Paul Skeith, one of the founding partners of Richards Rodriguez & Skeith LLP, understands business. Paul was the first managing partner of Richards Rodriguez & Skeith LLP, leading its first seventeen years of growth before passing that baton to Jim Howicz in early 2022. Paul looks forward to continuing to expand the firm’s clientele of dynamic, growing Central Texas privately-owned businesses.
Mr. Skeith’s practice in business and corporate law includes negotiating mergers and acquisitions, raising funds from investors, drafting and reviewing business contracts, structuring business entities, and business succession strategy. Paul works with busy CEOs and founders, which is why he often makes site visits to his clients’ places of business. Site visits allow Paul to gain a better understanding of his clients’ business environment and staff. He also finds that these visits offer him a chance to talk with the business’ leaders on a one-on-one basis.
Paul is dedicated to giving back to his community. In addition to his law practice, Paul is an ordained Episcopal Priest and serves as Pastor to the SoCo Episcopal Community, a start-up congregation in South Austin He also recently completed his service as the board chair for Capital Idea, a nonprofit committed to helping low income working families in Central Texas by empowering them with professional training and networking opportunities.
Paul earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Pennsylvania, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, before moving to Austin to attend the University of Texas to seek a dual degree in Law and Public Affairs. As a law student, he was a staff member of the Texas Journal on Civil Liberties and Civil Rights. Paul was chosen after law school to serve as a law clerk to the Honorable Thomas M. Reavley, Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. More recently, Paul went back to school and received a Diploma in Theology from the Iona School of Ministry.
Professional Licenses, Memberships, Honors and Awards
- State Bar of Texas, 1998
- Life Fellow, Texas Bar Foundation
- Fellow, Austin Bar Foundation
- Martindale AV Rated in Corporate, Commercial, and Business Law
- Super Lawyers ® Rising Star Business/Corporate, 2009, 2011, 2012, Thomson Reuters
- Super Lawyers ®, Business/Corporate, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, Thomson Reuters
- Member, Phi Beta Kappa
- Ordained Episcopal Priest, 2017
Education
- University of Pennsylvania, B.A., 1994
- University of Texas, LBJ School of Public Affairs, M.P. Aff., 1998
- University of Texas, J.D., 1998
- Law Clerk to Hon. Thomas M. Reavley, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit 2000
- Iona School for Ministry, Diploma in Theology 2016
