John Peterson was born in Fairfax, Virginia in 1970. He joined Harman Claytor in September 2020. Immediately prior to joining Harman Claytor, John served as Litigation Counsel for the physicians practicing at UVA Medical Center. John has more than 20 years of experience representing healthcare providers, including physicians, hospitals, and long-term care facilities. He represents clients before state and federal trial courts, appellate courts, and the Virginia Department of Health Professions.  In addition to his litigation experience, John has experience with hospital credentialing matters, including serving as a fair hearing officer for a large hospital system.  He also spent two years as corporate counsel to a medical equipment manufacturer.

John’s background and experience help him to understand the complex issues his clients face.  He implements a team approach to best represent his clients.  John has defended hundreds of medical malpractice cases, taking more than 30 to trial. His cases are regularly among the Virginia Medical Law Report’s million dollar medical malpractice defense verdicts.

Among many others, John has defended healthcare providers in cases involving birth injury; emergency services and trauma medicine; cardiothoracic surgery and cardiology; peripheral vascular surgery; general surgery; orthopaedics; neurosurgery and neurology; radiology; pathology; failure to diagnose or delayed diagnosis of cancer; and medical equipment malfunction. John has also represented clients in other civil litigation matters, including premises liability, breach of contract, and construction cases.

John regularly lectures to physicians and other healthcare providers on medical malpractice and risk management.