Albert E. Peacock III

Partner

“I have learned over the years that being honest with clients is the most important aspect of practicing law. I have listened to too many clients tell me how their counsel convinced them a case was defensible and then caved on the courthouse steps without any new facts to justify their collapse. If it’s a bad case, it won’t get any better over time or by spending money on litigation. On the other hand, I have been told by clients how their counsel will not given them an honest opinion about the chances of winning at trial and hedge their bets. If a case is a good one, don’t be afraid to tell your clients what you honestly believe and be willing to take it all the way. Settling bad cases early before money is wasted in litigation and trying good cases to good conclusions is the best way to keep clients happy. Doing so also helps establish a reputation with opposing counsel and judges of being straightforward, reasonable and honest while at the same time fully capable of trying a case if necessary. This reputation ultimately inures to the benefit of the clients.”

About Al.

Al Peacock has been practicing law for over 36 years in Hawaii, California and Alaska. He has tried over 38 trials and 18 arbitrations to conclusion in 8 States involving personal injuries, breach of contract, professional negligence, fraud and misrepresentation and construction defects. His primary area of practice is maritime law including over 31 years handling Jones Act, Longshore Act and passenger injury claims, pollution matters and responding to casualties. In addition, he has over 35 years handling land based personal injury matters including toxic torts, premises liability, trucking accidents, aviation accidents, products liability and asbestos matters. For the last 12 years, he has also been active representing engineering and construction companies in large personal injury, breach of contract and professional negligence matters.

Office

100 West Broadway Suite 610
Long Beach, CA 90802 USA
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Contact

Email: [email protected]
Direct: +1 (562) 320-8881
Main: +1 (562) 320-8880
Fax: +1 (562) 735-3950

Education

University of Southern California, B.A. English/Religion (Honors, Summa Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa)(1980)

University of Southern California Law Center, J.D.

Admissions

Hawaii (1983)

California (1988)

Alaska (1994)

Washington (2015)

Affiliations

Maritime Law Association, Proctor in Admiralty

American Board of Trial Attorneys

Practice Areas.

Maritime, Marine Terminals + Transportation.

Al has over 31 years of experience representing vessel owners, charterers and P&I Clubs along the West Coast of the United States and Hawaii. He has extensive experience responding to major and minor marine casualties including groundings, allisions, fires, heavy weather incidents, oil spills, and personal injuries and deaths. He has investigated casualties and defended vessel interests in Coast Guard, National Transportation Safety Board and Flag State investigations. In addition, he has been involved in subsequent civil penalty actions and limitation of liability proceedings before the National Pollution Fund Center. Al has also tried to verdict in both state and federal courts over a dozen maritime personal injury and death cases involving Jones Act seamen, longshoremen and harbor workers.

Construction and Engineering.

Al has handled complex construction and engineering cases throughout the United States involving the design and construction of light rails, refineries, breweries, aircraft hangars, jails, courthouses and multi-use developments. This includes claims for breach of contract, professional negligence, fraud, negligent misrepresentation, products liability and licensing violations. He has tried to verdict six of these cases in the last 10 years involving claims for hundreds of millions of dollars. As a result, Al knows what to look for in evaluating these cases, how to conduct cost effective discovery and most important of all, how to simplify these complex cases for judges and juries.

Energy.

Al has been involved with environmental law claims for over 30 years both maritime and land based. He has been involved in major marine oil spills including the OMI DYNACHEM, EASTERN LION, KUROSHIMA and COSCO BUSAN spills. In addition, Al also has experience dealing with land-based spills involving underground tanks and pipelines.

Product Design, Manufacturing + Retail.

Al has over 35 years of experience defending product manufacturers and distributors in products liability and toxic tort cases including individual personal injury and mass actions. Al has defended manufacturers of commercial and industrial equipment including industrial saws, conveyor belts, presses and process heaters as well as consumer products such as home heaters, car windshields, weapons, tools and ladders. Al has also defended design professionals, component part suppliers and manufacturers in cases involving refineries, powerplants and commercial aircraft. This included involvement in the 2009 Paramount Refinery explosion, the 2000 Alaska Airlines Flight 261 crash and the 1985 Mojave Power Plant explosion. Al has also been involved in mass actions and multi-district toxic tort claims for petroleum, MTBE and asbestos exposure and the silicon breast implant litigation.