Petra G. Bergman

Petra is an associate in the Vorys Cincinnati office and a member of the litigation group.  She has broad complex commercial litigation practice representing large corporations, small businesses and individuals in both state and federal courts, including extensive experience with consumer class actions.  She has in-depth experience in all major stages of the litigation process, including procedural and dispositive motions, including motions for class certification and appellate briefs, serving and responding to written discovery, taking and defending individual and corporate depositions, and representing clients in mediations and settlement negotiations. 

Career highlights include:

• Successfully defending life insurer in a putative class action alleging misrepresentation
• Negotiating successful resolutions of statewide consumer class actions, in federal and state court
• Representing defendants and plaintiffs in nationwide class actions
• Obtaining summary judgment award of more than $10 million on behalf of a large institution in commercial loan dispute
• Successfully obtaining dismissal of insurance-related disputes at both the pleading and summary judgment stage
• Obtaining favorable results in multiple interpleader cases for life insurer
• Defending a large real estate developer in multi-million-dollar mechanic’s lien and construction dispute
• Successfully obtaining summary judgment while defending a non-compete action
• Negotiating successful resolutions of pre- and post-lawsuit matters on behalf of clients ranging from individuals to national companies

Petra received her J.D. from the University of Cincinnati College of Law, where she was an associate member of the University of Cincinnati Law Review.  During her 1L summer in law school, she interned at the Special Tribunal for Lebanon in The Hague, Netherlands.  Prior to attending law school, she informally pursued her hobby of being a home chef by earning a Culinary Arts Certificate.  She received her B.A. from Wheaton College (MA), where she spent 12 months studying abroad at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand.

Outside of the courtroom, Petra enjoys cooking and baking, attending concerts and international travel.

Professional & Community Activities

Vorys Diversity Equity and Inclusion Committee Member, 2021–Present

Cincinnati Bar Association, Member

HRC Greater Cincinnati, Steering Committee 2023–Present

Adjunct Professor, Complex Civil Litigation, University of Cincinnati College of Law, Spring 2025