EDUCATION UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA SCHOOL OF LAW J.D. received May 1984. Senior Editor, Virginia Journal of International Law.Winner of Dillard and Dčak Awards for Best International Law Note at UVA and in the United States, Spring 1984.
STRAUS INSTITUTE FOR DISPUTE RESOLUTION PEPPERDINE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW LL.M. in Dispute Resolution received May 2003. LL.M. program involved extensive course work in domestic and international alternative dispute resolution, and over 360 hours of service as a volunteer mediator and arbitrator with the Los Angeles Superior Court and California Lawyers for the Arts.
LONDON SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS AND POLITICAL SCIENCE M.Sc. in International Relations received June 1980.
OBERLIN COLLEGE B.A. in Economics and Government received January 1979.Junior year at London School of Economics.
PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND
MEDIATION OFFICES OF PETER J. LESSER2001 - Present Los Angeles and Indian Wells, California Mediator with growing private practice in Los Angeles, Riverside, Orange and surrounding counties. Over 450 mediations conducted to date, with consistently excellent reviews and recommendations. Service as a mediator and arbitrator with the Los Angeles Superior Court, Riverside Superior Court (Settlement Judge Pro Tem amd mediation panelist) and California Lawyers for the Arts. Extensive experience mediating complex, multi-party business and employment litigations; real estate, HOA and construction disputes; malpractice cases; partnership, family and inheritance disputes; and accident/injury cases. Familiar with insurance and bankruptcy in the litigation/mediation contexts. Master of Laws in Dispute Resolution from the Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution at PepperdineUniversityLawSchool (LL.M. May 2003). Certified as a Family Law Mediator by the Academy of Family Mediators. Licensed as a California Real Estate Broker.
LAW OFFICES OF PETER J. LESSER 1993 - Present Los Angeles, California Representation of a limited number of clients in civil and appellate litigation practice, with emphasis on business, real estate, construction, probate, employment and other complex litigation (practice has been approximately 50 percent plaintiff, 50 percent defense). Substantial first-chair jury trial, bench trial and appellate experience before the CaliforniaCourts, U.S.District Court, U.S. Bankruptcy Court and Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
MITCHELL, SILBERBERG & KNUPP 1988 - 1993 Los Angeles, California Involved in a range of business, probate and entertainment litigation matters, with substantial deposition, law and motion, and first-chair civil trial experience. First-chaired criminal jury trials as a probono prosecutor with the L.A. City Attorney's Office.
KELLEY, DRYE & WARREN 1987 - 1988 Washington, D.C. Involved in regulatory and litigation matters in federal courts and various administrative tribunals, including international trademark and patent cases before the U.S. Court of International Trade.
DONOVAN, LEISURE, NEWTON & IRVINE 1984 - 1986 Washington, D.C.
Participated in a range of domestic and international litigation matters, including major antitrust, environmental and securities law cases in federal courts and administrative agencies.
PUBLICATIONS AND AWARDS (PARTIAL LIST) Article, "Mediation of Business Disputes: A Smart & Effective Alternative to Litigation"in Business Matters (October 2003). Note, "Superseding Statutory Law By Sole Executive Agreement:An Analysis Of The American Law Institute's Shift In Position," 23 Virginia Journal of International Law 671 (Summer 1983).This Note was awarded: American Society of International Law's Francis Dčak Award for Best Student Writing in International Law, April 1984; and the University of Virginia's Hardy Cross Dillard Award for Best Note in Current Volume of the Virginia Journal of International Law, May 1984.
Chapter, "The Legal System of Hong Kong," II Modern Legal Systems Cyclopedia 85-117 (K. Redden, Editor 1984).
* References and transcripts available upon request *