Paul D. Pearson, Esq.
January 22, 1940 - February 17, 2025
Paul Pearson, 85, passed away on February 17, 2025, in Buffalo, New York. Born in Boston, Massachusetts on January 22, 1940, to a British father and American mother, Paul led a distinguished life marked by professional excellence and commitment to his family and the community.
Paul earned a BA in Psychology at Bucknell University in 1961. He was president of his fraternity, played varsity tennis and was the ROTC Cadet Corps Commander. He earned his law degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1964 before serving on active duty as a Captain in the U.S. Army from 1964 to 1966, stationed in Bad Kreuznach and Mainz, Germany.
Following his military service, Paul embarked on a multifaceted legal career specializing in family law and dispute resolution. He worked with all manner of clients, including in sports and entertainment with members of The Cars, Aerosmith, the Taylor family and the Boston Red Sox. His expertise and dedication earned him great respect within the industry. Committed to finding less antagonistic (more respectful) ways to resolve disputes, Paul was the first Director of an Interdisciplinary research project between Harvard Law School and Harvard Medical School, 1966-68. A Certified Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers since 1975, Paul represented clients and served as a mediator. He founded and led the Western New York Collaborative Law Professionals, Co-founded the Alliance for Dispute Resolution in 1997, was a member of the NYS Council on Divorce Mediation and served on many alternative dispute resolution committees in national, state and local bar associations. He was a speaker and lecturer in the SUNY Buffalo Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences and frequent speaker at Psychological Association of WNY interdisciplinary continuing education programs, among others. Paul was featured in all editions of The Best Lawyers in America and Who’s Who in American Law, since 1983.
Paul was deeply involved in civic and cultural affairs. He served as president of the Boston Ballet Society and as the head of the Wayland Zoning Board. He held many top leadership positions with the American Jewish Committee and served on the Board of Directors of Congregation Havurah and Jewish Family Service of WNY. He regularly attended concerts of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra and the Metropolitan Opera.
Paul had a lifelong love of working with his hands and took great joy in fixing things, especially cars and boats. He drove a vintage 1976 Porche with great flair for many years. A lifelong tennis player, boater, and skier, he was an avid supporter of the Chautauqua Institution and maintained a home on Chautauqua Lake for more than 20 years. Following his favorite teams with enthusiasm, he traded being a long-suffering Patriots fan for becoming a long-suffering Buffalo Bills fan in the 1990s.
Paul is survived by his son David (Nancy) Pearson, daughter Lisa (Adam) Schwartz and son Grant Munschauer; grandchildren Zander, Charlie and Jadyn. He is also survived by his brother Robert Pearson and life partner, Adrienne Rothstein Grace, and was pre-deceased by his sister Gillian “Jill” Pearson, Esq. His legacy lives on through his family and all those who benefited from his friendship, generosity and expertise.
May his memory always be a blessing.