Tom Petersen

Personal Injury | Sexual Abuse | Civil Rights

Partner, Tom Petersen, was born in Sanger, California in 1951. Growing up and working on family farms, Tom was nurtured by hard work and a sense of right and wrong. He is dedicated to finding truth and justice in his casework. Tom is also active in the lives of his family, assisting his wife, Kathleen, with her senior care home, helping his daughters with their academic endeavors, volunteer work, and taking care of his cat and dogs, friends forever.

Tom is well suited for his work as a trial lawyer. He graduated from U.C. Berkeley in 1976 with a B.A. in Dramatic Art and worked as an actor before attending and graduating from law school in 1981 at Southwestern University where he was an honor student and received awards in Forensic Science and Federal Courts. Tom has been practicing law since 1982 and is admitted to practice law in California, Oregon and Washington.

Tom began his legal career as a law clerk for a federal judge. Following that he worked for several years as a district attorney, public defender and civil litigator. He has handled cases in state and federal courts. He has tried hundreds of cases in the civil and criminal arenas. He has also argued appellate cases in the California and Oregon Supreme Courts and Courts of Appeal, as well as in the United States Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

As part of the personal injury team at Black, Chapman, Petersen & Stevens, Tom primarily handles sexual abuse and civil rights cases. He also handles serious personal injury, nursing home negligence, product defect, and premises liability cases. He is devoted to providing straight advice to his clients and to obtaining the best possible result on each case.

Areas of Practice

• Sexual Abuse 50%
• Civil Rights 25%
• Personal Injury 25%

100% of Practice Devoted to Litigation

Practice Categories: Sex Abuse, Civil Rights, Police Misconduct, Prisoners’ Rights, Occupational Safety & Health Act (OSHA) — Employee, Nursing Home, Social Security — Disability, Errors & Omissions Insurance, Motor Vehicle, Personal Injury — Plaintiff, Animal Bites — Plaintiff, Assault & Battery — Plaintiff, Defamation & Privacy — Plaintiff, Motor Vehicle Accidents — Plaintiff, Premises Liability — Plaintiff, Railroad Accidents — Plaintiff, Slip and Fall — Plaintiff, Wrongful Death — Plaintiff, Products Liability Law, Alcoholic Beverages, Machinery & Tools, Motor Vehicle Defects, Recreational Products, Legal Malpractice, Other Professionals Malpractice, Trucking

Practice Areas

Education

U.C. BERKELEY – 1976

Tom graduated from U.C. Berkeley in 1976 with a B.A. in Dramatic Art and worked as an actor before attending and graduating from law school.

SOUTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY – 1981

Tom attended and graduated from law school in 1981 at Southwestern University where he was an honor student and received awards in Forensic Science and Federal Courts.

Awards

Tom Petersen received the 10 Best Attorneys Award Oregon For Exceptional and Outstanding Client Service from the American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys

Congratulations to Partner Tom Petersen for being a great litigator.