J.D., New York University School of Law
Peter Bensinger, Jr. is an Adjunct Professor who teaches an experiential workshop seminar on Presentation Skills for Lawyers.
After 28 years of active practice since Bartlit Beck’s founding in 1993, Peter retired from the partnership and the firm’s legal practice in January 2022. Peter Bensinger, Jr.: Bartlit Beck (bartlit-beck.com) He now devotes his time to teaching and civic service. Peter was a nationally recognized pioneer in the use of legal technology in the courtroom, which led the American Lawyer to dub him “The Most Wired Lawyer in America.” While he handled a wide variety of complex commercial cases going to trial, Peter had a focus in intellectual property and pharmaceutical antitrust. He was co-lead counsel for Bayer in the leading “reverse payment” patent antitrust case, In re Ciprofloxacin Hydrochloride Antitrust Litigation, in which Bayer prevailed in the Federal Courts. Although Peter majored in English, he was known for his ability to explain complex science and technology to lay judges, juries, and arbitrators. Representative cases have involved issues of chemistry, immunology, microbiology, injection molding, oral contraceptives, electromagnetic wave resistivity, motor oil, stealth boats, gasoline vapor recovery, and internet recommendation algorithms. Before law school, Peter trained in improv at Chicago’s Second City with founder Paul Sills and then was an actor in New York City with appearances on Saturday Night Live and All My Children. While an actor, Peter was called for jury duty on a cocaine conspiracy trial when his father was the head of the DEA. But the defense lawyer put him on the jury since he was an actor. Post-conviction, the judge debriefed the jury and encouraged Peter to go to law school, which he did at NYU.
Following his associate training at Paul, Weiss in New York, Peter returned to his hometown of Chicago, where he became a featured performer in the Chicago Bar Association’s annual musical satire, appearing as Mayor Richard M. Daley and as President Clinton in the year of the Monica Lewinsky scandal. For over 20 years at Bartlit Beck, Peter had responsibility for professional development (lawyer training), performance reviews, and new lawyer orientation. He offered several unique CLE presentations: “Dealing with Jerks – using Aikido and active listening to deal with difficult opposing counsel” and “Presentation Stagecraft – using fundamental theatre techniques to enhance connection and persuasiveness.” In fall 2019, 2021, 2022, and 2023, Peter taught an undergraduate seminar at Yale University entitled, “Leadership as Behavior: An Experiential Workshop to Practice Core Skills.” In Spring 2021, 2022, and 2023, Peter taught a version of this seminar virtually at the University of Illinois College of Law. During the winter quarter of 2024, Peter taught his Leadership as Behavior class to undergraduates at Northwestern University (Evanston campus).
Peter graduated from Stanford University in 1980 with an A.B. in English with Distinction and with election to Phi Beta Kappa and Pi Mu Iota (the Italian Academic Honor Society). In 1989, Peter received his J.D. from the New York University School of Law. Peter also received a master’s degree in Jewish professional studies from the Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning and Leadership in 2018.