MEMBERS OF FIRM
James W. O'Brien (Retired Judge of CA State Bar Court) born Oakland, California, October 4, 1927; admitted to bar, 1953, California. Education: University of Southern California (B.S., 1949); University of California Hastings College of the Law (LL.B., 1952). Former Presiding Judge, California State Bar Court. Member: Orange County Bar Association (Former President); State Bar of California (Former Member: Board of Directors; Client Trust Fund Commission). (Retired).
R. Thomas Peterson (Partner) admitted to bar, 1973, California and U.S. District Court, Central District of California; 1974, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces; 1977, U.S. Supreme Court; 1979, U.S. District Court, Eastern and Southern Districts of California. Education: University of San Francisco (B.S., cum laude, 1970); University of California School of Law, Los Angeles (J.D., 1973); George Washington University (LL.M., Taxation 1977). Member, George Washington Law Review. Partner, Obrien & Peterson, Newport Beach, CA, 2006; Partner, O'Brien, Gazin & Peterson, Attorneys at Law, Costa Mesa, CA, 1986-2006. Principal, Law Offices of R. Thomas Peterson, Newport Beach, CA, 1983-1986. Of Counsel, Hurwitz, Remer & DiVincenzo, Newport Beach, CA, 1983-1986. Shareholder, Hurwitz, Remer, MacDonald & Meade, A Professional Law Corporation, Newport Beach, CA, 1980-1983. Associate, Hurwitz, Remer, MacDonald, Meade, Rosenwald, Newport Beach, CA, 1977-1980. Law Clerk, Spray, Gould & Bowers, Los Angeles, CA, 1972-1973. Judge Pro Tem, Orange County Central Municipal/Superior Court, 1989-2000. Vice Chair, 1993 and Member, 1990-1993, California State Bar Legal Services Trust Fund Commission. Director, Board of Directors, Orange County Bar Association, 1981-1987 and 1997-2000; Board of Directors, OC Legal Aid Society, 1982; President, OC Legal Aid Society, 1997. Member: Orange County Bar Association (Delegate, Resolutions Committee, 1981; Chair, 2000; Vice Chair, 1982 and 1997; Civil Procedure Chair, 1992-1995; Parliamentarian/Whip, 1996; Chair, 1998; Chair and Member, Education Committee, 1988-1995); State Bar of California (Statutory Special Master, 1993; Member, Conference of Delegates Sgt. At Arms, 2002-2008); Legal Aid Society of Orange County (President, 1996; Member: Board of Directors of OCBA, 1986-1992 and 2000-2003; Legal Aid Executive Committee, 1984, 1985 and 1992); California State Bar Disciplinary Court (Hearing Judge, 1982-1987; Fee Arbitration Panel, 1991). [Captain, U.S. Army, Office of The Judge Advocate General, The Pentagon, Washington, D.C., 1974-1977]. Special Agencies: Dept of the Army, Congressional Liaison. Transactions: Reeves Rubber sale, Desco Industries Inc acquisitions, Intercommunications Inc acquisitions, Blake Enterprises Inc transactions, Arden Engineering transactions, Geobilt Homes Inc transactions, Heidelberg West Inc sale, Cosmetic Car Care Inc transactions. Practice Areas: Wills; Trusts; Estate Planning; Probate; Taxation; Business Organizations; Employer and Employee Relations; State Securities; Business Buy-Outs; Collections; Corporate Transactions; Limited Liability Company Transactions; Non-Profits; Civil Litigation.Email: R. Thomas Peterson