Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Languages
Countryofresidence
Countrieswithworkexperience
Personal Information
References
Timeline
Generic

Keith Peterson

Charlotte

Overview

46
46
years of professional experience

Work History

Document Reviewer

Hire Counsel
01.2017
  • Reviewed documents for complex patent litigation.

Proposal Technical Writer

European Union based- organizations
01.2016
  • Designed funding proposals directed to the European Union for rule of law projects in the republics of Georgia and Kosovo.

Security, Strategy, and Training Consultant

International Bridges to Justice
01.2021 - Current
  • Developed training and standard security procedures for IBJ lawyers suited to the current state of emergency (military coup) for the IBJ Myanmar project, which provides criminal defense throughout Myanmar
  • Led the project in providing reporting, funding proposal writing, and strategic planning
  • Led substantive training and mentoring for IBJ attorneys regarding general criminal defense, drug cases, human rights protection, trial strategies.

Partner and Rule of Law Desk Coordinator

Transition International (TI)
01.2021 - 01.2022
  • Coordinated TI’s work on projects supporting the rule of law and human rights protection in legal systems of developing countries.

Document Reviewer

Cobra Legal Solutions
01.2019 - 01.2021
  • Reviewed documents for complex pharmaceutical, financial services, and insurance litigation; also reviewed documents related to information technology regulatory matters.

Rule of Law Consultant

Self-employed
01.2017 - 01.2021
  • Drafted rule of law-related funding proposals for European Union-based companies
  • Conducted a consultancy for the Government of Guyana, sponsored by the Inter-American Development Bank, that advised the Guyanese government regarding drug law prosecution, as well as drug abuse/addiction and mental health issues impacting the criminal justice and penal systems
  • Provided recommendations for reform of drug sentencing and handling of cases that involved people with chemical dependency and mental illness
  • Provided recommendations regarding sentencing reform, prison reform, improvement of the parole/probation system, and public health.

Justice Advisor

Pacific Architects and Engineers (PAE)
01.2012 - 01.2016
  • Served as justice sector advisor
  • Worked with the Liberian judiciary, Ministry of Justice (MOJ), Bureau of Corrections and Rehabilitation (BCR), Office of the Public Defender, and the Liberian National Bar Association
  • Worked cooperatively with counterparts at the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL)
  • Trained and mentored Liberian prosecutors, magistrates, judges, public defenders, corrections officials, and police
  • Worked actively on legal reform; provided advisory memoranda to high government officials
  • Spearheaded, in cooperation with UNMIL, the Liberian National Police, and the MOJ, a program that presented workshops for strengthening police-prosecutor cooperation that were held in every region in Liberia; travelled extensively throughout Liberia
  • Helped plan, actively participated in, and was a speaker at the 2013 Criminal Justice Conference sponsored by UNMIL and the Liberian Government
  • Trained and mentored the Office of the Public Defender, including serving as a trainer at UN-sponsored trainings for public defenders held between 2013 and 2015
  • Helped develop and edited two original practice manuals for the Public Defenders’ Office
  • In 2013, supervised a head count and capacity assessment of the Monrovia Central Prison; provided a memo to the MOJ and BCR analyzing existing practices and recommending systemic improvements that would reduce prison overcrowding and better conform Liberia’s correctional system to international human rights standards
  • Actively involved in efforts to address unnecessary pretrial detention and prison overcrowding, particularly through efforts initiated during the Ebola crisis
  • Designed a supervised pretrial release program for non-violent offenders and worked to strengthen Probation Services
  • Mentored and trained justice system professionals regarding juvenile justice
  • Contributed significantly to the 2013 and 2014 Human Rights Report on Liberia published by the U.S
  • Embassy.

Independent Rule of Law Advisor

Self-Employed
01.2011 - 01.2012
  • Assisted the Armenian Chamber of Advocates and two Armenian NGOs with grant-writing efforts.

Document Reviewer

Various employers
01.2011 - 01.2012
  • Reviewed documents for complex financial litigation.

Criminal Law Specialist

American Bar Association, Rule of Law Initiative (Criminal Law Program)
01.2008 - 01.2011
  • Served as legal specialist in a program focused on building the capacity of the Armenian criminal justice system and legal profession
  • Designed and conducted training and continuing education programs for Armenian legal professionals, including defense attorneys, investigators, prosecutors, and judges
  • Designed public education and public information materials, and facilitated and organized forums for public information and education
  • Liaised actively with governmental officials, diplomatic personnel, and NGOs
  • Helped build the capacity of the Armenian Chamber of Advocates and the public defender system
  • Worked with representatives of the Chamber of Advocates (bar association), Ministry of Justice, and international stakeholders to develop the Armenian law on advocacy, which regulated the legal profession; successfully promoted safeguards for independence of the bar and the public defender system
  • Authored a successful grant proposal for a project that analyzed pre-trial detention and sentencing practices in Armenia and identified alternatives to incarceration; supervised implementation of the project
  • Contributed significantly to the U.S
  • Embassy’s 2009 Human Rights Report for Armenia
  • Participated in election monitoring and planning for future election monitoring.

Legal Counsel

Koror State Public Lands Authority
01.2006 - 01.2008
  • Served as legal counsel to the principal public lands authority in Palau
  • Provided legal advice, trial advocacy, and appellate advocacy in cases involving complex land tenure issues arising from the country’s history of colonization
  • Designed and drafted updated public land regulations.

Assistant Attorney General/Head of Litigation Division

Department of Justice
01.2005 - 01.2006
  • Led the Litigation Division of the FSM Department of Justice
  • Established office of the FSM Department of Justice in Chuuk State, the largest political subdivision of the country
  • Served as lead prosecutor in the successful prosecution of a complex official corruption case involving several high-ranking public officials
  • Supervised, trained, and mentored the national police officers in Chuuk State.

Commission Chairperson

Douglas County Condemnation Commission
01.1994 - 01.2005
  • Served as a chairperson of county commission arbitrating eminent domain disputes over commercial and residential real estate.

Attorney at Law

Keith J. Peterson Law Office
01.1991 - 01.2005
  • Conducted and managed private law practice with emphasis on criminal and civil litigation
  • Performed extensive trial and appellate work in both state and federal courts; successful record as a litigator.

District Attorney

Douglas County
01.1979 - 01.1991
  • Elected officialactive and successful litigator
  • Tried a wide range of significant felony jury trials, including many homicide, robbery, drug, and sexual assault cases
  • Responsible for all management functions, including financial management, personnel management, budget preparation, and liaising with County Board and other government offices.

Education

J.D. -

Marquette University Law School
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Graduate Work - Public Administration and Business Administration

University of Wisconsin

Bachelor of Arts - Political Science

University of Wisconsin
Madison, Wisconsin

Skills

  • Experienced senior attorney and international development professional
  • Formerly an elected district attorney, private legal practitioner, and criminal defense attorney
  • Technical writer drafted detailed and complex funding proposals directed to USAID, the US Department of State, and the European Union
  • Extensive experience training attorneys and other professionals in several developing countries
  • Experience with project developmentdesigned programs aimed at improving the administration of justice in developing countries
  • Project management experience—managed multinational teams
  • Experience in designing and leading professional trainings in three countries—built capacity of justice sector actors and institutions, including strengthening judicial, prosecutorial, and public defense systems, as well as national bar associations
  • Expertise in human rights law, international law, and comparative law
  • Expertise regarding drug law reform
  • Extensive experience working with correctional systems in developing countries
  • Demonstrated effectiveness in working with NGOs, governmental officials, diplomatic personnel, and international organizations
  • Excellent diplomacy, management, leadership, interpersonal, and organizational skills; ability to build and maintain relationships with a wide range of people from diverse backgrounds
  • Currently working to build the capacity of the public defense system in Myanmar

Languages

English
French

Countryofresidence

United States

Countrieswithworkexperience

  • Federated States of Micronesia
  • Palau
  • Armenia
  • Liberia
  • Guyana

Personal Information

  • Title: Security, Strategy, and Training Consultant, International Bridges to Justice, Myanmar Program
  • Gender: Male
  • Nationality: United States

References

References will be furnished upon request

Timeline

Security, Strategy, and Training Consultant

International Bridges to Justice
01.2021 - Current

Partner and Rule of Law Desk Coordinator

Transition International (TI)
01.2021 - 01.2022

Document Reviewer

Cobra Legal Solutions
01.2019 - 01.2021

Document Reviewer

Hire Counsel
01.2017

Rule of Law Consultant

Self-employed
01.2017 - 01.2021

Proposal Technical Writer

European Union based- organizations
01.2016

Justice Advisor

Pacific Architects and Engineers (PAE)
01.2012 - 01.2016

Independent Rule of Law Advisor

Self-Employed
01.2011 - 01.2012

Document Reviewer

Various employers
01.2011 - 01.2012

Criminal Law Specialist

American Bar Association, Rule of Law Initiative (Criminal Law Program)
01.2008 - 01.2011

Legal Counsel

Koror State Public Lands Authority
01.2006 - 01.2008

Assistant Attorney General/Head of Litigation Division

Department of Justice
01.2005 - 01.2006

Commission Chairperson

Douglas County Condemnation Commission
01.1994 - 01.2005

Attorney at Law

Keith J. Peterson Law Office
01.1991 - 01.2005

District Attorney

Douglas County
01.1979 - 01.1991

J.D. -

Marquette University Law School

Graduate Work - Public Administration and Business Administration

University of Wisconsin

Bachelor of Arts - Political Science

University of Wisconsin

Similar Profiles

CREATE PROFILE
Keith Peterson