Russell G. Petti is a former Major in the United States Marine Corps.  He served as a Marine aviator, was a designated Weapons and Tactics Instructor, and was awarded an Air Medal (with gold numeral one) arising out of a successful night pursuit of an airborne narcotics smuggler. After leaving active duty, he graduated first in his class at Emory University School of Law, with awards in (among other areas) criminal, constitutional, contract, income tax and business law fields of study. After law school, Mr. Petti worked as an Associate in one of the most prestigious law firms in the country.
 
Mr. Petti subsequently served as an Assistant United States Attorney with the Central District of California. In that position he led investigations and conducted prosecutions in a wide range of areas, including narcotics and firearms trafficking, tax evasion, money laundering, violent crimes and various manners of fraud. 

After leaving government service, Mr. Petti became a member of the firm of Bannan, Green, Frank & Terzian LLP. There, he was privileged to represent some of the country’s largest companies, in matters involving ERISA, first party “bad faith” insurance, general commercial law, municipal liability, and “white collar” criminal law.

At present he is a sole practitioner, largely representing consumers and working people fighting for their rights. He has tried over a dozen cases, including a jury trial lasting over seven months.  He has argued over twenty cases before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and has currently won six reversals in a row before that Court.