Bruce G. Paulsen is a member of Seward & Kissel’s Litigation Group. Bruce has practiced law since 1985, and has been a partner since 2002.
Described as a "notable" litigator (Chambers USA 2012) Bruce specializes in handling complex commercial disputes. He recently won a series of securities litigations against publicly-held companies. He won a landmark victory in the New York Court of Appeals in the terrorism insurance arena. He recently obtained the largest sanctions award in New York history and tried and won the billion dollar "X-Clause" litigation in the Adelphia bankruptcy. Bruce has no fear of taking cases to trial when a reasonable settlement cannot be obtained, and is comfortable before judges, juries, and arbitrators. Commercial disputes handled by Bruce have included contract and other business disputes, fraud, investment funds, trade claims, securities, commodities, derivatives, international disputes (including international arbitration), insurance, reinsurance, banking, real estate, bankruptcy, trusts and estates, regulatory disputes, and others. He has substantial expertise in the area of international sanctions, he handled the first piracy of a ship owned by an American-based shipping company, and has been deeply involved in handling piracy issues before U.S. government agencies.
Bruce also handles finance and securities-related disputes in the shipping industry. Bruce has successfully defended significant securities claims brought against publicly-financed shipping ventures, including claims brought in offshore jurisdictions. He has represented bondholders, bond issuers, secured lenders and other creditors in matters arising from some of the most significant financing defaults in the shipping business. Further, he has acted for shipowners, charterers, lenders, borrowers, marine insurers, shipyards and others in litigations and arbitrations involving more traditional maritime disputes, including environmental matters. He is an expert in the recognition and enforcement of arbitration awards.
Bruce is a member of the Committees on Commercial Litigation and Business Litigation of the American Bar Association and the Litigation Committee of the International Bar Association. He is a Proctor member of the Maritime Law Association.
Described as an "excellent communicator," Bruce has written and lectured frequently on litigation, arbitration, piracy and sanctions issues and is highly engaged, on a pro bono basis, in non-profit governance.