We are thrilled to see others recognize the leadership of Waters Kraus & Paul's Founding Partner, Peter Kraus. He is this year's recipient of the Larry Schoenbrun Jurisprudence Award awarded annually by the Anti-Defamation League Texoma. The award is presented to a member of the legal community for outstanding leadership, exemplary contributions to the community, and a commitment to the ideals of ADL, the leading anti-hate organization in the world.
As a firm, we've witnessed Peter's leadership and fearless commitment to justice, tolerance and inclusivity inside and outside our firm's walls. An active member of our community, Peter is a board member of the Dallas Holocaust Museum, the Southwestern Medical Foundation and public radio and television station KERA. He also serves on the Board of Governors of the American Association for Justice and the board of the Texas Trial Lawyers Association.
Peter is an ardent supporter of consumer and victims’ rights, having testified before the Texas Legislature and frequently lobbied Congress on behalf of asbestos litigants. Peter also serves on several asbestos bankruptcy creditor and trustee advisory committees. In January 2020, he was appointed by Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, to serve a second 5-year term on the board of the Federal Judicial Center Foundation. He also served his alma mater as a member of the Duke University Annual Fund executive committee and is a former chairman of the boards of the Greenhill School and the St. Paul Medical Foundation.
Our firm, Waters Kraus & Paul, has been a proud sponsor of the ADL’s annual Walk Against Hate since its inception in 2019. The event works to promote diversity, respect and inclusion. Peter also served on the board of the Public Interest Law firm, an organization he and the firm continue to support.
A Dallas, Texas native, Peter attended Duke University for his bachelor’s degree and received his law degree from the University of Texas. He is a member of the Dallas Bar Association and The National Trial Lawyers: Top 10 Asbestos/Mesothelioma Trial Lawyers Association, an invitation-only honor. Licensed to practice law in Texas, California, Hawaii, Missouri, and Virginia, Peter has been elected for membership in the American Board of Trial Advocates by his peers. He has been selected by his peers for inclusion in the latest edition of The Best Lawyers in America© magazine for his work on behalf of plaintiffs in Personal Injury Litigation and Product Liability Litigation from 2016 through 2021. He has received this recognition for four consecutive years beginning in 2016. Peter has also been recognized on the D Magazine “Best Lawyers in Dallas” list and the Thomson Reuters Texas Super Lawyers® list repeatedly over the last 20 years.
ADL is the leading anti-hate organization in the world. Founded in 1913, its timeless mission is, “to stop the defamation of the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment to all.” Today, ADL continues to fight all forms of antisemitism and bias, using innovation and partnerships to drive impact. A global leader in combating antisemitism, countering extremism and battling bigotry wherever and whenever it happens, ADL works to protect democracy and ensure a just and inclusive society for all.
