OVERVIEW
Peter Dessau specializes in construction law, with an emphasis in litigation. Peter represents developers, builders and prime contractors in payment disputes and defends and prosecutes delay and impact claims against private owners, contractors and public entities. He defends and prosecutes construction defect cases on behalf of homeowners, commercial builders, developers and prime contractors. Peter also counsels members of the industry on risk management techniques to avoid litigation. His peers in the community have given him the highest rating of professionalism and ethics (“AV”) in Martindale Hubble, a prestigious lawyer referral service.

Peter served in the U.S. Marine Corps (Artillery) from 1985-1989. When Peter is not attending to one of his five children, he is playing tennis, reading non-fiction or watching movies.

REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS

	•		Defended prime contractor from an owner’s claim that a 1 million square foot roof on a major distribution center was defectively installed when in fact the roof was an improperly specified product.
	•		Initiated and successfully concluded litigation on behalf of a publicly traded REIT against trade contractors and the design team due to failures in a building curtain wall system on a high rise tower.
	•		Successfully resolved a multi-million dollar claim on behalf of a prime contractor against a school district due to delays and defective plans.
	•		Arbitrated and recovered damages due to defectively installed siding against designers, contractors and the seller of a large apartment complex.
	•		“Defensed” on summary judgment a multi-million dollar delay claim.
	•		Prevailed before the American Arbitration Association on a $1.2 million dollar “extras” claim on behalf of a general contractor on a tenant improvements project.

MEMBERSHIPS

	•		Building Owners and Managers Association.
	•		California Bar Association.
	•		Tri-County Apartment Association.
	•		Home Builders Association.

PUBLICATIONS

	•		"Design-Build and Public Works Projects," The Construction Specifier, March 1997.
	•		"Minimizing the Impact of Bankruptcy," The Construction Specifier, December 1996.
	•		"Litigation-Proof Specifications," The Construction Specifier, July 1995.
	•		Book Review of “Privacy In A Public Society,” 28 Santa Clara Law Review 93, 1988.

SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS

Peter has been invited to speak at dozens of seminars and conferences to various construction professionals and community groups.

EDUCATION

			J.D., Santa Clara University School of Law, 1987
			B.A., Philosophy, magna cum laude, Santa Clara University, 1984