Pete Kestner

Peter Kestner has extensive experience with truck accident cases, both as a private attorney and representative for trucking insurers. He is a co-founder of the law firm McEwen & Kestner. Prior to founding his law firm, Peter served for 10 years as a claims adjuster and litigation manager with one of the largest tractor trailer insurers in the U.S.

Peter earned his B.S. from Skidmore College in 1989, and his J.D. from William Mitchell College of Law in 2001. Peter now uses this defense experience to represent individuals injured by the negligent acts of trucking companies.

Peter has also served as personal counsel to policy holders in disputes with their insurers as well as serving as an expert witness in insurance litigation matters. He sits on the Executive Committee of AAJ’s Interstate Trucking Litigation Group, he is the Amicus Committee Chair for AAJ’s Interstate Trucking Litigation Group and its Special Project Director, he is on the board of directors of Minnesota Association for Justice and he also holds a CPCU professional designation in insurance.  He has litigated truck accident cases in 19 different states in both State and federal Court.  He is also Board Certified in Truck Accident Litigation in Minnesota by the National Board of Trial Advocates (NBTA).

• Certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy in Truck Accident Law
• Past Chair AAJ Trucking Litigation Group
• Chair AAJ Bus Litigation Group 2017-present
• Co-Chair, Amicus Curiae Committee, AAJ Trucking Litigation Group 2011-present.
• Minnesota Association for Justice Board of Directors 2012-present.
• Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys- Board of Regents

https://triallawyernation.com/episode/45-peter-kestner/

LEGAL BACKGROUND

• Admitted to Bar, 2001, Minnesota and US District Court of Minnesota
• Appeared Pro-Hac Vice in Trucking Cases in the following jurisdictions: District of Colorado, Western District of Kentucky, Wyoming State Court, New York State Court, Iowa State Court, Illinois State Court, Wisconsin State Court, Kentucky State Court, South Carolina State Courts, District of North Carolina, Nevada State Court and North Dakota State Court, District of Utah, Texas State Courts, North Dakota State Courts, South Dakota State Courts, District of Mississippi.

Bar Admission

• State of Minnesota
• State of Wisconsin
• State of Iowa
• State of North Dakota
• US District Court
  • District of Minnesota
  • Southern District of Iowa

Education

• Skidmore College (B.S. 1989)
• William Mitchel College of Law (J.D. 2001)

PUBLICATIONS AND LECTURES

• Speaker: AAJ Summer Convention, Understanding the Transport Cycle, Summer 2019
• Speaker: AAJ Jazz Fest, Negotiation Matters, Winter 2019
• Speaker: New Jersey Association for Justice, The Defense Perspective, Spring 2019
• Speaker:  Stratford Webinar- Finding the Hidden Motor Carrier, Fall 2018
• Speaker: Kentucky Association for Justice- The Broker Defense, Summer 2018
• Speaker: AAJ Members Only Truck Group- Trial of a Punitive Damage Truck Case
• Speaker:  New Jersey Association for Justice: Maximizing the Recovery in Truck Cases, Spring 2018
• Speaker: 2018 Winter Convention AAJ, Negotiations Matter
• Speaker: National Board of Trial Advocacy, Summer 2018) (Understanding Broker Cases
• Speaker: Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys, Summer 2018- (Understanding the Transportation Cycle
• Course Chair and Lecturer- AAJ Trucking College, Spring 2018
• Course Chair/Moderator:  AAJ Annual Convention, Summer 2017, Trucking Litigation Group.
• Speaker: Ohio Association for Justice, Spring 2017- Trucking Insurance
• Speaker: Florida Justice Association Winter 2016: Hell on the Highways, Maximizing the Recovery in Trucking Cases
• Speaker: ATAA Fall 2016 “Truck Insurance 101”
• Speaker/Course Chair: 2016 AAJ Trucking College
• Speaker:  “Rules in Trucking Cases” (AAJ Summer Convention 2016)
• Speaker: “Mediating the Trucking Case” (Minnesota Association for Justice May 2016
• Speaker: “Maximizing Settlement in Auto Cases” (360 Advocacy Seminar Spring 2016).
• Speaker: “Understanding the Transportation Cycle” (New Jersey Association for Justice-Boardwalk Seminar 2016)
• Speaker: “Mediating Trucking Cases” (Minnesota Association for Justice- Spring 2016).

• Co-author: “Potential Source of Recovery in Commercial Trucking Case” The Advocate, Vol. 41 #5 (Kentucky Justice Association Sept./Oct 2013)
• Author- “Broker Liability for Negligent Selection of an Independent Contractor”, Minnesota Trial, Volume 37, No. 4 (Minnesota Association for Justice Fall 2012).
• Author- “Broker Liability for Negligent Selection of an Independent Contractor”, Interstate Trucking Litigation Group Newsletter (Fall 2012)
• Author- “The MCS-90 Endorsement: No Coverage? No Problem, Minnesota Trial (Minnesota Association for Justice Summer 2008)
• Author- “Trucking Insurance Chapter” Truck Accident Litigation, 3rd Edition, (American Bar Association 2012)
• Speaker- “Debunking the Broker Defense” Interstate Trucking Litigation Group Broker Shipper Liability Seminar, October 2013
• Speaker- “Debunking the Broker Defense” Interstate Trucking Litigation Group Broker Shipper Liability Seminar, June 2013
• Speaker- “Finding all Defendants in Wrongful Death Trucking Cases” Minnesota Association for Justice Wrongful Death Seminar, May 2013
• Speaker- “Technology in Trucking Cases” New Jersey Boardwalk Seminar, April 2013
• Speaker- “ Insurance Company Rules” 360 Advocacy Group, Trucking Litigation Seminar, May 2012
• Speaker- “ Insurance Company Rules” Kentucky Justice Association, Trucking Litigation Seminar, June 2012
• Speaker- “ Insurance Company Rules” Tennessee Justice Association, Trucking Litigation Seminar, March 2012
• Speaker- “Maximizing Your Recovery: Finding Insurance Coverage, Minnesota Association for Justice Successfully Litigating the Commercial Truck Case, November 2010
• Speaker- “Insurance Company Rules: Strategies for Maximizing Recovery- IPITLA Seminar, September 2009
• Speaker- “Defense of Trucking Cases, Why Commercial Motor Vehicle Cases are Different, May 2007