Charles ("Chip") H.R. Peters concentrates his practice in commercial litigation with a focus on issues related to technology companies.
Mr. Peters represented AT&T Wireless Services, Inc., and its subsidiary Claircom Communications, in a claim of misappropriation of trade secrets and other related business torts, culminating in a jury verdict in favor of his clients after a six-week trial and 10 years of litigation.
Mr. Peters has significant experience handling trade secret cases for both plaintiffs and defendants. He has overseen trade secret litigation for clients in industries as diverse as:
- Telecommunications
- Avionics
- Medical products
- Financial services
- Travel and leisure
- Consumer products
- Computer equipment
He has significant experience representing telecommunication companies and information technology providers in a wide array of disputes. Those areas include:
- Consumer class actions
- Development disputes
- Antitrust claims
- Real property and other land use litigation
- Dealer and distribution matters
- Defense of constitutional claims
Mr. Peters also oversees the work of the firm's Electronic Discovery, Litigation Support, and Knowledge Management Committees, and he is a frequent speaker on these topics.
Experience
Mr. Peters has experience trying cases through verdict on behalf of plaintiffs as well as defendants. For example, he led the prosecution of a civil RICO action on behalf of the City of Chicago against one of its former contractors that had defrauded the city for several years. After a multi-week jury trial, he obtained a verdict of several million dollars and much favorable publicity for the city's aggressive approach to corrupt contractors.
Pro Bono Activities
Mr. Peters has also handled numerous matters on a pro bono basis. The organizations with whom he has worked on pro bono matters include the American Civil Liberties Union, Chicago Volunteer Legal Services Foundation, the Legal Assistance Foundation of Chicago and the Uptown People's Law Center.
Awards and Honors
Leading Lawyer — Commercial Litigation, Illinois Leading Lawyers Network
Litigation Advisory Board: Lexis Nexis