Tribute: Minnesota Law Mourns the Passing of Peter H. Benzian ’70

Peter H. Benzian ’70, a retired partner in the Los Angeles-based firm of Latham & Watkins, passed away on February 25, at age 81. Raised in Anoka, Minnesota, Benzian earned his undergraduate degree from Dartmouth College. After serving three years in the United States Army, he was accepted into the University of Minnesota Law School.

Upon graduation in 1970, he moved to Los Angeles and joined the small law firm of Latham & Watkins. Over his 35 years practicing there, the firm grew to be one of the largest and most respected law firms in the world. During this rapid growth, Peter moved to the San Diego office from the Los Angeles office in 1984 to further build out the San Diego office’s growing securities litigation practice, eventually serving as chairman of the Litigation Department. His practice emphasized securities-related actions and other complex business disputes involving antitrust, contract, and intellectual property matters. 

At the time of his retirement from the partnership in 2005, Benzian was a member of the American, California, and San Diego Bar Associations. He was also a member of the Board of Governors and a past president of the Association of Business Trial Lawyers of San Diego. He also served on several Foundation boards, including as a director for the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation and as president of the San Diego Volunteer Lawyers Program. He is survived by his wife, Maryly, four children, and six grandchildren.