Paul Cullen '03
Attorney
In 2019, Paul sat at the final table of the largest live poker tournament ever played — 28,371 players, a $1 million first prize, and the eyes of the poker world watching. He finished second. What got him there wasn't just luck — it was the same skills driving his work as a trial attorney: calculated strategy, intuition, and knowing when to make your move. But those skills just don’t show up. They are born from patience, integrity, and discipline.
Paul grew up in Montreal, where hockey wasn't just a sport—it was life. Like many Canadians who found their way to Millbrook, the game brought him here. He arrived as a 17-year-old in the fall of 2001, and his very first day of classes happened to be September 11th. It was a jarring introduction to America. But he stayed, played hockey, and discovered something he didn't expect: structure. Mandatory study halls, discipline away from home, and the balance of athletics and academics became habits he carried well beyond Millbrook.
After graduating, Paul attended Lake Forest College outside of Chicago, double-majoring in business and international relations. A single constitutional law class changed his direction entirely. He applied to law schools across the country, landed at Golden Gate University School of Law in San Francisco, and began learning a legal system he knew virtually nothing about. It was there he met his wife, Lindsay. They studied together, graduated together, and passed the California Bar before eventually settling in Las Vegas, where they both practice law and are raising their 10-year-old daughter, Madison.
Paul now handles complex litigation—catastrophic injury cases involving defective products, casino incidents, and insurance disputes—representing people going up against large corporations and insurance companies. These cases don't get won by accident. They are built methodically, planned months and sometimes years in advance, and argued with a clear strategy from day one. Every decision is deliberate, every argument grounded in the facts and the law. It's not unlike sitting at a poker table—you are constantly reading the situation, weighing your options, and mapping a path forward.
Integrity, for Paul, isn't something that lives only in the courtroom. It's a foundation that runs through his professional life, his marriage, and his approach to challenges generally. Operating with integrity in high-stress environments forces rapid personal development. The core idea is simple: be honest, do the work, maintain your moral compass, and let your reputation speak for itself.
In his session, Paul will reflect on an unconventional path—from Montreal to Millbrook to Las Vegas—and why the values and habits you build early tend to follow you everywhere.
Paul grew up in Montreal, where hockey wasn't just a sport—it was life. Like many Canadians who found their way to Millbrook, the game brought him here. He arrived as a 17-year-old in the fall of 2001, and his very first day of classes happened to be September 11th. It was a jarring introduction to America. But he stayed, played hockey, and discovered something he didn't expect: structure. Mandatory study halls, discipline away from home, and the balance of athletics and academics became habits he carried well beyond Millbrook.
After graduating, Paul attended Lake Forest College outside of Chicago, double-majoring in business and international relations. A single constitutional law class changed his direction entirely. He applied to law schools across the country, landed at Golden Gate University School of Law in San Francisco, and began learning a legal system he knew virtually nothing about. It was there he met his wife, Lindsay. They studied together, graduated together, and passed the California Bar before eventually settling in Las Vegas, where they both practice law and are raising their 10-year-old daughter, Madison.
Paul now handles complex litigation—catastrophic injury cases involving defective products, casino incidents, and insurance disputes—representing people going up against large corporations and insurance companies. These cases don't get won by accident. They are built methodically, planned months and sometimes years in advance, and argued with a clear strategy from day one. Every decision is deliberate, every argument grounded in the facts and the law. It's not unlike sitting at a poker table—you are constantly reading the situation, weighing your options, and mapping a path forward.
Integrity, for Paul, isn't something that lives only in the courtroom. It's a foundation that runs through his professional life, his marriage, and his approach to challenges generally. Operating with integrity in high-stress environments forces rapid personal development. The core idea is simple: be honest, do the work, maintain your moral compass, and let your reputation speak for itself.
In his session, Paul will reflect on an unconventional path—from Montreal to Millbrook to Las Vegas—and why the values and habits you build early tend to follow you everywhere.
