Meet the Attorneys of Swor & Gatto
Swor & Gatto is a St. Paul personal injury firm that has represented injured Minnesotans since 1981.
Three attorneys, one area of law, and 45 years of practice devoted entirely to injury and wrongful death claims.
In that time the firm has recovered more than $250 million for its clients across more than 10,000 cases.
The firm has been structured the same way since it opened. When you call Swor & Gatto, you reach Paul Gatto, Marcus Gatto, or J.P. Gatto directly, rather than a case manager or an associate.
Call (651) 454-3600 for a free consultation. There is no cost to speak with an attorney, and no fee unless the firm recovers on your behalf.
Why Swor & Gatto Handles Only Injury Cases
Swor & Gatto has practiced personal injury law and nothing else since 1981. Not criminal defense, not business litigation, not family law. Forty-five years in a single area of practice is the firm’s principal qualification, and it was a deliberate choice rather than a circumstance.
That choice traces to how the founders came to the work. Paul Gatto had worked for a nationally recognized insurance company before entering law school. Michael Swor worked days as an insurance adjuster while earning his law degree at William Mitchell College of Law at night. Both men understood how carriers evaluate and price a claim before either of them represented a person injured by one.
They met as young attorneys at a St. Paul firm. Paul Gatto had been practicing five years, having been admitted to the Minnesota bar in 1976, when the two of them left to open their own firm in 1981. It ran out of Swor’s basement for the first few years.
Michael Swor died in February 2024. Paul Gatto continues to practice alongside Marcus Gatto and J.P. Gatto, and the standard the founders set remains the one all three attorneys work to. Prepare every case as though it is going to trial, and treat every client as though theirs is the only case in the office.
That focus also means the firm declines certain matters. Swor & Gatto does not handle medical malpractice. If your injury arose out of medical care, we would rather tell you during the first call than three weeks later, and refer you to a firm that handles those claims.
What 45 Years of Injury Practice Has Produced
Since 1981, Swor & Gatto has recovered more than $250 million for injured clients across more than 10,000 cases. Approximately 95% of those cases settle without going to court.
The settlement rate reflects preparation rather than avoidance. Opposing counsel and insurance carriers know the firm is prepared to try a case, and a case prepared that thoroughly is usually one they would rather resolve than argue.
Representative results include:
$3.6 million
for the family of a retired 60-year-old woman who died following a catastrophic head injury.
$1.75 million
for a motorcycle rider who sustained a serious leg injury.
$1.1 million
for a 16-year-old who suffered a brain injury in a motor vehicle collision.
$450,000
for two tenants who fell eight feet when a railing failed.
$250,000
for a man whose finger was severed by a defective pocket knife.
Talk through your case with an attorney. No cost, no obligation.
Our Attorneys
Every case at Swor & Gatto is handled by one of three attorneys. Together they have tried cases to juries in Minnesota, Florida, and Wisconsin, and they have worked both sides of the insurance table.
Paul Gatto
Attorney
Marcus Gatto
Marcus Gatto handles personal injury and Social Security matters and has carried cases from the initial interview through jury trial and appeal, appearing before juries, judges, and arbitrators. He earned a biology degree with honors from Boston College and his law degree from the University of Miami School of Law in 2006, and he is a graduate of the ABOTA Trial Academy at Harvard Law School. Super Lawyers has named him a Rising Star. He is fluent in Spanish and conducted nearly his entire Florida practice in Spanish, which allows Spanish-speaking clients to work with him directly rather than through an interpreter. Admitted: Minnesota, 2010; Florida.
Attorney
J.P. Gatto
J.P. Gatto spent nearly 15 years at a large St. Paul firm defending businesses and insurance companies, including aviation and agricultural manufacturers, before moving to the plaintiff’s side. He understands how carriers value a claim and where they look for weaknesses, because that was his work for more than a decade. He now represents clients injured by defective snowmobiles, medical devices, and escalators, along with motor vehicle, construction, and bad faith insurance matters. Super Lawyers has recognized him since 2014. He graduated with honors from St. Olaf College and Hamline University School of Law. Admitted: Minnesota Supreme Court, 2007; Wisconsin Supreme Court; U.S. District Court, District of Minnesota; Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Recognition and Credentials
Super Lawyers has recognized J.P. Gatto since 2014 and named Marcus Gatto a Rising Star. Marcus Gatto is a graduate of the ABOTA Trial Academy at Harvard Law School, a trial skills program conducted by the American Board of Trial Advocates, and he is a member of the American Association for Justice and the Minnesota Association for Justice.
The firm holds an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell, the highest peer rating that service confers for legal ability and ethical standards. Swor & Gatto has also been recognized by the American Society of Legal Advocates, the American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys, the National Academy of Personal Injury Attorneys, and the National Trial Lawyers Top 100.
Who Handles Your Case
Swor & Gatto has three attorneys, and every case is handled by one of them. The attorney who conducts your initial consultation is the attorney who takes your deposition, argues your motions, and remains responsible for the case through its resolution. That assignment does not change hands. When clients are unable to travel to the office, the firm meets them at home or in the hospital.
The firm works on a contingency basis, typically 33% to 40% of the recovery. There is no retainer, no hourly billing, and nothing out of pocket. If the firm recovers nothing, no fee is owed. The initial consultation is free.
Spanish-speaking clients work directly with Marcus Gatto, who is fluent and conducted his entire Florida practice in Spanish.
Thank you Marcus for not giving up on my case regardless how hard it was. I’m very thankful with you and your team. I am immensely happy with our outcome.
Ask us what your case is worth. The consultation is free.
Community Involvement
Paul Gatto supports Children’s Hospital, Ascension School, and the Casa Jacinta y Francisco Orphanage, and he has endowed a scholarship at Hamline University School of Law for students committed to children’s issues. He also provides pro bono representation to clients who cannot afford counsel.
J.P. Gatto supports St. Paul Children’s Hospital, the Minnesota Children’s Museum, and local schools.
Marcus Gatto entered this work through immigrant advocacy and government benefits litigation, and he continues to handle those matters alongside his injury practice.
The firm’s office is on West Seventh Street in St. Paul, a short distance from the Ramsey County courthouse where many of these cases are filed.
The Cases We Handle
Swor & Gatto handles personal injury and wrongful death claims throughout Minnesota, from the Twin Cities metro to Duluth, Rochester, St. Cloud, and Mankato. If you are uncertain whether your situation fits, call and ask.
The firm does not handle medical malpractice. If that is the nature of your claim, tell us during the first call and we will refer you to a firm that does.
“I brought a complicated incident to them and they took the time to understand it and refer me to the right people. They give attorneys a good name and have my five star recommendation.”
Joshua Farris
Questions People Ask Before Hiring an Injury Lawyer
How do you choose a personal injury lawyer in Minnesota?
What should you ask before hiring an injury lawyer?
Four questions will tell you most of what you need to know. Who is my attorney, and can that assignment change? Have you taken this type of case to trial? What percentage do you charge, and are case costs deducted before or after that percentage? And what do you believe this case is worth, and on what basis?
How much does a personal injury lawyer cost?
Nothing at the outset. Injury firms work on contingency, which means the fee is a percentage of what the firm recovers. At Swor & Gatto that percentage is typically 33% to 40%, with no retainer and no hourly billing, and if the firm recovers nothing, no fee is owed. Ask how case costs such as expert witnesses and medical records are handled, since those are separate from the fee and firms treat them differently.
Do you need a lawyer for an injury claim?
Not in every case. For a minor injury with no lost work and a cooperative insurer, you may be able to resolve the claim yourself. It is worth making the call when the injury required more than a few medical visits, when you missed work, when fault is disputed, or when the insurance company has already presented an offer. Consultations are free, so there is no cost to finding out.
Is a smaller firm better than a larger one for an injury case?
It depends on the case. Larger firms carry more matters and more overhead. Smaller firms provide direct access to a senior attorney. For a complex, disputed, or catastrophic case, the question worth asking is which attorney will do the work, and how many other files that attorney is carrying.
How long has Swor & Gatto been in practice?
Since 1981. Michael Swor and Paul Gatto founded the firm that year and limited it to personal injury from the outset. It has practiced in that area and no other for 45 years.
Speak With One of Our Attorneys
You will speak with an attorney, not a screener. The consultation is free, there is no obligation, and you pay nothing unless the firm recovers on your behalf.
Call (651) 454-3600 or send us a message.
Swor & Gatto, P.A. · 1177 W 7th St, Saint Paul, MN 55102
40+
years of experience
Recovered
Cases Handled
Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Each case is different and must be judged on its own merits.