Peter J. Lewis

Peter Lewis maintains a diverse litigation practice, representing businesses and individuals across a variety of industries. In addition to counseling clients on aviation, toxic torts, and professional and product liability, he handles complex commercial litigation, coverage evaluations, litigation matters, and general liability insurance defense.

Peter has extensive experience advising those in the aviation industry—including commercial and regional airlines, flight schools, fixed-based operators, and Part 135 charter operators. He has defended clients in complex commercial litigation and issues concerning wrongful death, aircraft crashes, construction, and product and premises liability. Additionally, he represents aviation insurers in coverage litigation and advises the carriers on coverage issues and extra-contractual exposure. A significant portion of Peter's practice involves providing advice and counsel to insurance carriers in coverage and extra-contractual litigation.

Before joining Hinshaw, Peter furthered his litigation experience with firms in Miami and Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Most recently, he practiced at a Miami-based firm where he litigated mass tort and product and premises liability matters.

During law school, Peter was active in a number of activities and associations, including serving as the business editor for The Wake Forest Journal of Law and Policy.

• American Bar Association
  • Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section (TIPS)
    • Aviation and Space Law Committee, Co-Chair
    • Comm - Law Journal Editorial Board Standing Committee, Editor, 2024 – 2025
    • Insurance Coverage Litigation General Committee, Vice Chair, 2024 – 2025
    • Litigation and Trial Practice General Committee, Vice Chair, 2024 – 2025

• Selected by his peers for inclusion in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch for Commercial Litigation, 2023 – 2025; and Litigation – Construction, 2024 –2025 

Aviation Litigation

• Represented an aircraft owner recovering a jet involved in a dispute with a charter operator—successfully coordinated aircraft repossession in another jurisdiction the charter operator wrongfully held.
• Obtained judgment in favor of an aircraft repair facility that brought suit to foreclose on liens performed on an aircraft.

Aviation Transactions

• Represented a South American regional airline in acquiring a multi-million dollar U.S.-registered aircraft.

Toxic Tort Litigation

• Obtained multiple summary judgments in favor of our client involving various toxic tort matters where the plaintiffs alleged exposure to various chemicals arising from an oil spill caused certain chronic conditions.
• Obtained multiple voluntary dismissals with prejudice where an express condition of the dismissals was the payment of costs to our client-defendant.

Insurance Coverage

• Obtained judgment on the pleadings in favor of an insurance carrier in an insurance declaratory judgment action involving a commercial lines policy.

• "Air Ambulances and the Airline Deregulation Act: Two Typical Ways Plaintiff's Counsel Tries to Avoid Federal Preemption," DRI's For the Defense, December 2018
• "Narayanan v. British Airways: When the Ninth Circuit 'Leaves No Room for Flexibility,' the Court Means It," DRI's For the Defense, December 2016