2022-Present: Chief Trial Counsel, Cage & Miles, LLP
Senior Counsel overseeing the firm’s case strategy and preparation for trial, motion, and other in-court proceedings while training and mentoring the firm’s lawyers in all aspects of court presentation; working with the firm’s named partners in developing new areas of practice, including the civil prosecution of Elder Abuse matters, healthcare entity representation and professional licensing defense
2011- 2022: California Deputy Attorney General
State-wide Prosecutor handling the vertical prosecution of both civil and criminal matters (from case investigation to review/issuance through jury trial/sentencing and appeal) of major felony healthcare and financial fraud cases as well as matters involving the abuse of elders/dependent adults
- responsibility for upwards of an 80-matter caseload across multiple jurisdictions;
- responsible for the case supervision of up to 5 investigative teams;
- work extensively with multi-agency teams in complex healthcare fraud investigations;
- prosecuted more cases through jury trial and verdict in the last 3 years than has been conducted by my Bureau in the last 5 years combined;
- handled multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional civil Qui Tam actions involving joint prosecutions with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and numerous State Attorneys General;
- provide advisory input to my state-wide Bureau on various legal policies including: the use of an investigative Criminal Grand Jury, criminal issuing guidelines, plea set-asides, search warrant preparation, and the analysis & re-drafting of pending legislative efforts in healthcare fraud.
2003 - 2011: Principal, Law Offices of Peter F. Murray
Private practitioner focused on the representation of peace officers/other government employees both in administrative/civil and criminal proceedings; as well as general criminal defense primarily in the area of “White Collar”/Financial crimes, in both the State and Federal courts. Representative case work:
- the defense of numerous federal and state law enforcement agents facing criminal and civil liability for on-the-job violations - took one such case up on Appeal resulting in a published appellate decision and filed a subsequent Petition for Review to the Cal. Supreme Court;
- the defense of a college administrator in a high-profile six-week jury trial consisting of numerous white-collar crime and Government Conflict-of-Interest allegations – successful in dramatically reducing Client’s custodial exposure over the D.A.’s opposition; brought the case up on appeal to the Fourth District Court of Appeal;
- the defense of a healthcare professional in a twelve-defendant felony Indictment based on 17,000 pages of discovery brought by the state Attorney General’s office – co-authored and argued the successful Motion to Dismiss the Indictment;
- the successful representation of a California county department in the prosecution of civil financial elder abuse cases litigated in the Probate Court, included litigation in Federal Bankruptcy Court;
- represented multiple Clients in federal asset forfeiture matters – successfully negotiated the return of assets;
- represented a Client charged with an Insurance Fraud scheme – negotiated a resolution wherein the case was eventually Dismissed by the State;
- the successful representation of multiple management/financial professionals in a large civil fraud action stemming from the operation of a Building Industry trade group;
- handled deal negotiations for multiple small business entities, including a professional sports agency.
1992 - 2003: San Diego Deputy District Attorney
Prosecuted over 75 cases through jury trial and verdict, conducted over 100 preliminary examinations, prosecuted over 30 cases through bench trial, presented cases to the Grand Jury; handled cases throughout the spectrum of criminal law: crimes of violence (including Murder and Manslaughter), theft (including Embezzlement and Conspiracy to Commit Extortion), fraud (including Insurance and Investment Frauds), Tax Evasion, Sale of Narcotics, and sexual abuse. Worked in every branch of the office, including Juvenile Division.
1990 - 1992: Associate Attorney,
Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton, San Diego
1980 - 1988: U.S. Naval Officer and Aviator
