Paul D. Ziel is a founding member of the law firm of Murray, Ziel, & Johnston, PLLC. Throughout his career, Paul has gained extensive trial and courtroom experience in many areas of the law, including:
- More than 20 jury trials, including US District Court (Federal) – District of Idaho;
- More than 100 Court/Bench Trials;
- Appeared in Cases in California Federal Court, North Dakota Federal Court, and North Dakota State Court; &
- Argued cases in front of Idaho State Supreme Court and the Idaho Court of Appeals.
Paul continues to enjoy the courtroom and focuses his practice primarily on civil litigation and federal criminal defense. Paul’s litigation practice focuses predominantly on contract, business, land use, and construction disputes. Paul also does a substantial amount of guardianship cases, including representing the Bonneville County Board of Community Guardians. Additionally, Paul has extensive experience with mediation/alternative dispute resolution, adoption, divorce and child custody, probate, family law, personal injury, and general litigation.
Prior to forming Murray, Ziel, & Johnston, PLLC, Paul served as a judicial law clerk for for multiple district court judges in the Seventh Judicial District. Paul went on to serve as a deputy prosecuting attorney in Bonneville and Jefferson counties. Paul prosecuted a wide variety of cases from infractions and misdemeanors to major felonies including white collar crimes and murder. Paul had his own law firm for three years in which he focused on general litigation. Paul was also an online instructor for BYU-Idaho from 2011 to 2018.
Paul graduated from the J. Reuben Clark Law School at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. As a law student, he was a senior editor on the BYU Journal of Public Law and published two legal articles for the same journal. Paul worked as a research assistant for a land use law professor and for a real property law professor. He was an active member and volunteer of the alternative dispute resolution club.
Paul also holds degrees from Brigham Young University in Economics and Ricks College in Business Management. Paul is a graduate of Rigby High School in Rigby, Idaho.
Paul is active in serving the legal community and the broader community at large. Paul has served as the past president of the Eagle Rock Inn of Court and is a current officer of the J. Reuben Clark Law Society. Paul has coached youth football for several years and has also done extensive volunteer work for various youth organizations.
Paul was born and raised in Southeastern Idaho. In his spare time, Paul enjoys spending time with his family and enjoying Idaho’s great outdoors.
