Peter started doing consumer bankruptcy work in 1989 and is proud to “have been fighting the good fight since BAPCPA.”  He has gotten positive decisions on the means test vs. I-J for above median debtors in In re Rotunda; also for below median debtors in In re Van Hart (a decision from the bench) and achieved an increase in attorney fees in chapter 13’s in his District.

Peter first joined NACBA at the Boston Convention in the 1990’s and has been to all of the NACBA conventions since then.  An active listserv participant, Peter is also one of NACBA’s two State Chairs for New York.  “NACBA has made me a better lawyer and more effective in the battle for the rights of consumers. NACBA is an incredible family of committed, motivated, professional consumer bankruptcy attorneys who are on the cutting edge of shaping the law to protect people in need of debt relief so they can live full, productive and secure lives.  Like any family, we sometimes have our little spats, and sometimes feel frustration when an errant family member gets too caught up in the nit-picking and forgets the larger issues.  But as a group we are amazingly powerful, as we clearly saw in our ability to almost single-handedly (with a little help from our friends) prevent the mean-spirited anti-consumer bankruptcy legislation from becoming law for 8 years or so.  NACBA’s staff – Barbara, Maureen, Candace, Mark & Tara - are always there to help us in our individual and collective battles to carve out of BAPCPA a bankruptcy law that truly provides a “fresh start” for our clients.”

Among Peter’s many trials representing criminal clients, he has had three murder trials.  One was a federal death penalty case (they got life – a victory) and the other two involved victims of severe abuse who were accused of killing their abuser.  One was made into a TV movie, “Lies of the Heart – the Laurie Kellogg Story” that is still sometimes shown on the Lifetime Channel.

In his “free time,” Peter teaches as an adjunct faculty member at Binghamton University and Ithaca College, and he and his wife run the Anam Cara Art Gallery in Binghamton.

His former careers include: Publisher of weekly “alternative” newspapers in Ithaca and Syracuse, NY (1976-1984); operating a progressive bookstore in Ithaca; working as a migrant farm worker (apples in Oregon – “Best job of my life” – and lemons in Arizona – “Worst job of my life”).

Peter lives with his wife, Colleen Kiley (a nurse, who has a shamanic healing practice), and their college-bound 18 year old son.  Their other sons are 34 and 33, and they have 3 grandchildren.

Peter’s local community involvements include sitting (now or in the past) on the boards of: the Broome County Homeless Coalition; SOS Shelter for Battered Women; the Broome County Bar Association; Central NY Bankruptcy Bar Association, and the Legal Services Corporation of Broome & Chenango.  He is also a member of Bankruptcy Law Network.

His extended community involvements include sitting (now or in the past) on the boards of: New York State Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys; National Association of Alternative Newsweeklies; and serving as Co-New York State Chair of NACBA.  Peter also has the distinction of having been the first student (back in 1972) to sit on the Board of Directors of Ithaca College.