Peter A. Cress is an Associate in the Sacramento office of Liebert Cassidy Whitmore, where he provides expert advice and counsel on labor and employment law matters, as well as conducting workplace investigations.
Prior to joining LCW, Peter served as Interim Chief of Police at Cal Poly Humboldt, providing executive leadership to the University Police Department, fostering relationships within the campus community, and managing operations, investigations, patrol, and training. He also conducted and documented internal investigations to ensure compliance with laws and policies, developed policies to meet strategic goals, and served as a trusted advisor to executive leadership.
Peter’s extensive legal experience includes operating a private law practice since 2006, where he advised on employment and contract matters, wrote persuasive legal documents, and represented clients before regulatory agencies. His career also includes serving as a Lieutenant at the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, where he managed complex internal investigations, training units, policy development, and records unit restructuring.
Earlier in his career, Peter served as In-House Counsel for the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department, where he advised on employment law, contract law, civil rights, and criminal procedure matters, and represented the Sheriff in state and federal court. He also litigated civil rights, contract, and real estate matters as an attorney at a prominent Northern California law firm and handled investigative and patrol duties as a detective at the Eureka Police Department.
Peter earned his Juris Doctorate from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law, where he received the Dean’s Scholarship for Academic Achievement and was a member of the Traynor Society for Academic Achievement. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Geography with a minor in Communication from California State University, Humboldt, graduating summa cum laude. He is currently a Ph.D. candidate in Criminal Justice at Liberty University.
