Paul R. Ferreira, CPA, CFE Esq.

The Lexwerx Law Firm, LLC

The Lexwerx Law Firm, LLC (“Lexwerx”) provides government contracting, finance, and asset protection law advice and services to businesses in support of the national defense.

Admitted to the Federal, New York and New Jersey bars in 1989, founder, attorney, Certified Public Accountant, Certified Fraud Examiner and decorated war veteran, Paul Ferreira has served  from the battlefield to the boardroom. He has practiced locally since 2016. 

A first generation American, Paul was born and raised in the tight-knit, working-class predominantly Portuguese neighborhood known as the “Ironbound” in Newark, New Jersey. “Growing up in that community, you were taught family, integrity, and work ethic mattered most.”

Paul earned a Bachelor of Science in accounting from Fairleigh Dickinson University because that was the family business. “It was my plan “B” if I did not make it into law school.” After earning his Juris Doctorate from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in New York City, Paul began his career as a Prosecutor.

“I thought I’d never practice accounting again except to balance my check book. I was wrong” Assigned financially motivated white-collar crime matters because of my “accounting background”, I discovered I loved the “got you” aspect of those cases. I continued to conduct complex financial fraud investigations for foreign and domestic insurance companies after transitioning to the private sector. Eventually, I also became a Certified Public Accountant to better understand the underlying financial transactions I investigated.

On September 10, 2001, Paul was an accomplished attorney/CPA practicing in the New York Metropolitan area. He was also an officer in the United States Army Reserves. “The next day, I watched the towers come down from the New Jersey side of the Hudson River and realized my professional life was about to go on a serendipitous detour.”

Between 2003 and 2017, Paul spent over eight nonconsecutive years on active duty including two tours in Iraq, a mission to Africa, a tour in Afghanistan, and a two-year stint working for the Joint Chiefs of Staff.   Some of my most purposed filled professional moments happened during my service. I met the most amazing Americans and developed lifelong friendships. Together, we accomplished things I never imagined. I cherish those memories and would not change a thing.

Paul came to Tampa in 2015 in uniform and immediately fell in love with the city, especially its edgy entrepreneurial vibe, and decided to stay when he ended his tour at MacDill Air Force Base.  After completing the Veteran Florida’s Entrepreneurship Program and being admitted to the Florida bar in 2016, Paul served as Chief Legal and Chief Financial Officer for a not for profit organization helping solve challenging Warfighter problems.

I became captivated by how government, academia, and the private sector can come together relatively quickly under non-traditional authorities and regulations to provide our Nation with the tools it needs to fight today’s wars and tomorrow’s wars.

Lexwerx was created to help guide the businesses and organizations that support our National Defense through the complex web of federal regulations to get our service members what they need.

Outside of his legal practice, Paul is still serving as a Colonel in the United States Army Reserves and serves on the Board of Action Zone a not for profit helping Veteran-owned businesses transform the strength and growth of the community.