Peter Kanter’s practice focuses on the resolution of state and local tax controversies through negotiation and litigation. Mr. Kanter received his B.A. degree from Columbia University and his J.D. degree, magna cum laude, from Georgetown University, where he was Articles Editor of The Georgetown Law Journal, and elected to the Order of the Coif. After law school, Mr. Kanter was law clerk to the Honorable Richard J. Cardamone on the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. Mr. Kanter joined Morrison & Foerster as an associate in 1991, and was elected as partner in 2000. He became Of Counsel to the firm in 2008.

Mr. Kanter has extensive experience in the area of property tax and real estate transfer tax. He has represented various clients from many different industries, including hotel, telecommunications, oil and gas, power production, shopping centers, professional sports stadiums, sugar refineries, paper manufacturing, and commercial office leasing. Mr. Kanter has prosecuted tax appeals before all levels of California’s courts, taxing authorities, and county assessment appeals boards. Mr. Kanter has helped organize the California State Bar’s Eagle Lodge West Symposium — a property tax reform conference whose participants consist of attorneys who represent the California assessors, the State Board of Equalization, and taxpayers. He has also been active in representing taxpayers in the California State Board of Equalization’s Assessor Handbook and regulation drafting projects, and he has been consulted as a property tax expert on several legislative bills.

Mr. Kanter has also represented clients in several states on sales and use tax and telecommunications tax matters, involving voluntary disclosure agreements (“VDAs”), settlement negotiations and litigation.

Mr. Kanter has written several articles and has lectured extensively on property tax law and procedure. He has been listed as one of Northern California’s tax “Super Lawyers” by in San Francisco Magazine (2006).