Peter J. Most

Peter J. Most

Peter J. Most specializes in complex commercial litigation, representing partnerships, corporations, and high-net-worth individuals in the areas of partnership, real estate, finance, securities, trade secret, and professional negligence.  Peter has litigated numerous contractual commercial disputes in federal and state courts and before arbitration panels, regularly prosecuting matters both for and against Fortune 500 and private companies.  Peter’s clients include entities in a range of industries, including major real estate developers, financial institutions, energy companies, hedge funds, and manufacturers across all sectors of the economy. Peter’s matters often include claims for breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, professional negligence, and misappropriation of trade secrets.  Additionally, Peter has served as a trustee for trusts generally invested in real estate and commercial holdings, as well as trusts for high-net-worth individuals.

Prior to Mancini Shenk, Peter was a partner at Arent Fox, a principal at McKool Smith, a partner/associate at Hennigan, Bennett & Dorman, and an associate at Howrey & Simon and Paul Hastings.

Representative Matters

• Represented several large US financial institutions in connection with their purchase of nearly $1 billion of Parmalat-related securities. The case settled on terms favorable to the clients.
• Represented several large US financial institutions in litigation against Wall Street banks in connection with their purchases of more than $1 billion of Enron and Enron-related securities. The matters settled successfully on confidential terms.
• Represented Rabobank, the third largest Dutch bank, in a $500 million fraud action against the largest Canadian bank related to the sale of certain Enron-related derivative securities and structured financings. The dispute settled favorably on confidential terms.
• Represented Orange County in its securities litigation against various investment banks and other professional advisors following its Chapter 9 bankruptcy filing. The matters concluded successfully, obtaining $872 million in settlements.
• Represented both Maguire Properties, the commercial office developer, and the firm’s founder in a series of separate contract disputes in court and in arbitrations related to various office projects.
• Representation of both lenders and borrowers in connection with commercial real estate loans and lender liability actions.
• Represented asphalt manufacturer in connection with alleged breach of requirements contract, obtaining highly favorable settlement.
• Represented Thomas Properties Group, Alcion Ventures, Joslyn Trust, Mesa West Capital, Watson Land Company, Kaiser Permanente, Maguire Aviation, and the City of Santa Monica in various real estate matters, working on projects including Playa Vista, 3161 Michelson, Four Seasons Residences, downtown Pacific Palisades, and 444 South Flower.
• Represented approximately 50 investment companies accusing a national bank of improperly inducing the companies to loan The Fontainebleau Resort project in Las Vegas hundreds of millions of dollars immediately prior to the project’s bankruptcy.
• Represented the Creditor’s Committee for the estate of Northview Corporation in an action to recover corporate assets unlawfully distributed to former officers, directors, and shareholders of Northview Corporation in a complex tender offer and related merger transaction and in claims against Northview’s former counsel and investment banker for their role in the transaction.
• Represented global energy company in claims for fraud and tortious interference in connection with a contract to construct a power plant.
• Represented San Diego Gas & Electric in a contract dispute with NaturEner involving a wind farm in Montana and compliance with federal laws relating to preservation of wildlife habitat.
• Represented note purchasers against Warburg Pincus and FTI Consulting alleging securities violations, fraud, and negligent misrepresentation.

Education

Peter received his J.D. at George Washington University and his B.A. with high honors from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Bar Admissions

Peter is admitted to the California, New York, and Massachusetts Bars, and admitted to practice before all the state and federal courts of each.

Recognitions and Professional Activities

Peter is a Southern California Super Lawyer (2007-2023), AV Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell®, and former Editor in Chief of one of his law school’s publications.  He has been a member of the United States District Court Merit Selection Panel for Magistrate Judges for the United States District Court for the Central District of California; Los Angeles County Bar Association Judicial Appointments Committee; American Bar Association, Business Law Section; Association of Business Trial Lawyers; Los Angeles County Bar Association, Judge Pro Tem, Los Angeles County Superior Court, and Mediator, Los Angeles County Superior Court.