Steve Peterson

of Counsel

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: 

November 1989 to Present:                    Private practice with emphasis on attorney
professional responsibility and malpractice. 

July 1998 to October 2002:                    Staff Judge Advocate to the Commander Naval
Reserve Forces Command. 

October 1996 to July 1998:                    CLE and Training Coordinator/TQL Coordinator,
Office of the Judge Advocate General.

 October 1995 to October 1996:              Inspector General, Judge Advocate General’s Corps,
 United States Navy. 

August 1990 to September 1995:           Naval Reserve Law Program manager, Naval
 Surface Reserve Force, New Orleans, Louisiana.

September 1985 to November 1989:  General Counsel, State Bar of Texas. 

• Administered, managed and supervised the Texas attorney disciplinary system pursuant to 81.072, Texas Government Code, State Bar Rules and Policies on the State Bar Board of Directors.
• Increased disciplinary enforcement by 61% over four years in office
• Administered a staff of 55 in six separate, geographically distant offices and prepared and administered $3 million annual budget.
• Standardized procedures for reporting, tracking and disposing of grievance complaints and disciplinary lawsuits.
• Represented the State Bar of Texas and allied organizations in legal matters including real property acquisition, grant application review, taxation, leasing, labor, officer and director liability, insurance, open government issues, statutory compliance and corporate matters.
• Developed and authored Disaster Response Plan.
• Liaison with Professional Ethics and Unauthorized Practice Committees of the Supreme Court, including drafting ethics opinions

July 1979 to September 1985:                First Assistant General Counsel and Chief of
Litigation, State Bar of Texas 

• Tried average of 28 professional disciplinary lawsuits annually
• Supervised and trained staff of seven trial lawyers and 10 support staff
• Maintained cost and time records for litigation
• Negotiated leases for branch offices and oversaw construction and purchase of personal property
• Developed, wrote and updated litigation and complaint tracking system
• Represented the State Bar of Teas in federal court litigation

July 1978 to July 1979:                          Associated, Litigation Section, Boswell, O’Toole,
Davis & Pickering, Houston, Texas 

• Defense in trial of tort and workers’ compensation liability cases

July 1975 to July 1978:                                      Assistant General Counsel, State Bar of Texas 

• Preparation, trial and appeal of professional disciplinary lawsuits
• Provided general legal counsel and advice on corporate matters
• Prepared and drafted portions of sunset report

October 1967 to July 1975:                    Judge Advocate General’s Corps, U.S. Navy 

• Trial and defense of general and special courts-marital; legislative liaison to Congress

EDUCATION:

• University of Houston College of Law: LLB, 1967

• University of Kansas:  BA, 1965

PROFESSIONAL ADMISSIONS:

• Supreme Court of Louisiana, 1991

• Supreme Court of Texas, 1967

• All Federal Courts, Texas

• United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals

• United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces

• United States Supreme Court 

PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS:

• Louisiana State Bar Association

• State Bar of Texas

• Texas Bar Foundation, Sustaining Life Fellow

• State Bar of Texas College

• American Bar Association

• National Organization of Bar Counsel

• Judge Advocate Association

• “A “V” rating, Martindale-Hubbell

• Author and lecturer in CLE program on professional responsibility, attorney ethics, judicial ethics ( Texas, Louisiana, U.S. Navy)

• Captain, Judge Advocate General’s Corps, United States Naval Reserve (Retired) 

PERSONAL: 

• Underwater videographer and PADI certified open water SCUBA instructor

• USSF sanctioned soccer referee

• Accomplished jazz musician, writer and arranger

PUBLICATIONS:

You've Got a Grievance, Now What?  Seminar November 2004