Peter Bauman

Peter S. Bauman

Supervising Trial Attorney Peter Bauman

Strategic solutions to complex and high profile disputes, whether it’s hard hitting litigation or nuanced negotiation.  A litigation attorney with the highest peer rating, AV Preeminent, Peter Bauman applies nearly 2 decades of business and legal experience to obtain successful resolution of business, construction, and real estate disputes.

Mr. Bauman is from Southern California and received his law degree from Pepperdine University and his undergraduate degree from the University of Southern California.

Some of Mr. Bauman’s more notable and representative cases include:

Construction Litigation (Residential, Industrial, & Commercial)

  • Hyundai Motor America v. Viracon et al. & American Asset Trust v. The Whiting – Turner Contracting Company: Lead counsel for Hyundai Motor America and a publically traded real estate investment trust in multiple high exposure commercial construction litigations to recover damages due to defective curtain wall, insulated glass units, and related systems.
  • Callan vs. Marlborough Seaview Estates HOA: Represented large land owner in a complex landslide litigation that affected numerous homes above the Shorecliffs Golf Course in San Clemente, California. Designed and implemented settlement that resolved a 30 year old blight and $30 million litigation.
  • Private Company vs. Premier Power Renewable Energy, Inc.: Successfully represented owner of commercial building at arbitration against an international solar energy firm involving a dispute over the sale, design and installation of a commercial photovoltaic solar energy system.
  • Private Homeowner Construction Disputes (Multiple): Lead counsel for numerous homeowners of large custom homes in Southern California involving issues with real estate agents and brokers, contractors, licensing, delay, design professionals, drainage, lot lines, views, homeowners associations, and design review boards.
  • Public Works Construction Disputes (Multiple): Lead counsel for general contractors and subcontractors in numerous construction lawsuits, including litigation brought by the City and County of San Francisco and bonding companies over involving the historic Japantown Peace Plaza and Portsmouth Square Plaza, and the County of San Luis Obispo concerning its San Luis Obispo New County Government Center.

Real Estate & Development

  • Newport Medical Building – New Construction (Confidential): Represented Southern California real estate developer involving construction of medical building. Resolved disputes with national general contractor and design team involving payment, delay, and defective work; negotiated bridge and long term financing; resolved tenant disputes; and oversaw marketing and eight figure sale of property.
  • Huntington Shorecliff, LP v. City of Huntington Beach: After successfully resolving multiple class action litigations for park owner brought by the park residents under the Mobilehome Residency Law, recovered nearly $7 million from the City of Huntington Beach for nuisance and inverse condemnation arising from water drainage. Continued to represent the park owner in matters involving Caltrans maintenance easements and Landlord-Tenant disputes.
  • Surf City Beach Cottages v. City of Huntington Beach: Successfully litigated eminent domain lawsuit with settlement valuation several times higher than the valuation opined by City appraiser during expert discovery. Continued to represent the park owner to obtain a final subdivision map, further development and construction, and County property tax re-assessment.
  • Glendora Ranch Acquisition & Development (Confidential): Represent developer in acquisition, assessment, and development of 200 acres of undeveloped land in Glendora, California.
  • Southern California Commercial Ground Lease (Confidential): Represent property owners regarding multiple ground, commercial, and industrial leases and Southern California concerning lease renewals, lease terminations, property restorations, and breaches.  Matters include commercial/industrial lease termination and groundwater cleanup under CERCLA (Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act) and RCRA (Resource Conservation and Recovery Act).

Business (Partnership/Shareholder Litigation & General Counsel)

  • Southern California Aerospace Manufacturer (Confidential): Represent product manufacturer as general counsel.
  • Kennedy v. Outdoor Associates: Represent Kennedy family in lawsuit involving partnership dissolution of Billboard Development & Marketing Company.
  • Southern California Automotive Parts Manufacturer (Confidential): Represented specialty aftermarket automotive parts manufacturer in corporate restructuring, insurance, and liability mitigation.
  • Southern California Cannabis Dispensaries (Confidential): Represented multiple cannabis dispensary operators in issues pertaining to partnership disputes, commercial association approvals to operate, and local government entitlements.
  • Southern California Ambulance Operator (Confidential): Represented Southern California ambulance operator in dispute with local government regarding permit renewal.

Homeowners & Commercial (Business & Office Park) Associations

  • Garden Grove Manor: Represented Garden Grove Manor, an affordable housing cooperative, in the judicially supervised sale of its real property asset contested by owners.
  • Fullerton Homeowner (Confidential): Represented multiple homeowners in Fullerton neighborhood against lawsuits homeowners association arising from slope failure and property damage. Resolution involved slope stabilization and repairs to several townhomes.
  • Anaheim Hills Homeowner (Confidential): Represented homeowners with neighbor disputes involving deed restrictions and association Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions related to views.
  • Big Canyon Newport Beach Homeowner (Confidential): Represented homeowners against homeowners association involving association Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions related to views.

Mr. Bauman also represents individuals, families, partnerships, corporations, homeowners associations, and design professionals in a wide variety of real estate, business, insurance, and construction related matters; resolving contentious claims against his clients for minimal payments, shifting liability to others through indemnity mechanisms, and recovering millions of dollars in plaintiff claims.

Published Works

  • Contract Disputes and Prevailing Party Attorneys Fees in California, Business Exchange
  • Can an Intervening Insurance Company Sue for Breach of Contract, Martindale-Hubbell Publication
  • Laying Foundation for Meta Data and Websites, California Business Law Report
  • Disclosing Lawsuits to Buyers of Residential Property, California Business Law Report
  • Judicial Fact Finding Increasing in Class Action Certification Hearings, California Business Law Report
  • Precision Required for Government Tort Claims Act, California Business Law Report
  • New Benefit and Special Purpose Corporations, Martindale-Hubbell Publication
  • Classifying Insurance Agents and Salespeople, Martindale-Hubbell Publication
  • Re-branding Can Be a Useful Tool for Business, Recharge Asia Publication
  • Canon and Lexmark Litigation Lead To Uncertainty in Print Toner/Cartridge Industry, Recharge Asia Publication,
  • Digital Risk Management Strategies for Business, California Business Law Report
  • IP Trends in Aftermarket Imaging, SF Gate Publication
  • Development in Social Media Discovery

Classes/Seminars

  • Speaker, Claims and Litigation Management Alliance Construction, Environmental, Alternative Dispute Resolution, and Alternative Fee Arrangement Conference: Strategies for Effectively Managing Construction Defect Litigation
  • Speaker, Recharge Asia Conference: Risk Management through Business Planning
  • Speaker, Private Forum: Insurance Claims Handling for Construction Disputes
  • Speaker, Construction Webinar: Current Trends in Construction Litigation
  • Speaker, Private Forum: Current Construction Litigation & Trends

Honors and Awards

  • AV- Preeminent Peer Review Rating by Martindale-Hubbell

Professional Associations and Memberships

  • State Bar of California, Member
  • California Building Industry Association, Member
  • Claims & Litigation Management Alliance, Fellow
  • Association of Business Trial Lawyers, Member
  • American Bar Association, Member
  • Los Angeles County Bar Association, Member
  • Orange County Bar Association, Member