Peter J. Burfening, Jr., Employment Attorney in San Diego, California
Over 28 years of legal practice · focused on Employment, Environmental, and General · 4.2/5 rating from 4 verified client reviews
PartneratWood, Smith, Henning & Berman LLP
San Diego, CA
Practicing employment in San Diego since 1998.
- 28+
- Years practicing
- 4.2 ★
- 4 client reviews
- 1
- Bar admission
Are you Peter J. Burfening, Jr.?
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Quick answer
Peter J. Burfening, Jr. is a partner based in San Diego, CA. The practice focuses on Employment, Environmental, and General. Peter has over 28 years of legal experience. Currently practicing at Wood, Smith, Henning & Berman LLP. Rated 4.2 out of 5 from 4 client reviews.
- Based in
- San Diego, CA
- Experience
- over 28 years
- Known for
- Employment · Environmental · General
- Handles Employment, Environmental, and General matters from San Diego, CA.
- Over 28 years of practice as a licensed attorney.
- Recognized with Peer Reviewed.
About Peter J. Burfening, Jr.: Peter J. Burfening, Jr. is a partner based in San Diego, CA. The practice focuses on Employment, Environmental, and General. Peter has over 28 years of legal experience. Currently practicing at Wood, Smith, Henning & Berman LLP. Rated 4.2 out of 5 from 4 client reviews.
Areas of practice
Legal matters Peter takes on
Peter concentrates on employment, environmental, general, litigation, and personal injury. Each area below outlines the kind of case Peter handles, typical outcomes to expect, and how the intake process starts.
Employment
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Environmental
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General
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Litigation
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Personal Injury
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Product Liability
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Workers Comp
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Class Action
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Employment cases in San Diego, California
Peter takes employment matters in San Diego, California. Typical engagements include intake calls to scope the issue, review of any records or filings you already have, and a written strategy memo before Peter agrees to represent you.
Environmental cases in San Diego, California
Peter takes environmental matters in San Diego, California. Typical engagements include intake calls to scope the issue, review of any records or filings you already have, and a written strategy memo before Peter agrees to represent you.
General cases in San Diego, California
Peter takes general matters in San Diego, California. Typical engagements include intake calls to scope the issue, review of any records or filings you already have, and a written strategy memo before Peter agrees to represent you.
Litigation cases in San Diego, California
Peter takes litigation matters in San Diego, California. Typical engagements include intake calls to scope the issue, review of any records or filings you already have, and a written strategy memo before Peter agrees to represent you.
Personal Injury cases in San Diego, California
Peter takes personal injury matters in San Diego, California. Typical engagements include intake calls to scope the issue, review of any records or filings you already have, and a written strategy memo before Peter agrees to represent you.
Biography
Meet Peter J. Burfening, Jr. — employment lawyer in San Diego
Peter J. Burfening, Jr. is a partner based in San Diego, CA. The practice focuses on Employment, Environmental, and General. Peter has over 28 years of legal experience. Currently practicing at Wood, Smith, Henning & Berman LLP. Rated 4.2 out of 5 from 4 client reviews.
Peter Burfening Jr., Managing Partner of WSHB’s San Diego office, is a highly respected attorney whose practice spans transportation law, environmental and toxic tort litigation, habitability, general liability, employment law, professional liability, product liability, and automotive law. Peter routinely handles the defense of personal injury litigation, including catastrophic injury and wrongful death cases; employment litigation, including wrongful termination, whistleblower, and harassment claims; and professional liability litigation, including the defense of insurance agents and brokers, real estate agents and brokers, accountants, attorneys, directors and officers, design professionals, and healthcare professionals.
His transportation clients include both insurers and private fleet operators. He has significant experience handling the defense of transportation cases involving catastrophic injuries, including wrongful death, amputation, traumatic brain injury, PTSD, and complex regional pain syndrome claims. Peter also provides rapid response handling of transportation accidents for both insurers and private fleet operators, and provides risk management training, counseling, and seminars on many topics, including driver qualifications, safe practices, current trends in transportation, and catastrophic injuries.
Peter routinely consults for the insurance industry to assist with investigations of first- and third-party environmental claims. He has served as National Monitoring Counsel for several major insurance companies, handling mass tort environmental claims throughout the United States.
His professional liability clients include independent and direct agents and brokers, large and small agencies and brokerage firms, accounting firms, attorneys, and boards of directors. Recently, he successfully defended a C.P.A. firm against allegations of failing to uncover a multi-million-dollar embezzlement by a corporation’s controller.
Newsroom
News
•Peter Burfening Jr. Named Managing Partner of WSHB San Diego Office
Firm News, 2.10.26
•Four Attorneys Elected to Partnership
Newsroom, 12.11.12
Events, Seminars & Speaking Engagements
•Fair Claims and Preservation of Evidence in Trucking Cases (2017)
•Laws & Trends in the Trucking Industry (2017)
•Personal Injury - Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (2017)
•California - A Judicial Hellhole (2016)
Publications
•California Court Affirms Summary Judgment for Transit Agency After Bus Fall: A Fall on a Public Bus Doesn't Automatically Equal Negligence
Article, 1.31.26
•Court Upholds Jury's Award for Future Lost Earnings and Non-Economic Damages While Reinforcing Limits on Past Medical Expenses
Case Updates, 2.25.25
In the News
•Peter Burfening Jr. Named Managing Partner of WSHB San Diego Office
•California Court Affirms Summary Judgment for Transit Agency After Bus Fall: A Fall on a Public Bus Doesn't Automatically Equal Negligence
•Court Upholds Jury's Award for Future Lost Earnings and Non-Economic Damages While Reinforcing Limits on Past Medical Expenses
•Defense Verdict: Jury Rejects $10.5 Million Demand + Punitive Damages in Complex Commercial Tenancy Action
How Peter handles employment matters
Peter Burfening Jr., Managing Partner of WSHB’s San Diego office, is a highly respected attorney whose practice spans transportation law, environmental and toxic tort litigation, habitability, general liability, employment law, professional liability, product liability, and automotive law. Peter routinely handles the defense of personal injury litigation, including catastrophic injury and…
The kind of cases Peter takes
Peter reviews new inquiries case-by-case for employment, environmental, and general matters in San Diego and the surrounding California area.
Credentials
Education, bar admissions, and languages
California Western School of Law
J.D. · 1998
Montana State University
B.A. English · 1994
Jurisdictions
Peter's state bar admissions
California
1998 · ACTIVE
Peter studied at J.D. in California Western School of Law and B.A. English in Montana State University.
Law school and academic background
Peter completed J.D. in California Western School of Law and B.A. English in Montana State University. Formal legal training is one signal of substantive knowledge — the day-to-day practice Peter runs in California is where that training gets applied to real client questions.
Recognition
Recognition and thought leadership
Peter has received 1 formal recognition from bar associations, industry bodies, and peer-review services.
Peer Reviewed
Legal awards and honors
Peer Reviewed.
Affiliations
Peter's professional memberships and bar associations
Memberships Claims Litigation Management (CLM), Member
membership
Locations
Peter J. Burfening, Jr.'s office in San Diego
Peter's primary office is at 501 West Broadway, Suite 1200, San Diego, CA, 92101-3591. In-person meetings are by appointment; a phone intake usually comes first.
Wood, Smith, Henning & Berman LLP
501 West Broadway, Suite 1200
San Diego, CA 92101-3591
Open in Google MapsClient feedback
Client reviews of Peter J. Burfening, Jr. — 4.2/5 rating from 4 verified client reviews
Every review below is from a verified client of Peter. Reviews cover communication, case outcome, and value — the three signals that matter most when comparing employment attorneys in San Diego.
4.2
4 client reviews
Client ratings are sourced from public records and editorial research. Reviews on LawyersListed are accepted from verified clients once Peter J. Burfening, Jr. claims this profile.
Read all reviewsHiring guide
How to hire Peter J. Burfening, Jr. — what to expect in your first consultation
Working with a new employment attorney should feel structured. Here's how the first two conversations with Peter usually go, from the moment you request a consult to the day representation begins.
Consultation formats and pricing
Peter charges for the initial consult. That fee is credited toward representation if you retain Peter's office.
What to bring to your first meeting
Bring any documents you already have — police reports, medical records, filed pleadings, correspondence from an insurer, a copy of the contract at issue. If you're not sure, err on the side of bringing everything; Peter will tell you what matters and what doesn't.
Questions to ask a employment attorney in San Diego, California
A short list to run through before you commit: How many employment matters have you handled in the last year? What's your fee structure? Who else in the office will work on this? What's your realistic estimate of timeline and range of outcomes? How do I reach you between meetings?
Fees & payment
Fees, payment methods, and consultation options for Peter
Peter discusses fees during intake so the arrangement fits the matter. Contingency, hourly, and flat-fee options are all common in employment practice — ask which fits.
Hourly rates, contingency fees, and flat-fee options
Every employment matter is priced differently. Simple document review might be a flat fee. Injury litigation is often contingency. Complex commercial disputes usually run hourly with a retainer. Peter confirms the model in the engagement letter before any work starts.
Payment methods and payment plans
Peter's office accepts standard payment methods. Ask about payment plans if the retainer is a stretch — many employment practices work with clients on structured schedules.
Frequently asked
Frequently asked questions about Peter J. Burfening, Jr.
How much does it cost to hire Peter for a employment case?
Cost depends on the type of matter, the fee model (contingency, flat, hourly), and how contested the case becomes. Peter walks through the likely range during the consult so there are no surprises.
Does Peter offer a free consultation?
Peter charges for the initial consult; that fee is credited toward representation if you retain Peter's office. Some employment attorneys offer free consults — check Peter's current terms during booking.
How long do employment cases in California typically take?
Simple employment matters can wrap in a few weeks; disputed cases can run 6–18 months from intake to resolution, longer if the matter goes to trial. Peter gives a realistic estimate for your facts at the consult — vague answers here are a red flag.
Can Peter take my case if I'm outside San Diego?
Peter is licensed in California. Matters governed by California law are the natural fit. Out-of-state matters are handled case-by-case, sometimes with local co-counsel. Ask during intake — Peter will tell you if the case is a fit or refer you to someone closer to your court.
What should I bring to my first meeting with Peter?
Bring every document that touches the dispute: contracts, correspondence, police or medical reports, filed pleadings, invoices, photographs, insurance letters. Also bring a written timeline of what happened, in your own words. Peter will filter what matters — over-preparing at intake is always cheaper than needing a second meeting.
Is Peter accepting new employment clients right now?
Peter's intake status shifts week to week. Submit the form; the office will confirm availability or refer the matter out.
Areas served
Employment attorneys serving San Diego, Los Angeles and San Francisco in California
Peter handles employment matters throughout California. Each city below is a direct link into the search page for verified employment attorneys in that community.
- San Diego16,903 attorneys
- Los Angeles39,975 attorneys
- San Francisco26,380 attorneys
- Sacramento10,561 attorneys
- Irvine6,831 attorneys
- Oakland5,709 attorneys
- San Jose5,009 attorneys
- Palo Alto4,084 attorneys
- Beverly Hills3,348 attorneys
- Newport Beach3,106 attorneys
- Pasadena2,894 attorneys
- Santa Monica2,756 attorneys
More counsel
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