DePaolo became a member of the California State Bar in 1984 and practiced workers' compensation law in California in private practice prior to starting WorkCompCentral with Miller & Folse, Adelson Testan Brundo & Popalardo, and as a sole practitioner. DePaolo holds a J.D. from Pepperdine University School of Law (1984), a Masters in Business Administration from California Lutheran University (1997) and a Bachelor of Arts, English, from San Diego State University (1981). Civic and professional organization involvement include: Los Angeles, Ventura County and Conejo Valley Bar Associations; Ventura, Conejo Valley, Oxnard and Port Hueneme Chambers of Commerce; Boys and Girls Club of Port Hueneme (held Director and Executive offices); USCF; NORBA; Hueneme Surf Sailors Assoc., honored for community service by the Ventura Co. Board of Supervisors. DePaolo has been widely published on the topic of workers' compensation including The Journal of the International Association of Industrial Accidents Boards and Commissions, CWCE magazine, The Claims Examiner magazine, WorkCompCentral, and WorkCompSchool. DePaolo has lectured and/or provided expert guidance on workers' compensation issues to Council on Education for Management, Texas Insurance Council, Los Angeles Times, Dow Jones News Service, Fox News, Employers' Fraud Task Force, Fortune Magazine, California Association of Rehabilitation and Reemployment Professionals and more.