About Bill Paparian

Bill Paparian has over 30 years experience in criminal defense. He is a member of the Los Angeles County Bar Association’s Indigent Criminal Defense Appointments Program providing complete legal defense services through the trial level for indigent criminal defendants. In the first post 9/11 civil rights case involving FBI misconduct, Paparian successfully represented environmentalist and anti-war activist Josh Connole who had been wrongfully accused of acts of domestic terrorism.

Paparian is the former Mayor of Pasadena. His service as the Mayor of Pasadena in support of the military and veterans was recognized by the Secretary of the Navy who awarded Paparian the Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal. The citation reads in part: "Mayor Paparian’s leadership, professionalism, and selfless dedication throughout reflected great credit upon himself, the city of Pasadena, and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service.

During Paparian’s 12 years of service as an elected public official from 1987 to 1999 he was well known for his crusade to bring a “Living Wage” ordinance to Pasadena, his active involvement on behalf of affirmative action and against bigotry and hate crimes, and his strong commitment to seeing diversity as a strength and asset.

Bill Paparian is a native Californian, and was educated in public schools. He received his B.A. degree from Cal State Northridge and following his Vietnam era military service in the Marine Corps attended Southwestern University School of Law on the G.I. Bill where he received his Juris Doctor Degree. He is married and the father of three sons.