Craig M. Peters is a Partner and Trial Attorney at Altair Law, LLP in San Francisco handling complex and catastrophic cases involving severe injury or death. He has experience dealing with product defects, dangerous property conditions, vehicle and machine accidents, roadway design and professional negligence. The Peters Trial Team has a record of success in cases tried to verdict.Previously working as a public defender for 13 years, Mr. Peters has handled a myriad of cases ranging from misdemeanors to serious felonies. His legal experience allowed him to transition from public defense to plaintiff matters where he proudly fights for justice on behalf of his clients and is honored to be able to guide them through a difficult time in their lives. Mr. Peters has extensive trial experience representing families and individuals who are union members and laborers, service industry workers and white-collar professionals.He is also frequently asked by outside attorneys to become trial counsel on their cases when they are unable to resolve them prior to trial. He has regularly been invited to speak on the issue of trial skills by law schools, professional organizations and outside agencies. The international non-profit agency International Bridges to Justice, which seeks to end torture and build criminal justice systems around the globe, invited Mr. Peters to train lawyers in India who are representing the indigent during a four-day training in New Delhi.In addition to teaching trial skills, Mr. Peters has been a professor of Constitutional Law and Evidence at San Francisco Law School, and taught classes at Hastings College of Law and University of San Francisco School of Law. Mr. Peters grew up in Northern California and lives in San Francisco with his family. He enjoys traveling, attending Giants games, and exploring The City on his bicycle.Presentations • CAOIE/OCTLA Palm Springs Seminar, “Fifty Shades of Employment: Turning The Hazy-Grey Employment Situation Into Clear Employer Liability”, May 21, 2016• SFTLA Trial Boot Camp Series, "Developing Themes," March 22, 2016• CAOC 54th Annual Convention, “Trial Skills Track: Closing Statement – Building Your Economic Damages,” Speaker, November 2015• San Joaquin County Trial Lawyers Association/Consumer Attorneys of California, “Full Compensation for Economic Damages in Light of Howell,” Speaker, June 2015• BASF, “Effective Opening Statements: Civil and Criminal Litigation,” Speaker, May 2015• San Joaquin County Trial Lawyers Association/Consumer Attorneys of California, “Full Compensation for Economic Damages in Light of Howell,” Speaker, June 2015• CAOIE Palm Springs Seminar, “Tips for Litigating Catastrophic Personal Injury Cases in State Court,” Speaker, May 2015• SFTLA, “Still Howelling After All This Time” Speaker, March 2015• SFTLA, “Trial Talk With The Experts,” Speaker, March 2015• CAOC Hawaii Travel Seminar, “Trial When It Hurts – The Value Of Going To Trial, Even On Difficult Cases” Speaker, December 2014• SFTLA Seminar, “Openings & Closings by the Masters in Trial” Speaker, May 2014• SFTLA Seminar, “Novel Approaches to Presenting Damages, Post-Howell and – Corenbaum” Speaker, February 2014• SFTLA, New Lawyers Division Ski and CLE, “Full Value for Household Services” Speaker, February 2014• CAOC College of Trial Arts, Hawaii Travel Seminar, “Damages: Getting Full Value,” Speaker, December 2013• Creative Legal Funding Seminar, “Case Review & Medical Care Funding under Howell & Katiuzhinsky, Speaker” Speaker, July 2013• SFTLA MCLE Seminar, “Damages in a Post-Howell World” Speaker, February 2013
Publications • Fifty Shades of Employment, Course and Scope and Independent Contractor Issues, February 2016• Where Have All The Jury Trials Gone? Without being willing to lose at trial, you can never really win, February 25, 2015• Warning Cases: Caution About Causation, June 27, 2014• Don’t Be Chicken, Keep Fighting: Howell and Corenbaum – What They Say (and Don’t Say) and How to Use Them to Your Advantage, February 01, 2014
Honors and Awards • Rated AV-Preeminent for Ethical Standards & Ability – Martindale-Hubbell• Selected to Northern California Super Lawyers List, 2014, 2015 – Top 5% of attorneys, as voted by peers• Finalist for Consumer Attorneys of California - Consumer Attorney of the Year, 2015• Finalist for San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association– Trial Lawyer of the Year, 2016• Finalist for San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association – Trial Lawyer of the Year, 2014• Finalist for San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association – Trial Lawyer of the Year, 2013• Best Lawyers in America
