Bar Admissions

• New York (1996)
• U.S. District Court, Western District of New York (1996)
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit (1999)
• U.S. Court of Federal Claims (2001)
• U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Western District of New York (2004)
• U.S. District Court, Northern District of New York (2004)

Education

• Albany Law School (J.D., cum laude, 1995)
• State University College at Geneseo (B.A., cum laude, 1992)

Relevant Experience

Peter's practice primarily focuses on complex commercial and business litigation matters, including the representation of businesses and individuals in litigation involving trade secrets, restrictive covenants, non-compete agreements, and other business disputes.

His litigation practice includes the ongoing representation of businesses and individuals in state and federal trial and appellate courts across a broad spectrum of civil litigation matters, including contract and business disputes, labor and employment matters, construction, land use, banking, health care, civil rights and personal injury matters.

Peter's employment practice includes the representation of businesses and individuals in matters involving discrimination and failure to pay wages in State and Federal Courts, and before administrative agencies, including the New York State Division of Human Rights and the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Peter has also defended employees facing disciplinary action under Section 75 of the Civil Service Law.

His municipal practice includes representation of fire districts, planning and zoning boards, and other municipalities on an ongoing basis, and as special litigation counsel.

After being appointed pro bono to represent a prisoner in a civil rights case that was already pending in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York, Peter obtained verdict in favor of his client against two corrections officers. The jury determined that the two defendants violated the Eighth Amendment rights of Peter’s client by failing to protect him from a violent assault by another inmate.

Peter was one of the attorneys in the office who participated in the successful trial and appellate defense of a "reverse discrimination" suit involving one of the nation’s oldest voluntary metropolitan school desegregation programs involving urban and suburban schools.

Honors

Peter J. Weishaar was chosen for inclusion on the 2012 New York Super Lawyers - Upstate list, an honor reserved for those lawyers who have shown excellence in practice.  Only five percent of the attorneys in New York each year are named to the Super Lawyer list.  Super Lawyers is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement.

Peter J. Weishaar

visit superlawyers.com

Speaking Engagements

Peter is a regular speaker at the Western New York Fire District Officers Legislative Association's annual fall workshop, and he has also been a speaker for several other professional continuing education forums covering topics ranging from the negotiation of physician employment contracts to litigating the local form residential real estate contract.

Professional Affiliations

• Monroe County Bar Association (Litigation Section, Professional Performance Committee, Judiciary Committee)
• New York State Bar Association (Litigation Section, Municipal Law Section, Labor & Employment Law Section)
• American Bar Association (Litigation Section, Labor & Employment Law Section)

Community Involvement

• SUNY Geneseo Legal Studies Award Advisory Council
• Third Presbyterian Church (Past President, Board of Trustees)
• Penfield Business Association (Past Member of the Board of Directors)
• Camp Chin-gu (Volunteer Coordinator)

Bio

A native of Rochester, Peter has been an attorney at the firm since 1996. He graduated cum laude from the State University College at Geneseo where he earned a degree in political science. He also graduated cum laude from Albany Law School. While at Albany Law School, Peter was a member of the Editorial Board of the Albany Law Review, and he also published a paper entitled "School Choice Vouchers and the Establishment Clause."

A strong supporter of his alma mater, Peter has also been a member of the Rochester/Geneseo Advocates Program, which seeks to strengthen private support for Geneseo. He has also been a member of the Geneseo Legal Studies Advisory Council.

Peter resides in Penfield with his wife and two children. In his spare time, Peter enjoys mountain biking and backpacking. Although he has only climbed 24 of the Adirondack High Peaks, his goal is to eventually climb all 46 peaks.