James P. Peterson: Leading Corporate Attorney and Chair at Foley & Lardner LLP
James P. Peterson: Leading Corporate Attorney and Chair at Foley & Lardner LLP
James P. Peterson is a top corporate attorney based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He is a partner at the famous law firm Foley & Lardner LLP. He also holds a major leadership role as the Chair of the firm’s Corporate Department.
For nearly three decades, Peterson has built a career focused on complex business transactions. His work shapes how local and global companies grow, merge, and operate.
💼 Core Legal Practice and Expertise
Peterson works primarily in corporate law. His daily practice focuses on several key business legal areas:
- Mergers and Acquisitions: Helping companies buy or merge with other businesses.
- Private Equity: Advising investment funds that buy shares in private businesses.
- Venture Capital: Guiding investments into new and growing startup companies.
- Joint Ventures: Setting up partnerships between different business entities.
He is widely known for handling both large-scale national deals and complex cross-border transactions.
🌍 Connecting U.S. and European Markets
One unique aspect of Peterson’s practice is his international reach. He regularly serves as a legal bridge for Scandinavian and European companies looking to expand into the United States.
Global deals can be very difficult. They involve moving parts across different legal systems, languages, and cultures. Peterson helps international clients manage these challenges by:
- Bridging wide time zone gaps.
- Working closely with foreign legal teams.
- Adapting deals to fit his clients’ local corporate calendars.
🏛️ Background and Education
Peterson has a deep understanding of how both business and government work. Before he became a corporate attorney, he worked in public service. He represented the state of Wisconsin’s political interests at the Office of Federal-State Relations in Washington, D.C.. He also worked directly as a staff member for the highly influential U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means.
This government experience gave him a unique view of policy and economics. Later, he chose to focus fully on corporate law. He earned his Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from the prestigious Northwestern University School of Law in 1995. He was officially admitted to the Wisconsin State Bar that same year.
🏅 Leadership Style and Recognition
As the leader of the Corporate Department at Foley & Lardner LLP, Peterson manages a huge team of skilled lawyers. He believes in a collaborative, relationship-driven style of leadership. In interviews, he has stated that he prefers to listen more than he talks when mentoring younger attorneys. This helps him lift up his colleagues and build strong internal team connections.
Because of his hard work and deal-making skills, he has earned top rankings from major legal groups:
- Chambers USA: He has been ranked for 19 consecutive years as a leading corporate and M&A attorney.
- The Best Lawyers in America: He is continuously recognized by his peers for his excellence in corporate law.
- Martindale-Hubbell: He holds an AV Preeminent rating, which is the highest possible rating for legal ability and ethics.
🤝 Community Involvement
Outside of his office work, Peterson is dedicated to giving back to the community. He has spent over 20 years volunteering with SaintA, a human services organization in Milwaukee. During his long tenure there, he has served petersonjames as a Director, Chair of the Governance Committee, and a Finance Committee member, helping support child welfare and family services across Wisconsin.