Overview

Peter A. Davidson is a Senior Partner in the Bankruptcy, Receivership, and Creditors’ Rights Department.

Since 1977 Peter has represented receivers, plaintiffs and defendants in receivership actions in state and federal court and trustees, creditors’ committees, secured creditors and debtors in the bankruptcy court. He has also acted as a receiver, a conservator and a court appointed monitor.

His Receivership, Conservator and Monitor assignments have included enforcement cases brought by government agencies, such as the California Department of Business Oversight, Attorney General, Federal Trade Commission, Commodities Futures Trading Commission and Securities and Exchange Commission involving: Ponzi Schemes, consumer fraud, real estate limited partnerships, mining, numismatics, cellular telephone licenses, health maintenance organizations, money order companies, escrow companies, telephone companies, mortgage companies, finance companies, and personal property brokers; partnership and corporate disputes and dissolutions including law firm dissolutions and manufacturers; rents, issues and profits receiverships involving ongoing businesses, apartment buildings and office buildings. Bankruptcy matters have included all aspects of representing trustees, corporate and individual debtors, creditors and creditors’ committees in Chapter 11 and Chapter 7 bankruptcy cases.

Peter is the author of the book Ask the Receiver and writes a column and blog by that name. He is the author of numerous published articles, lectures regularly on receivership and bankruptcy topics and has been featured on the cover of Los Angeles Lawyer magazine. He was also the initial editor of Receivership News.

Past Employment

  • Moldo Davidson Fraioli Seror & Sestanovich LLP, Los Angeles, California, Managing Partner 

Honors & Affiliations

Honors & Recognitions

Robert C. Warren Memorial Award for Excellence in Service and Vision, 2013, California Receivers Forum

M&A Advisor Turnaround Award, Cross-Border Restructuring Deal of the Year (over $100MM to $1 Billion), Restructuring of Georges Marciano Estate (representing Creditors Committee), 2014

Global Award, Bankruptcy & Restructuring, Corporate LiveWire, 2015 & 2016

Best Lawyers in America, 2008 – 2024

Southern California Super Lawyers, 2009 – 2024

Lawdragon 3000 Honoree for excellence and leadership in the legal profession, 2007

Community & Professional

Los Angeles Bankruptcy Forum, 1994 – 1995, President, Board of Directors 1989 – 1996

California Bankruptcy Forum, 1994 – 1997, Board of Directors

California Receivers Forum, 1997 – 2003; 2012 – 2015, Board of Directors

California Receivers Forum/Los Angeles-Orange County Chapter, 1995 – 2017, Board of Directors

California Receivers Forum/Los Angeles-Orange County Chapter, 2000, 2011 – 2017, Co-President

California Bankruptcy Journal Corporation, 1989 – 2017, Board of Directors, Secretary 1998 – 2017, Treasurer 1989 – 1995

Los Angeles County Bar Association, Remedies Section, 1985 – 2018, Executive Committee, Chair 2006 – 2007

Los Angeles Superior Court, 1993, 1995, Ad Hoc Committee on Receivership

State Bar of California, Business Law Section, 1988 – 1991, Debtor/Creditor Relations and Bankruptcy Committee

Media & Events

Blog Posts

Publications

  • Receivership News, 2018
  • “Expert: Burden Falls on Wilpons” 
    ESPN.com (Media Appearance), 02.2011
  • “Joke Over for Comedy Brand?”
    Los Angeles Business Journal, Media Appearance, 02.2011
  • How to Avoid a Costly ‘Free Lunch'
    Media Appearance, The Faster Times – Personal Finance, 07.2010
  • Is it Time to File for Bankruptcy
    Media Appearance, KTLA (Channel 5), Inside the Law, 04.2010
  • Going for Broke
    Media Appearance, Los Angeles Business Journal, 04.2010
  • Dissecting Ponzi Schemes in Light of Madoff and other Fraudulent Cases
    Recovering Lost Assets in Ponzi Schemes (Aspatore Special Report), 2009
  • Ask the Receiver
    A column, Receivership News
  • Battle on the Home Front
    Media Appearance, ABA Journal, 08.2009
  • Recovering Madoff’s Victims’ Money
    Media Appearance, Fox Business Network, 03.2009
  • Trial Style Media
    Profile, Trial Style, 03.2009
  • Madoff Ponzi Scheme
    Media Appearance, TruTv, Open Court, 03.2009
  • Recent Trends and Strategies in Pursuing Fraudulent Transfer Claims
    Understanding Fraudulent Transfers (Aspatore, Inc.), 2009
  • Building on Quicksand: Insolvency in the Home Building and Supply Industry
    The Industries Most at Risk in Bankruptcy (Aspatore, Inc.), 2008
  • Profiting from the Liquidations Boom
    Media Appearance, CNN Money.com, 12.2008
  • Should Mortgages be Modified in Chapter 13
    Media Appearance, Bankruptcy Court Decisions, 11.2008
  • Dos and Don’ts for the Unsecured Creditor
    Media Appearance, Homechannelnews.com, 09.2008
  • Negotiations underway for Pendum buyout
    Media Appearance, ATMmarketplace.com, 06.2008
  • Wise Receivers
    Cover Story, Los Angeles Lawyer, 03.2008
  • Strike Threatens To Push Businesses, Consumers Over the Edge
    Media Appearance, Bankruptcy Court Decisions, 12.2007
  • 168 Hours of Television
    Media Appearance, Blog Talk Radio, 11.2007
  • Chris and Tony Morning Show
    Media Appearance, Chris and Tony Morning Show, K104 Radio N.Y., 11.2007
  • The IRS Is Your Friend: How Trustees Can Use Tax Liens To Weave Straw Into Gold
    29 Cal. Bankr. J. 191, 2007
  • Writers’ Strike’s Wide Ripples
    Media Appearance, The Christian Science Monitor, 11.2007
  • Ruling Could Jeopardize Subprime RMBS
    Media Appearance, Debt & Equity Journal, 11.2007
  • Madison in the Morning Media Appearance
    Madison in the Morning, 1310 WIBA, 11.2007
  • Phil Spector Murder Trial
    Media Appearance, Court TV, Bloom & Politan, 06.2007
  • Fraud: Think You Can’t be Taken?
    Media Appearance, REIP the Rewards, 10.2006
  • Getting in Through the Back Door: Using the Federal Debt Collection Procedures Act to Pursue Otherwise Time Barred Fraudulent Transfer and Preference Claims
    Journal of the National Association of Bankruptcy Trustees, Vol. 20, No. 4., Winter 2004
  • Fraudulent Transfer Statute of Limitations: A New Wrinkle
    Los Angeles County Bar Association Provisional and Post-Judgment Remedies Newsletter, Summer 2001
  • Pictures at 11:00 – Judgment Debtors Exams are Public Proceedings
    Los Angeles County Bar Association Provisional and Post-Judgment Remedies Newsletter, Winter 2000
  • Finding and Administering Assets
    Co-Author, Journal of the National Association of Bankruptcy Trustees, Vol. 15, No.3, 09.30.1999
  • Amendment to California Code of Civil Procedure §569
    1998
  • Recovering Fraudulent Transfers in Ponzi Schemes: A Primer
    24 Cal.Bankr.J. 115, 1998
  • A Wrongheaded Bankruptcy Reform Law
    Los Angeles Lawyer, 11.1998
  • More Answers to Common Receivership Questions
    Co-Author, Los Angeles County Bar Association Provisional & Post-Judgment Remedies Newsletter, Winter 1997
  • Pursuing Fraudulent Transfers Arising From Ponzi Schemes
    Journal of The National Association of Bankruptcy Trustees, Vol. 13, No. 3, Fall 1997
  • Answers to Common Receivership Questions
    Co-Author, Los Angeles County Bar Association Provisional & Post-Judgment Remedies Newsletter, Summer 1995
  • Using Receivers in Arbitration Proceedings: The Wrong Way & The Right Way
    Los Angeles County Bar Association Provisional & Post-Judgment Remedies Newsletter, Summer 1994
  • Updated Thoughts on Bayside and on Avoiding One Form of Action Problems in Receiverships
    Los Angeles County Bar Association Real Property Section Newsletter, 11.1993
  • ZZZ Best – Ordinary Course Protection for Long-Term Debt
    20 Cal. Bankr. J. 45, 1992
  • Avoiding One Form of Action Problems When Using a Receiver
    Los Angeles County Bar Association Provisional Post-Judgment Remedies Newsletter, Spring 1992
  • Grogan v. Garner: Nondischargeability by a Preponderance
    19 Cal. Bankr. J. 71, 1991
  • Jury Trials: The Bankruptcy Court Dilemma
    Co-Author, Los Angeles Lawyer, 07.1990
  • Granfinanciera, S.A., et al. v. Nordberg, et al.: Jury Trials Come to the Bankruptcy Court-Maybe
    17 Cal. Bankr. J. 207, 1989
  • Finding and Administering Assets
    Co-Author, Journal of the National Association of Bankruptcy Trustees, Vol. 15, No.3

Speaking Engagements

  • Hyatt Regency Long Beach, Jan. 2024
  • , Irvine, CA, Jan. 2015
  • Remedies for Lawyers Who Find Themselves in Bankruptcy Court
    , 2014
  • Receiverships Inc.: Corporations, Partnerships & LLC’s Acting As Receivers
    , 2013
  • Personal Liability of Receivers
    , 2013
  • Lessons from the Trenches: Making Receiverships More Efficient for Judges, Lenders, Borrowers and Receivers
    , 2012
  • Receivership Questions and Answers
    , 2011
  • Receivership Risks and Liability: How to Avoid Both
    , 2010
  • Ask a Receiver
    , 2010
  • Ponzi Schemes, Receivers & Fraudulent Transfers—What Happens When the Pyramid Collapses
    , 2010
  • Receiver’s Rights and Risks, Compensation of Receivers and Professionals 
    , 2009
  • Receiverships
    , 2006
  • Multistate Receivership Issues
    , 2006
  • Receiver’s Powers and Liabilities
    , 2005
  • Regulatory Receiverships
    , 2004
  • Receiver’s Rights and Risks
    , 2004
  • Collecting Restitution Judgments
    , 2004
  • Maximizing Recoveries on Asset-Based Loans
    , 2003
  • Receiverships: Use and Practice
    , 2003
  • Using Receiverships in Real Estate Fraud Cases
    , 2002
  • Selling and Buying Assets from Receivership Estates
    , 2002
  • Receiverships in the New Millennium
    2000
  • California Receivers Forum Conference
    1999
  • Finding and Administering Assets
    , 1999
  • Equity Receiverships
    , 1998
  • Fraudulent Conveyances and Ponzi Schemes
    , 1997
  • Receiverships: Beyond the Basics
    , 1994
  • Fundamentals of Bankruptcy Law & Procedure in California
    , 1993
  • Remedies During a Recession
    , 1993
  • Basic Bankruptcy in California
    , 1992
  • How to Obtain and Use a Receiver
    , 1992
  • Pre-Judgment Remedies 1: A Primer Course

Successes

Education

J.D., University of California, Los Angeles, School of Law

B.A., University of California, Los Angeles, cum laude

Admissions

  • California
  • U.S. District Court, Central District of California
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of California
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of California
    U.S. District Court, Southern District of California
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas
    U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
  • U.S. Supreme Court
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