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Peter Dunne – Civil Defense Attorney, Pitzer Snodgrass, P.C.

Peter J. Dunne is a St. Louis native who received his B.A. in History from Saint Louis University in 1978 and his J.D. from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 1983. He was admitted to the Bar of the State of Missouri in 1983 and the Illinois Bar in 1986. He is admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of the United States, the United States Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit and the United States District Courts of Eastern and Western Missouri and the Southern and Central Districts of Illinois. His Martindale-Hubbell rating is AV.

Peter obtained his certificate as a mediator from the University of Missouri Center for the Study of Dispute Resolution in 1995.  Over the past twenty five years, he has been certified as a mediator in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, and in the Circuit Courts for both the City of St. Louis and St. Louis County.  He has successfully mediated hundreds of lawsuits and other disputes for both plaintiffs and defendants.  He is affiliated with Alaris ADR Services for both mediations and arbitrations and is available for both in-person and on-line dispute resolution services.

Peter is a Member of The Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis (Chair, Municipal Law and Practice Committee 1992-1993); The Lawyers Association of St. Louis (President, 2002); and the International Association of Defense Counsel. He served as President of the Eastern Missouri/Southern Illinois Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates from 2010 to 2011.

Peter is an adjunct faculty member at Webster University in the Legal Studies Program since 2003. He also has taught advanced trial practice at the St. Louis University School of Law for the past 10 years. He is a volunteer lawyer for Legal Services of Eastern Missouri and is a frequent speaker at CLE programs on litigation and trial practice. He has tried over 180 cases to jury verdict in State and Federal courts and concentrates his practice on the defense of general civil litigation with an emphasis on defending civil rights suits against police officers.

Publications and Seminars

  • University of Missouri – CLE Programs – Trial Practice and Civil Rights Litigation 1990-present;
  • Lorman Continuing Legal Education
    • 1995 – 2000, Moderator, Effective Use of Depositions at Trial
    • 2000 – 2001, Toxic Torts: Defense Perspectives in Lead Paint Litigation
    • 2001 – 2002, Defense Perspectives in Federal Civil Rights Litigation;
    • 2010-2017, Section 1983 Litigation.
  • St. Louis Lawyer Magazine
    • 1992 – 2010, Contributing Bi-Monthly Columnist: “Historical Perspectives”

Community Involvement

  • Legal Services of Eastern Missouri
    • Volunteer Lawyer of the Year 2005
  • American Board of Trial Advocates 2007 – Present;
    • President, 2010 – 2011, Eastern Missouri and Southern Illinois Chapter
    • 2005 Advocate
  • Small World Adoption Foundation of Missouri, Inc.
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EXPERIENCE

Litigation

In thirty five years as a lawyer, Peter Dunne has tried over 180 jury trials to verdict in the State and Federal courts of Missouri and Illinois.

Mediation

Peter Dunne has been a certified Mediator for over 24 years.  He has successfully mediated hundreds of state and federal court lawsuits and other non-litigation disputes relating to personal injury, employment, civil rights, professional liability and malpractice, business disputes and other damages claims.

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INSIGHTS

> CASES

Peter Dunne prevails in Supreme Court of Missouri in case challenging the applicable Statute of Limitations

PS Attorney: Peter J. Dunne Representing: John Racanelli, dba Racanelli’s Pizza Venue: Supreme Court of Missouri Facts: Breach of Contract. The Plaintiff DiGregorio claimed that Defendant Racanelli was liable for payment of certain invoices [...]

Peter Dunne Successfully Defends Against Civil Rights Violation Claim

PS Partner: Peter J. Dunne We represented: Travelers Insurance Company  Venue: United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri Facts: Type of action: 42 U.S.C. § 1983 - Failure to Intervene to Prevent Excessive Force. [...]

Release, Waiver, and Assumption of Risk for Cycling Incident – Summary Judgment Affirmed

Pitzer Snodgrass Lawyers: Peter Dunne and Bob Plunkert Our Client: City of Chesterfield, Missouri Venue: St. Louis County Circuit Court, appeal to Missouri Court of Appeals for the Eastern District Plaintiff Steven Glazer filed a personal injury [...]

Peter Dunne Receives Defendant Verdict on Civil Rights Claim

PS Partner: Peter Dunne We represented: City of Ferguson and Police Officer Defendants  Venue: United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri Facts: Henry Davis, plaintiff, alleged he was the victim of excessive force an [...]

ASSOCIATIONS & ORGANIZATIONS

  • The Lawyers Association of St. Louis
    • President, 2001 - 2002
  • The Bar Association of Metropolitan Saint Louis
    • Municipal Law and Practice Committee Chair, 1993 - 1994
  • Adjunct Faculty, Webster University, St. Louis
    • 2003 - Present: Tort Law, Civil Procedure and Jurisprudence
  • American Board of Trial Advocates
    • Chapter President, 2010 - 2011
  • St. Louis University School of Law
    • Adjunct Faculty 2009 - Present: Advanced Trial Advocacy and Civil Rights Law

EDUCATION

  • University of Missouri, Columbia
    • J.D., 1983
  • Saint Louis University
    • A.B. History, 1978

LICENSURE

  • Missouri
  • Illinois
  • United States District Courts
    • Eastern District of Missouri
    • Western District of Missouri
    • Southern District of Illinois
  • United States Court of Appeals
    • 8th Circuit
  • Supreme Court of the United States

ADR Certifications

  • Court Approved Mediator
    • St. Louis City Circuit Court
    • St. Louis County Circuit Court
    • United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri

AWARDS & HONORS

  • Included in the 2019 Edition of The Best Laywers in America for Employment Law

BACKGROUND

  • Principal, Pitzer Snodgrass, P.C. (2011 - Present)
  • Principal, Rabbitt, Pitzer & Snodgrass, P.C. (1991 - 2010)
  • Associate, Brown, James & Rabbitt, P.C. (1985 - 1991)
  • Staff Trial Attorney, 21st Judicial Circuit (St. Louis County) State of Missouri, Office of the Public Defender
Peter Dunne
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