Most accolades for attorneys are earned in the courtroom, but Keker, Van Nest & Peters associate Paul von Autenried recently claimed a different kind of win—on the concert stage in Paris.
Von Autenried recently earned international recognition, winning First Prize and the Press Award at the 33rd Concours des Grands Amateurs de Piano in Paris, an achievement profiled in Law.com.
“Piano has never felt like something that could make you popular, but this week, I felt popular,” said von Autenried of the reaction back at the firm.
Held at the historic Sorbonne, the prestigious competition drew 100 amateur pianists from around the world. Von Autenried advanced through three demanding rounds before delivering a finalist performance that secured him top honors.
Von Autenried began playing at the age of four and credits consistent, disciplined practice for his musical development. He eventually chose to pursue law professionally, viewing piano as something that complements his legal career. He minored in piano performance at Princeton University and studied at the Royal College of Music in London, experiences that helped shape his connection to performance. Despite his talents, he said he never seriously considered a career as a pianist.
“I always knew that if I made music my only thing, it's possible I wouldn't love it the way I do. For me, there's something great about being able to say: ‘I escape to piano.’ I go do it as a love, as a passion,” he said.
To balance playing with his busy work life, von Autenried practices during late nights, and he continues to study with Dr. Sharon Mann of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. He said the habits developed through musical preparation have translated naturally to his legal work.
“I love the process of drafting something and then working with someone really smart to refine it and chip away at it,” he said in the article. “It's honestly kind of similar to what I think the act of preparing music is: You are working toward perfection. You may not get there, but you're working toward it at all times.”
As a winner of this year’s competition, he receives a cash prize and has been invited to perform a concerto with the Orchestra of the Republican Guard in Paris next year.
Read the Law.com article (subscription required).
Reprinted with permission from the December 15, 2025, issue of Law.com © 2026 ALM Global Properties, LLC. All rights reserved. Further duplication without permission is prohibited, contact 877-256-2472 or asset-and-logo-licensing@alm.com.
