Paul A. Swiller, CWLS

Paul A. Swiller is a certified Child Welfare Law Specialist and founder of Tot Law, APC—San Diego’s premier law firm dedicated exclusively to children’s legal issues and family well-being.

Known for his calm, strategic approach and deep compassion for families, Paul helps parents, relatives, caretakers, and foster parents navigate the most complex parts of the county’s Child and Family Well‑Being (CFWB, formerly “CPS”) system with clarity and confidence.

Paul is a system‑savvy, trauma‑informed attorney focused on advocating for children’s safety, stability, and permanency. His expertise includes juvenile dependency, guardianships, adoptions, foster care advocacy (including de facto status and licensing), CACI grievance hearings and juvenile dependency appellate representation.

He is one of the few attorneys in California with statewide appellate appointments, representing parents in detention, jurisdiction, disposition, and termination of parental rights (TPR) juvenile dependency appeals across all six appellate districts.

Before founding Tot Law, APC, Paul served as appointed minor’s counsel for the juvenile court in San Diego County for over five years, representing thousands of children in hundreds of trials. That hands-on courtroom experience—combined with his later appellate work—gives Paul a rare, 360‑degree view of the child welfare system.

Paul started his career as a special education teacher, athletic coach, and AmeriCorps volunteer helping families in need access vital services. While studying law at UC Law, San Francisco, Paul volunteered with the Civil Justice Clinic and taught Street Law to youth at Juvenile Hall. Those experiences deepened his lifelong commitment to empowering vulnerable children and families.

Today, Paul and his partners at Tot Law, APC blend certified expertise with compassion. They partner with parents, grandparents, and caregivers to ensure every child in San Diego County has the chance to grow up safe, stable, and supported.

During his free time, Paul enjoys spending time with his wife, their three children, and two dogs, Max and Daisy. He also enjoys attending his sons’ soccer games and his daughter’s gymnastics tournaments.