
Paul J. Estuar specializes in civil rights class actions in areas such as housing, employment discrimination, jail conditions and privacy rights. Much of his recent work involves class actions under the Fourth Amendment and other constitutional claims arising in the administration of jails and prisons. He and his firm have developed a national reputation for litigating cases which have resulted in multi-million dollar settlements including, Williams v. Block, Case No. CV-97-03826-CW (C.D. Cal.) and related cases (a series of cases county jail overdetention and strip search cases, settled for $27 Million and a complete revamp of jail procedures); Bynum v. District of Columbia, Case No. 02-956 (RCL) (D.D.C.) (certified class action against the District of Columbia for over detentions and strip searches of persons ordered released from custody, settled for $12,000.000); Craft v. County of San Bernardino, EDCV05-0359 SGL (C.D. Calif.) (certified class action against the Sheriff of San Bernardino County for blanket strip searches of detainees, arrestees, and persons ordered released from custody; settled for $25.5 Million). Beyond trial, Paul's practice also consists of extensive appellate work. He has argued before the California Court of Appeal and the Ninth Circuit.
He is a 1993 graduate of Loyola Law School, where he received the Dean's Service Award for his outstanding service to the law school community immediately after the civil unrest of 1992. He is a 1990 graduate of Columbia University, where he received his Bachelor's degree in Political Science.
Apart from his legal work, Paul has a long and distinguished history of community and public service. He was recognized by the Asian Pacific American Legal Center, for his community service and dedication to the legal needs of indigent clients. He is a past president of both the Philippine American Bar Association and the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Los Angeles. He has served on a number of community boards, including currently as the President of the Board of the Filipino American Library.
- Areas of Practice:
- Appellate Law
- Civil Rights
- Class Actions
- Constitutional Law
- Housing Rights/Section 8
- Litigation Percentage:
- 100% of Practice Devoted to Litigation
- Bar Admissions:
- U.S. Supreme Court
- U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit
- U.S. District Court Central District of California
- U.S. District Court Eastern District of California
- U.S. District Court Northern District of California
- U.S. District Court Southern District of California
- California, 1993
- Education:
- Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, California,
1993
J.D. - Columbia University, New York, New York,
1990
B.A.
- Representative Cases:
- Craft v. County of San Bernardino, 468 F.Supp.2d 1172 (C.D. Cal. 2006)
- Francis v. State of California, 2004 WL 1792627 (N.D. Cal. 2004)
- U.S. v. Hovsepian, 359 F.3d 1144 (9th Cir. 2004)
- Bynum v. District of Columbia, 217 F.R.D. 43 (D.D.C. 2003)
- Nozzi v. Housing Authority of the City of L.A., 2011 WL 1167188 (9th Circuit 2011)
- Lopez v. Youngblood, 2009 WL 909817 (E.D. Cal. 2009)
- Lopez v. Youngblood, 609 F.Supp.2d 1125 (E.D. Cal. 2009)
- Johnson v. District of Columbia, 248 F.R.D. 46 (D.D.C. 2008)
- Honors and Awards:
- Pro Bono Award, Asian Pacific American Legal Center
- Dean's Service Award, Loyola Law School
- Professional Associations and Memberships:
- Asian Pacific American Bar Association
- Past President
- National Asian Pacific American Bar Association
- Past Regional Governor
- Philippine American Bar Association
- Past President
- Los Angeles County Bar Association
- National Lawyers Guild
- National Police Accountability Project
- Past Employment Positions:
- Litt & Associates, Associate, 2000 - 2004
- Vakili & Leus LLP, Associate, 1997 - 2000
- Pro Bono Activities:
- President, Filipino American Library
- Languages:
- Tagalog









