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Paul D. Gamez

Paul D. Gamez Member

Contact Information

(319) 896-4060 (319) 366-1917 pgamez@spmblaw.com Cedar Rapids, IA
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Holly Kohl

Holly Kohl

Legal Assistant

(319) 896-4072 hkohl@spmblaw.com

Practice Area

Bar Admissions

  • State of Iowa, 1991

Court Admissions

  • US District Court
    • Northern & Southern Districts of Iowa, 2010
  • US Court of Appeals
    • 8th Circuit, 1992
  • Iowa Supreme Court, 1991

Education

  • University of Iowa College of Law, JD, with distinction, 1991
  • University of Iowa, BA, with distinction, 1988
    • Political Science and German
    • Phi Beta Kappa

Paul Gamez is a seasoned trial attorney with over 30 years of courtroom experience, representing clients in high-stakes business and employment litigation. He has tried numerous cases to verdict in both federal and state courts and has successfully handled arbitrated disputes across a range of industries. Mr. Gamez’s litigation portfolio includes complex matters involving securities fraud, shareholder rights, breach of contract, intellectual property, trade secrets, and restrictive covenants.

Known for his strategic trial preparation and persuasive advocacy, Mr. Gamez has served as lead counsel in cases with multimillion-dollar exposures and has secured favorable outcomes through both verdicts and settlements. He is a Fellow of the Iowa Academy of Trial Lawyers, reflecting his recognized excellence in trial practice. In addition to his litigation work, he contributes to the legal community through his roles on the Iowa Supreme Court Advisory Committee and the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Iowa Federal Practice Committee.

Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Gamez worked as a business unit leader where he was responsible for business unit financial results and business litigation for a large national equipment financing firm.

Place of birth: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Additional Language: German

Robinson et al. v. Central Iowa Power Cooperative, EQCV100043 (March 6, 2024)

  • Obtained full dismissal of claims brought by adjoining landowners seeking to establish a right to dictate the path of underground tiling and obtained a $200K fee award on a successful counterclaim to quiet title. 

Robinson et al. v. Linn County Board of Supervisors et al., No. 23-0705 (June 5, 2024)

  • Obtained and successfully defended on appeal, a decision annulling a writ of certiorari challenging the rezoning of agricultural land for the development of renewable solar energy.  

Chettinger v. Ottesen Family Trust, 01281 CVCV 008962 (July 11, 2024)

  • Obtained a directed verdict at the close of Plaintiffs’ case in chief, dismissing all claims seeking to establish an easement by necessity. 

Thome v. The Sayer Law Group, P.C., No. 20-CV-3058-CJW-KEM (N.D. Iowa 2022) 

  • In a case initially brought as an attempted Fair Debt Collection Practices Act class action, a federal jury returned a complete defense verdict in favor of the Defendant law firm.

Rupert v. Elplast America Inc., No. CVCV096902 (Iowa Dist. Ct. for Linn County 2022) 

  • An Iowa jury returned a full defense verdict on Plaintiff’s claims for breach of contract and minority shareholder oppression on claims seeking in excess of $2 million in damages.

CRST Expedited, Inc. v. Swift Transportation Co. of Arizona, LLC, No. 17-cv-25 (N.D. Iowa 2019)

  • A federal jury returned a $15,500,000 verdict on the business tort and unjust enrichment claims of a company which invested in training and qualifying drivers against a competitor which elected to misappropriate the use of 246 drivers’ labor prior to the expiration of their ten month agreement to refrain from driving for companies which neither paid for their qualification nor a liquidated sum which would satisfy the obligation.

Tina Haskenhoff v. Homeland Energy Solutions, LLC, No. LACV003218 (Ia. Dist. Ct. 2019) 

  • On remand from the Iowa Supreme Court, a Chickasaw County jury found, upon admission of liability for an underlying hostile work environment, that an ethanol plant’s officers had not constructively discharged a complaining lab manager.

Parker v. Platinum Services Inc. n/k/a Platinum Supplemental insurance, Inc. (May 2, 2019)

  • Represented Defendant and obtained full defense verdict on Plaintiff’s claim while the jury awarded the client $981,907.59 in damages on Defendant’s counterclaim with additional exemplary damages and attorney’s fees in favor of the Defendant to be decided by the Court after the verdict.   

Busse, et al. v. Busse, et al., No. LACV083022 (Ia. Dist. Bus. Ct. 2017)

  • Jury rejects 14 theory Petition by disappointed shareholders and beneficiaries and court orders return of voting control of commercial real estate firm to its benefactor and managing director.

Berthel Fisher & Company Financial Services, Inc. v. Anderson Properties, Inc., et al., 14-01439 FINRA Office of Dispute Resolution (February 27, 2018)

  • Successfully defended a claim by investors against an independent broker/dealer alleging in excess of $12 million in damages. The investor alleged that several real estate related investments, which later failed, were misrepresented to him and were unsuitable. After a one week hearing before a FINRA arbitration panel, the claims were denied in their entirety.

February 2017

  • Successfully defended a multimillion-dollar business dispute, including shareholder oppression, fiduciary duty and related business tort claims.

Steere et al. v. DFI, Inc. et al., EQCV054166 Fayette County (August 1, 2016)

  • Successfully defended a minority shareholder oppression claim that resulted in a dismissal of the claim by the court after trial.

Berthel Fisher & Company Financial Services, Inc., et al. v. Craig Larmon et al., 695 F.3d 749 (8th Cir. 2012); Scarborough v. Berthel Fisher & Company Financial Services, Inc. et al., 478 Fed. Appx. 393 (9th Cir. 2012)

  • Successfully defended a FINRA member broker dealer from a multi-million dollar claim in FINRA arbitration matter.

Richard A. Primmer et al. v. Lillibridge Transportation, Inc., et al. LACV00717, Iowa District Court in and for Benton County (February 14, 2012)

  • Obtained dismissal of trade secret claim seeking in excess of $1,000,000 in damages via summary judgment in an Iowa state court matter.

Deghedy v. Cyber Anatomy Corporation et al., No. 3:12-CV-00048-HCA (S.D. Iowa 2014)

  • Successfully defended multimillion-dollar breach of contract claim and obtained $600,000+ jury award against plaintiff on trade secrets, unfair competition, copyright and infringement.

Branimir Catipovic v. Mark Turley, No. C11-3074 (N.D. Iowa 2014)

  • Jury verdict in favor of promoter of first American-style ethanol plant in Europe for unjust enrichment in the amount of $2,000,000.
  • Included in the Best Lawyers in America® list, 2025
    • Antitrust Law, Appellate Practice, Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Intellectual Property, Litigation - Labor and Employment, Litigation - Real Estate, Litigation – Securities, Litigation - Trusts and Estates
  • Included in the Best Lawyers® "Lawyer of the Year" list in Cedar Rapids
    • Litigation - Securities, 2023
    • Litigation - Labor and Employment, 2023
  • Included in the Great Plains Super Lawyers list, 2016-2025
    • Business Litigation

Professional Memberships

  • Iowa Supreme Court
    • Advisory Committee on Rules of Civil Procedure
  • US District Court for the Northern District of Iowa
    • Federal Practice Committee
  • Iowa Academy of Trial Lawyers
  • Iowa State Bar Association
    • Labor & Employment Law Section
    • Litigation Law Section
  • Linn County Bar Association
  • Lease Enforcement Attorney Network (LEAN)

Community Involvement

  • St. John of the Cross Catholic Worker House Homeless Shelter, Board of Directors, 2012-Present
  • Youth Basketball Coach, Cedar Rapids  

2019 Presentations

  • Is the Standard Advice on Documenting Performance Issues and Performace Improvement Plans Correct? Lessons from the Courtroom and the Manager's Office, SPMB Employment Law Risk Management Seminar, 10/19

2016 Presentation

  • Protecting the Record for Appeal/Objections and Impeachment, SPMB CLE, 1/16