Tom Petersen

Tom Petersen

Tom Petersen

Personal Injury | Sexual Abuse | Civil Rights

Thomas (Tom) Petersen was born and raised in rural central California where he grew up working on family farms and enjoying the many outdoor activities which the surrounding area provided.
He attended the University of California at Berkeley receiving his Bachelor of Arts degree in Dramatic Art where he excelled in acting and critical writing.

In December 1981 he earned his Juris Doctor degree from Southwestern University School of Law, Los Angeles where he earned academic awards for outstanding study in the areas of Forensic Science and Federal Courts. He also clerked in a law firm throughout law school and thereafter for a Federal judge after he was admitted to the bar.

Tom is a member of the California, Oregon, and Washington state bar associations. He is also admitted to and has litigated or tried cases from San Diego to Seattle. He has also argued cases in the California Supreme Court and Court of Appeals, the Ninth Circuit Federal Court of Appeals, and Federal District Courts in California and Oregon.

Tom has tried too many cases to count as a district attorney, public defender and private attorney. He knows his way around the courts where you may have a case. In the last 26 years of his 42-year legal career, he emphasizes helping severely injured or abused persons obtain justice whether by settling insurance claims or taking cases to trial.

One of Tom’s favorite aspects of his job is hearing his clients’ stories and educating clients on how to make the legal system, including insurance disputes, work to their benefit either through informal resolution methods or by trying the case in court. Tom realizes that when he is consulted many clients or witnesses are under quite a bit of stress and need reassurance that they will have a strong and wise advocate. Tom engages clients by sharing his knowledge, experience, and basic humanity to bond with clients and thereby earn their
trust.

Tom gives back to the community by providing free legal services to a local non- profit agency that protects and advocates for children who have been sexually or otherwise abused. Tom and the firm also provide financial support to our community partners such as Habitat for Humanity, Southern Oregon Humane Society, Toys for Tots, Northwest Seasonal Workers, and Children’s Advocacy Center.

Tom is a voracious reader of history and fiction. He lives in Ashland, Oregon and enjoys working in his yard, spending time with his family and pets, and experiencing Oregon’s beauty.

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

  • Personal Injury
  • Drunk Driving Accidents
  • Industrial Accidents
  • Products Liability
  • Accidents On Road High Speed
  • Elder Abuse
  • Sexual Abuse
  • Civil Rights
  • Trucking Accidents
  • Wrongful Death
  • Brain and Spinal Injuries
  • Mobile Home and SUV Fires

Bar Admissions

  • Oregon State Bar
  • Washington State Bar
  • California State Bar

Certifications and Membership

  • Consumer Attorneys of California
  • Washington State Trial Lawyers Association

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

10 Best Attorneys Award For Exceptional and Outstanding Service Client Satisfaction From the American Institute of Legal Counsel

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.

<dpclass=”h_iframe”>

Tom Petersen in the News