Senior Workers' Compensation Defense Attorney

Name: Thomas M. Peterson

Major: History

Law School: University of Minnesota Law School

Description of your job:

I am the Senior Workers' Compensation defense attorney at the League of Minnesota Cities. This is an in‑house position. The League of Minnesota Cities is a nonprofit organization that provides a number of products and services to its member cities. One of those products is workers' compensation insurance coverage. One of those services is providing legal representation in litigated workers' compensation claims against member cities. I represent city employers in workers' compensation cases filed in Minnesota. My job is mostly litigation, although I also advise my city clients on a number of issues related to workers' compensation.

Do you have any advice for students who are considering going to the same law school you did? The University of Minnesota Law School is top notch. You will get an excellent education in the law there. Get the most out of it.

Is there anything in particular that you did during your undergrad that benefited you more than anything else in getting through law school and/or transitioning into the legal profession?

As an undergraduate, I learned to be a good writer. That helped immensely in law school and beyond.

If you had a chance to go through law school all over again, is there anything you would do differently? I would not "sweat the small details" so much. I would focus more on learning the general rules and principles of law.

Is being a lawyer what you expected it would be? Why or why not? For the most part, yes. However, I did not expect all the administrative responsibilities attendant in practicing law.

What is it like transitioning from being a law student to being a lawyer? It can be rather daunting. Most everything is new and unfamiliar. However, if the new lawyer has a mentor, that will help ease the transition.

Is there anything students should know about the legal profession before they decide to commit their life to it? The legal profession can be very demanding on a lawyer's time. Learn to balance your professional life with your personal life.

What does a typical day look like for you as a lawyer? I go into the office and start tackling a variety of projects such as dictation, reviewing documents and preparing for upcoming litigation events. I also handle quite a few telephone calls. There is almost always something to do.

Do you have any final advice? Never give up.