Peter L. Choate

As a litigator, Peter defends clients in state and federal courts throughout the United States, including in multi-district and coordinated proceedings. He works with trial teams to formulate, coordinate, and execute the legal and scientific defense in high-profile product liability litigations. He has led legal teams at multiple trials, including a team responsible for all pre-trial and trial briefing in one of the largest pharmaceutical product liability litigations in history.  Peter enjoys the process of integrating a complex set of facts, scientific/medical principles, and legal theories into a simple, straightforward, and compelling story designed to persuade a judge and jury.

As an appellate advocate, Peter also works with trial teams to identify determinative legal and factual issues and then develop and execute trial court strategies with an eye towards appeal. In that role, he drafts and argues in limine, expert, and dispositive motions as well as jury instructions, works with the trial team to protect the record for appeal, and then briefs and argues the appeal. Peter has handled appeals and writ proceedings involving pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and industrial products as well as contract and other business and commercial disputes.

Before joining Tucker Ellis, Peter was a litigation partner at O’Melveny & Myers LLP for several years. Before that, he was a law clerk for the Hon. William J. Rea of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. When he is not working, Peter enjoys cooking, working in his garden, camping, fishing, traveling, and spending time with family and friends.