Shannon Z. Petersen

Shannon Z. Petersen is a partner in the Business Trial Practice Group in the firm's San Diego office.

Areas of Practice

Dr. Petersen practices general business litigation. He has substantial lead counsel trial experience, and is familiar with all aspects of litigation, arbitration, and mediation. He has successfully represented business clients in claims, including class action claims, involving breach of contract, unfair business practices and unfair competition, false advertising, fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, negligence, bad faith, unjust enrichment, misappropriation of trade secrets, Consumer Legal Remedies Act, Truth in Lending and Real Estate Settlement Procedures Acts, quiet title, infliction of emotional distress, Confidentiality of Medical Information Act, and other causes of action. He represents clients in a variety of industries, including banking and finance, mortgage, health care, insurance, and others.

Education

• Ph.D., University of Wisconsin, 2000
• J.D., Stanford Law School, 2000, with Distinction
• M.A., University of Montana, 1995
• Fulbright Fellow, Université de Saint-Louis, Sénégal, 1994
• B.A., University of Montana, 1993, with High Honors

Admissions

• California
• U.S. District Courts for the Southern, Central, Northern, and Eastern Districts of California

Languages

• French
• Russian

Representative Clients

Financial institution clients include Wells Fargo Bank, JPMorgan Chase Bank, Bank of America, Union Bank, U.S. Bank, and Douglas P. Wilson Companies in receivership matters.

Healthcare clients include Longs Drug Stores, CVS Pharmacy, RxAmerica, OmniCare, NeighborCare, and various physician medical groups.

Insurance company and insurance broker clients include Lockton Companies, Liberty Mutual, Safeco, Integrity Life, Union Bank Insurance Services, and State Compensation Insurance Fund.

Recent Litigation Successes

After uncovering grounds for rescission of an insurance contract, convinced the plaintiff to dismiss its multi-million dollar claim for breach of insurance contract and bad faith without any payment by a major insurance client.

As lead trial counsel, obtained a complete victory following arbitration on behalf of a major telecommunications client.

As lead trial counsel, obtained a complete victory following arbitration on behalf of major healthcare client.

Obtained complete dismissals of several class action mortgage-related and healthcare-related complaints.

Obtained complete dismissals of over a dozen single-plaintiff mortgage-related complaints.

As lead trial counsel, obtained a complete victory after a jury trial and a bench trial in two pro bono cases.

Honors

• 2008, recognized as a "Top Young Attorney" in San Diego by The Daily Transcript
• 2007, 2003, 2002, California Bar Association Wiley Manuel Award for Pro Bono Legal Services
• 2003, Nominee, California Bar Association President's Pro Bono Service Award, Recently Admitted Category
• 2002-2003, San Diego Volunteer Lawyer Program Distinguished Service Award
• 1992, Honorable Discharge, U.S. Navy, Russian linguist

Memberships

• Member, State Bar of California
• Member, Board of Directors of the Association of Business Trial Lawyers and Editorial Board Committee of the ABTL Report
• Barrister, Louis M. Welsh Chapter of the American Inns of Court
• Member, San Diego County Bar Association

Articles

• Co-Author, "The California Court Of Appeal Holds Claims Under The Perata Mortgage Relief Act Generally Unsuitable For Class Treatment," Sheppard Mullin Class Action Defense Strategy Blog, June 23, 2010
• Co-Author, "The California Court Of Appeal Narrowly Interprets The Perata Mortgage Relief Act," Sheppard Mullin Financial Institutions Blog, June 8, 2010
• Co-Author, "Ninth Circuit Rules That The National Bank Act Preempts California's Unfair Competition Law," Sheppard Mullin Class Action Defense Strategy Blog, April 6, 2010
• "In A Putative Class Action, The Third Circuit Holds That A Plaintiff Must Show Detrimental Reliance On Improper Loan Disclosure Statements To Obtain Actual Damages Under The Truth In Lending Act," Sheppard Mullin Class Action Blog, February 2, 2010
• Co-Author, "The Receiving End," The Daily Journal, Focus Column, Oct. 23, 2008 at 7 
• Co-Author, "Receivers: How They Can Help Your Client In Business Litigation," 16 Association of Business Trial Lawyers Report, San Diego, Summer 2008
• "Writs of Attachment: What They Are, How To Get One, And How To Protect Your Client Against One," 14 Association of Business Trial Lawyers Report, San Diego, Winter 2007
• "The Honorable Dana Sabraw: A View From Both Benches," 12 Association of Business Trial Lawyers Report, San Diego, Summer 2005
• "California Proposition 64 Requires That Pending Actions Based On The Unfair Competition Or False Advertising Laws Be Dismissed," 10 Stanford Journal of Law, Business & Finance, June 2005
• "Proposition 64 Requires That Pending Actions Based On The Unfair Competition Laws Be Dismissed," 12 Association of Business Trial Lawyers Report, San Diego, Winter 2005
• Note, "Endangered Species in the Urban Jungle: How the ESA Will Reshape American Cities," 19 Stanford Environmental Law Journal (May 2000): 423
• "Yellow Justice: Media Portrayal of Criminal Trials in the Progressive Era," 1 Stanford Journal of Legal Studies (Fall 1999)
• "Bison to Blue Whales: Protecting Endangered Species Before the Endangered Species Act," 22 Environs: Environmental Law and Policy Journal (Spring 1999): 71
• Comment, "Congress and Charismatic Megafauna: A Legislative History of the Endangered Species Act," 29 Environmental Law (Summer 1999): 463

Books

• Author, Acting for Endangered Species: The Statutory Ark, Development of Western Resources Series, Kansas University Press, 2002 (hardcover) and 2007 (paperback).  Favorably reviewed by The Journal of American History (June 2003); History: Reviews of New Books (Summer 2003); Perspectives on Political Science (Summer 2003); Environmental History (April 2003); Stanford Environmental Law Journal (Jan. 2003); Animal Keeper's Forum (2003); and Choice (Dec. 2002)
• Contributor, Dictionary of American History, 3rd Edition, Charles Scribner's Sons, 2002. Contributed essays on the Clean Air Act of 1990, the Clean Water Act of 1987, the Occupational Safety and Health Act, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Sierra Club, and the Highway Beautification Act
• Co-Author, The Endangered Species Act, Stanford University Press, 2001

Speeches

• Organizer and Faculty Member, Association of Business Trial Lawyers Trial Skills Seminar, San Diego, CA, October 2008.
• Speaker, Continuing Legal Education Presentation on Receiverships, San Diego, CA, August 2008.
• Dr. Petersen has taught courses at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and the University of Montana, Missoula.