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Advocacy at a Higher Level

Horvitz & Levy is a solutions-based firm focused on appellate success. We are distinguished by our commitment to responsive service and on-going innovation in the areas of civil appellate litigation, amicus curiae support, and trial strategy consultation.

Our firm history, honors and awards, and locations speak to our collaborative approach and commitment to serving clients as well as the outstanding legal resources we bring to bear.

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Peder K. Batalden

Peder K. Batalden

Partner - Los Angeles Office

How Peder Helps Clients

For many institutional clients, Peder Batalden is the go-to lawyer to handle important federal appeals. In addition to taking the lead on briefing and arguing those appeals, he often works with clients before an appeal begins. He monitors trials and prepares key pretrial filings to preserve issues and present evidence in the best posture for appeal. And he routinely assists clients in responding to large money judgments, drawing upon a deep knowledge of federal jurisdiction and procedure to assist in staying enforcement of judgments and preparing post-trial motions so that issues for appeal are not lost.


Peder is a partner at the firm. He has argued and won numerous appeals in the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Ninth and Tenth Circuits. He has also filed many briefs in the U.S. Supreme Court and successfully petitioned for review.

Peder has represented many significant companies, including AutoNation, FM Global, Ford Motor Company, Honeywell, Hospital Corporation of America, Lyft, Media News Group, Progressive, The Sherwin-Williams Company, Newell Brands, Sempra Energy, TASER International, Travelers, and Toyota Motor Sales. He has also represented California cities and counties in federal civil rights actions; major medical providers in healthcare matters; and insurers in coverage actions.

Peder is co-author of the leading treatise on civil appeals before the Ninth Circuit, the Rutter Group’s Ninth Circuit Civil Appellate Practice. He currently serves as one of 24 appellate lawyer representatives to the Ninth Circuit’s judicial conference and is a past Chair of the State Bar of California’s Standing Committee on the Federal Courts, which works to enhance bench-bar relations and studies proposed changes to federal rules.  He also routinely comments on proposed amendments to the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure and to the Ninth Circuit rules.

Representative Matters

Allied Premier Ins. v. United Financial Cas. Co. (2023)
California Supreme Court holds commercial auto coverage does not persist indefinitely if insurer fails to cancel DMV certificates.

County of Santa Clara v. Superior Court (2023) 
California Supreme Court holds emergency medical service providers may maintain reimbursement actions against publicly operated health care service plans.

Seifu v. Lyft Inc. (2022)
United States Supreme Court granted Lyft’s cert petition concerning Federal Arbitration Act preemption.

PSM Holding Corp. v. Natl Farm Financial Corp. (2018)
Ninth Circuit rules on consequences of enforcing a money judgment pending appeal.

Monje v. Spin Master Inc. (2017)
Ninth Circuit affirms trial court’s rulings striking punitive damages and excluding speculative expert toxicological causation opinions in product liability case involving children’s toy.

ProBuilders Specialty Ins. Co. v. Valley Corp., B. (2017)
Ninth Circuit affirms partial district court judgment in favor of insurer based on proper jury instructions.

Royal Alliance Associates v. Mooney (2017)
Ninth Circuit reverses a judgment that had compelled his client, a broker dealer firm, to submit to a FINRA arbitration in a multimillion dollar securities dispute.

Education

  • University of California, Los Angeles, School of Law
    J.D., 1999
  • University of Chicago
    A.B., cum laude, 1996

Clerkships

  • Hon. Kermit E. Bye, U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit (2000-2002)
  • Hon. Robert J. Kelleher, U.S. District Court, Central District of California (1999-2000)

Bar Admissions

  • California
  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit

Professional Associations

Awards

Publications