Elliot R. Peters

Peters is still in disbelief about the fact that people answering the phones at his firm say his last name as part of the firm’s title.

Peters said he always wanted to run his own small firm and never expected his name to be on an organization of this size, but the boutique structure of his litigation shop gives him the best of both worlds. His name was added to the firm’s title in January, through a unanimous vote by his fellow partners.

“I sorta got to have my cake and eat it too,” he said. “I still walk in there and see that sign and say, ‘Oh my gosh, how did my name end up there alongside those two guys.’”

There is little doubt Peters has earned the distinction.

Whether it’s handling high-profile cases like defending the late Aaron Swartz, a computer programmer beloved by internet activists and techies for helping to form social media/news site Reddit, or representing massive law firms in legal malpractice cases that the public never hears about, Peters has repeatedly proven he belongs in the upper echelon of the litigation field.

Peters has been representing Lance Armstrong since 2011 and will defend him in a lawsuit brought by the U.S. Postal Service in November. The agency contends that Armstrong defrauded the federal government by allegedly using steroids while accepting a sponsorship.

Peters said the case is frivolous, because the government has no evidence that sponsoring Armstrong was a bad advertising investment. Peters said the marketing boost the agency got when Armstrong was at the height of his popularity exceeded any blowback after his career took a turn for the worse.

“It’s so easy to vilify Lance and the case against him we’re going to try in November is so bereft of any merit, but there’s a lot on the line for him,” Peters said.

Armstrong had heard about Peters and John Keker representing the union for Major League Baseball players in a case involving performance-enhancing drugs and the firm has represented him ever since.

— Joshua Sebold