked at a prominent trial law firm as an associate, handling class actions under Chicago RLTO and complex disputes between real estate developers and municipalities and briefed matters before the Illinois Appellate and Supreme Courts in cases ranging from professional liability to medical malpractice.

Paula gained appellate experience as a law clerk for Justice William H. Taylor II and Justice Joseph Gordon of the Appellate Court for the First District of Illinois.

Professional Association

Paula is a member of the Illinois State Bar Association.

Education

Paula earned her J.D. from Chicago-Kent College of Law in 2009 after graduating from Oakland University with a B.S. in Business Administration in 2005.

While in law school, Paula was a member of the Order of the Coif and the Chicago-Kent Law Review. She also received CALI awards in Criminal Law, Contracts, Legal Writing II, Constitutional Law and Secured Transactions.

Admissions

Paula is authorized to practice in the state of Illinois and the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

Publications & Presentations

• “Proportionality Considerations for Discovery of ESI,” Illinois Defense Counsel Quarterly, Third Quarter, 2024
• “Review of Cannons of Construction Related to Statutory Interpretation,” Illinois Defense Counsel Quarterly, Second Quarter, 2024
• “Last Minute Pleadings in the Age of E-Filing,” Illinois Defense Counsel Quarterly, First Quarter, 2024
• “When Character Evidence May Be Used to Demonstrate Propensity Evidence,” Illinois Defense Counsel Quarterly, Fourth Quarter, 2023
• “The What, Why and How as to Bystander Reports,” Illinois Defense Counsel Quarterly, First Quarter, 2023
• “When Is It OK To Use Expert Testimony After They Withdraw?” Law360, 2022
• “When to Impeach a Witness Versus Refreshing Their Recollection,” Illinois Defense Counsel Quarterly, Fourth Quarter, 2022
• “Affirmative Defense or Counterclaim? Knowing the Difference and How to Litigate Them,” Illinois Defense Counsel Quarterly, Third Quarter, 2022
• “Can a Plaintiff Rely on an Expert Opinion after the Expert has been Withdrawn?” Illinois Defense Counsel Quarterly, Second Quarter, 2022
• “Practical Considerations in Taking Advantage of Judicial Admissions and Evidentiary Admissions,” Illinois Defense Counsel Quarterly, Fourth Quarter, 2021
• “The Threat of Reptile Litigation Tactics,” Illinois Defense Counsel Quarterly, Third Quarter, 2021
• “Gillepsie v. Edmier: What is Means to the Admissibility of Expert Testimony,” Illinois Defense Counsel Quarterly, First Quarter, Second Quarter, 2021
• “Potential Consequences of Filing a Frivolous Lawsuit,” Illinois Defense Counsel Quarterly, 2021
• “Utilizing Summary Judgment to Avoid the Time and Expense of Discovery,” IDC Quarterly, Second Quarter, 2020
• “Laying Foundation to Properly Admit Social Media Content,” Illinois Defense Counsel Quarterly, First Quarter, 2020
• “Character Evidence: Proper Preparation and Tips,” Illinois Defense Counsel Quarterly, Fourth Quarter, 2019
• “Cross-Examining an Expert Witness: Proper Preparation and Tips,” Illinois Defense Counsel Quarterly, Third Quarter, 2019
• “Who Knew? Sole Means More Than One,” Illinois Defense Counsel Quarterly, Fourth Quarter, 2018

Cited Cases

• Pekin Ins. Co. v. Spiegel et al., 2019
• Pekin Ins. Co. v. Spiegel et al., 2018
• Pekin Ins. Co. v. Christensen et al., 2017
• Pekin Ins. Co v. Christian Calderon d/b/a Pro Painters & Associates et al., 2016
• Pekin Ins. v. Russell A. Clark et al., 2016