Peter B. Rustin

Peter is a civil litigation trial attorney. He practices in state and federal courts, as well as appellate matters in the California Court of Appeal. Peter’s practice areas include defense of personal injury and premises liability matters, professional liability, real estate and commercial litigation, including pretrial discovery and motion practice, mediation and arbitration, trials, and related writs and appeals. He has experience in many types of complex litigation.

Peter defends attorneys, insurance and real estate professionals, appraisers, and other miscellaneous persons and entities in professional liability litigation. He also represents litigants in personal injury matters, including individuals and entities. Peter has been successful in obtaining many summary judgments on behalf of his clients in personal injury matters, which terminated litigation quickly while conserving on costs and fees. Peter has also represented educational institutions in various matters, including tort defense and defense of sex-based discrimination claims. He also handles general civil and contract matters and the defense of product liability claims.

Peter received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Connecticut College, Connecticut in 1978 and his Juris Doctorate from Washington College of Law, American University in 1982, where he graduated in the top 20% of his class. During law school, Peter served as Note and Comment Editor for the American University Law Review.

Prior to joining the Firm, Peter spent several years with the Office of the General Counsel, United States Department of Housing and Urban Development in Washington, D.C., where he drafted and was responsible for enforcing federal regulations administered by the Department. In addition, he worked in private practice in Connecticut, where he specialized in appellate law, and successfully briefed and argued over 30 published decisions, many of which involved cutting-edge disputes between lenders and borrowers. In 1996 he moved to California and specialized in real estate and business disputes, with a concentration on defending real estate agents and brokers, appraisers and insurance brokers. Peter’s extensive experience in all stages of litigation; his strong skills in research, writing, discovery and advocacy; and his concern for the well-being of his clients, have enabled him to obtain outstanding results in the many areas of litigation for which he is responsible.

Peter lives in Sherman Oaks, California, and enjoys the arts (such as film, live music and reading), family life with his long-time girlfriend/partner, writing, playing guitar and drums and mediating between his three extremely opinionated cats.

Education

• American University, Washington College of Law, District of Columbia
  • J.D., 1982
  • Law Review: American University Law Review, Note and Comment Editor
• Connecticut College
  • B.A., 1978

Admissions & Associations

Bar Admissions

• District of Columbia
• Connecticut
• Maryland
• California
• U.S. District Court Central District of California
  
• U.S. District Court District of Connecticut
  
• U.S. Court of Appeals 2nd Circuit
  
• U.S. Court of Appeals 4th Circuit
  

Professional Associations 

• California State Bar
  • Real Property Section 
• Los Angeles Bar Association

Speaking & Publications

• Numerous risk management seminars for realtors

Experience

• Defending professionals, including attorneys, real estate agents and insurance brokers
• Defending premises liability claims on behalf of universities and commercial residential properties
• Litigating real property disputes, including title claims, easement disputes and contract actions
• Defending complex and high-limit automobile accident and other tort claims
• Matta v. City of West Hollywood (Summary judgment granted in defense of landowner in slip and fall)
• Sisselman v. Powell (summary judgment granted in defense of motorcycle rider sued by member of riding group)
• Rocco v. Young Life (Summary judgment granted in favor of rock climbing facility in case brought by patron who fell from rock wall)
• Garcia v. El Mercado (case in which worker fell from ladder in marketplace settled for nominal amount in favor of property owner based upon pending summary judgment motion)