Peter Carson

Peter Carson is of counsel in the Finance & Bankruptcy Practice Group in the firm's San Francisco office and heads the firm’s Legal Opinions Committee, and is a Core Member of the firm's ESG and Sustainability Team.

Areas of Practice

Peter's practice is focused on representing U.S. and foreign banks, commercial finance lenders, debt funds, and other institutional lenders. Peter represents these clients in all aspects of complex secured and unsecured debt financings, including acquisition, senior syndicated, asset-based, mezzanine, second lien, bridge, debtor-in possession, credit enhancement, private placement, leveraged lease and other financings, recapitalizations, and restructurings across a range of industries, such as healthcare, technology, retail, transportation and distribution, media and telecommunications, ski resorts, sport franchises, renewable energy and related infrastructure, food and beverage (including wineries), and agriculture.

In addition, Peter devotes a substantial portion of his practice to representing buyers, sellers and private equity deal sponsors in various types of merger and acquisition transactions (including mergers involving nonprofits) and to advising institutional lenders, private equity and company clients on Uniform Commercial Code, letters of credit, and other commercial law issues.

Since March 2020, Peter has also led the firm’s Emergency Relief Task Force, advising clients and colleagues regarding the various federal and state government direct loan programs (including the Paycheck Protection Program and the Main Street Lending Program) and financial systems support programs in response to the COVID-19 crisis.

Honors

Best Lawyers in America, Best Lawyers, 2023-2025

Leading Lawyer in Banking and Finance (California), Chambers USA, 2007-2024; "Peter Carson is well known for his formidable finance practice, which is routinely employed by domestic and international lenders in a series of transactions."

Northern California Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers, 2005-2021

Go-To Thought Leader, National Law Review, 2021

Lawyer of the Year, Best Lawyers, 2015, 2017, 2018

Leading Lawyer in Banking Law and Structured Finance Law, Best Lawyers, 2007-2023

Articles

Blog Posts

• "Paycheck Protection Program: SBA Issues Guidance on First Draw and Second Draw PPP Loans and Releases PPP Applications Pursuant to the Economic Aid Act," January 21, 2021

• "The Save Our Stages Act – Time for Eligible Businesses to Get Ready for Their Audition (Part 2 of 2)," January 14, 2021

• "The Save Our Stages Act – Time for Eligible Businesses to Get Ready for Their Audition (Part 1 of 2)," January 11, 2021

• "The Reauthorization and Revival of the Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program under the Economic Aid to Hard-Hit Small Businesses, Nonprofits, and Venues Act," December 31, 2020
• "The October 2, 2020 SBA Procedural Notice: Change of Ownership Transactions Involving PPP Borrowers," October 5, 2020

• "Some Strings Attached: Main Street Lending Program And Private Company M&A," July 13, 2020

• "Paycheck Protection Program: Updated Loan Forgiveness Estimator Workbook," July 10, 2020

• "Interplay of Main Street Lending Program Documents (the Rights and Role of the Main Street SPV)," July 7, 2020

• "Fed Provides Further Updates to Main Street Lending Program, Expanding Availability in Advance of Program Launch," June 10, 2020

• "Paycheck Protection Program: Loan Forgiveness Estimator Workbook," May 28, 2020

• "Fed Updates Main Street Loan Program," May 2, 2020

• "CARES Act Loans Available for National Security Businesses," April 28, 2020

• "Sheppard Submits Comments to Main Street Loan Program," April 17, 2020
• "Main Street Lending Program Summary," April 10, 2020

• "Funds Available to Businesses Under the Coronavirus Economic Stabilization Act (CARES ACT Title IV)," March 31, 2020

Speaking Engagements

• Frequent speaker on panels and programs relating to topics leveraged finance, UCC and other commercial law for the American Bar Association, ALI-ABA, and the California Bar Association
• Panelist, 2018 Americas Annual Survey of Letter of Credit Law & Practice conference in Charlotte, North Carolina, March 15-16, 2018

Events

Memberships

Elected Member, American Law Institute

Past President and Member of Board of Regents, American College of Commercial Finance Lawyers

Life Fellow, American Bar Foundation

Opinions Committee of the California Lawyers Association

Member and Past Chair, Board of Trustees, Earthjustice

Past Chair, Secured Transactions Subcommittee of the Uniform Commercial Code Committee of the Business Law Section, American Bar Association

Past Chair, Letter of Credit Subcommittee of the Uniform Commercial Code Committee of the Business Law Section, American Bar Association

Past Chair, Uniform Commercial Code Committee; Past member, Executive Committee of the Business Law Section, State Bar of California

Past Co-Chair, California Legal Services Trust Fund (IOLTA) Commission

Past Member, Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service, American Bar Association; Past Chair Pro Bono Committee of the Business Law Section, American Bar Association

Member, Board of Directors, East Bay Community Law Center

Member, Board of Directors, California Rural Legal Assistance

Past member, Board of Directors, California Bar Foundation, Bar Association of San Francisco Foundation; Bay Area Legal Aid; China U.S. Energy Efficiency Alliance; British American Business Counsel of the Bay Area; Mid-Peninsula Media Center

Digital Media