Risk Management Corporate Counsel

Peter L. Durante

Esq., MBA, LL.M

Centennial, CO *****@*******-***.***

Mobile: 303-***-**** LinkedIn Profile

Corporate Counsel Legal Operations Strategist Cross-Functional Business Advisor PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY

Strategic, operations-minded Attorney and former General Counsel with 10+ years of experience spanning legal advisory, corporate compliance, contracts, licensing, and risk management across diverse sectors including healthcare, aviation, finance, and professional services.

Known for connecting legal strategy to business outcomes, optimizing internal workflows, and enhancing cross-functional collaboration between legal, IT, HR, and executive leadership. Combines deep legal knowledge (JD + LL.M. in Tax) with business fluency (MBA) to deliver risk-adjusted solutions, drive efficiency, and enable sustainable growth.

Led enterprise-wide risk and compliance programs at a 4,000+ employee security and healthcare services firm, advising executives on regulatory exposure, contract negotiations, and operational planning.

Developed and deployed proprietary legal automation system to streamline estate and business planning documents, reducing drafting time by 60% and scaling service capacity for a boutique practice.

Negotiated complex multi-department contracts across IT, operations, government, and healthcare sectors, aligning terms with regulatory requirements, risk posture, and strategic business objectives. Areas of expertise include:

• Corporate Governance

• Contract Drafting & Negotiation

• Compliance & Licensing

• Legal Operations

• Business Law

• Enterprise Risk Management

• Regulatory Strategy

• Business Entity Structuring

• Legal Tech Automation

• Corporate Governance

• Cross-Functional Communication

• Internal Audits

• M&A Support

• IT Vendor Management

• Business Analytics

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Peter L Durante LLC., Centennial, CO Jan. 2016 to Present Attorney

Founded and scaled a legal consultancy focused on providing corporate counsel services to small and mid-sized businesses. Delivered strategic legal support in contracts, compliance, licensing, risk mitigation, and general business law matters.

• Leads development of a proprietary legal automation system in partnership with a CTO, transforming intake and drafting for legal documents and cutting processing time by 60% through structured data capture and workflow improvements.

• Structures corporations, LLCs, and partnerships for clients in regulated industries, providing compliance oversight, negotiation support, and governance documentation that aligns with business and legal requirements.

• Builds strategic collaborations with advisors, consultants, and vendors to enhance service offerings, delivering legal solutions integrated with financial and operational components across various professional sectors.

• Regularly serves as guest speaker and legal educator for business audiences, offering insights on compliance, entity formation, contract risk, and internal control frameworks while fostering stakeholder engagement. HSS Inc., Denver, CO Jan. 2013 to Jan. 2016

Associate General Counsel, Operations Manager

Led legal and compliance functions for a national services provider in healthcare, aviation, and government sectors. Managed legal risk across contracts, audits, and regulatory programs.

• Provided counsel on mergers, acquisitions, licensing, and governance issues, supporting organizational growth through risk mitigation strategies, policy enhancements, and legal oversight across corporate functions.

• Directed negotiation and execution of multi-party service contracts across key departments, addressing service-level expectations, regulatory compliance, indemnity terms, and liability allocation.

• Oversaw comprehensive internal audits for legal, HR, finance, and payroll departments, designing a proprietary review framework that helped identify compliance gaps and operational inefficiencies.

• Managed FISMA compliance for IT vendor operations by developing selection criteria, leading procurement negotiations, and ensuring service alignment with organizational data protection mandates.

• Created and operationalized an enterprise risk management program that included stakeholder interviews, scenario planning, and the development of visual risk matrices to prioritize mitigation initiatives. Louis J. Davis P.C., Denver, CO Sept. 2010 to Dec. 2012 Associate

Supported high-net-worth individuals and businesses with legal counsel on estate, tax, and business matters.

• Drafted, negotiated, and reviewed legal instruments including partnership agreements, trust documents, and buy-sell agreements, balancing client goals with tax implications and fiduciary duties.

• Provided legal guidance during business entity formation and restructuring, assisting clients in achieving operational alignment, limiting liability, and preparing appropriate governance documentation.

• Conducted due diligence and compliance reviews in coordination with financial planners and tax professionals to ensure all legal recommendations adhered to relevant statutory and fiscal frameworks.

• Led probate case administration and estate resolution activities, including asset inventories, creditor negotiations, and court documentation to maintain accuracy and meet court-mandated deadlines. PREVIOUS EMPLOYMENT

Richey May & Co. Tax Audit, Englewood, CO 2010

Tax Advisor

Prepared and e-filed federal, multi-state, and local returns for individuals, partnerships, and LLCs, researching nexus and apportionment rules to ensure compliance and capture credits.

• Audited books and source docs, reconciled GL to 1099/W-2s, and computed liabilities per IRC/state regs, identifying adjustments that cut penalties/interest by up to 15%.

• Managed all extension workflows tracked deadlines, and optimized Lacerte/UltraTax processes to deliver error-free filings and audit-ready documentation.

TransTracheal Systems Inc., Englewood, CO 2001 to 2015 Consultant (2009 to 2015), Manager (2002 to 2009), Internship (2001) Prepared and submitted copyright and trademark applications for product manuals and medical device techniques, achieving successful registration with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for all filings.

• Developed legal and regulatory content for internal manuals and physician-facing documents, ensuring brand protection, intellectual property clarity, and instructional accuracy across medical applications. EDUCATION

Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Taxation 2009

University of Denver Sturm College of Law and the Daniels College of Business, Denver, CO Juris Doctor (J.D.) 2008

University of Denver Sturm College of Law, Denver, CO Master of Business Administration (MBA) with an emphasis Finance and Accounting 2006 Regis University, Denver, CO

Bachelor of Science (BS) in Business 2003

Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO

LICENSES, TRAINING, AND CERTIFICATIONS

• Member, Colorado State BAR and Bar Association

• FINRA Series 6, 63, 65

• Colorado Division of Insurance – Accident and Health, Life, Variable Products

• Accredited VA Attorney

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