Bruce D. Praet

Bruce D. Praet

Senior Associate

Areas of Practice

  • Police Litigation Defense
  • Police Administrative Law

Education

  • J.D., Western State University (1985)

Admissions

  • California State Bar
  • United States Supreme Court
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
  • United States District Court for the Central District of California
  • United States District Court for the Southern District of California
  • United States District Court for the Eastern District of California
  • United States District Court for the Northern District of California

Professional Affiliations

  • Martindale-Hubbell, AV Rated
  • Lexipol, LLC, Founders’ Board Member
  • Orange County Police Chiefs & Sheriff’s Association
  • California Peace Officers Association
  • International Chiefs of Police Association
  • Orange Police Foundation, Board Member

After 37 years as a founding partner with the law firm of Ferguson, Praet & Sherman successfully defending law enforcement throughout the state of California, Mr. Praet joined the law firm of Jones Mayer in May 2025. Mr. Praet brings his impressive trial record of defending officers and agencies in officer-involved shootings, K9 application, pursuits and other uses of force cases in federal and state courts to the firm’s Litigation Department. Over the past four decades, Mr. Praet has argued over 30 cases in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals as well as more than a dozen cases in the California appellate courts and the California Supreme Court, with several published decisions benefitting law enforcement.

Mr. Praet is also the co-founder of Lexipol, LLC which provides state-of-the-art policies and training to over 94% of California’s law enforcement agencies as well as over 7500 agencies throughout the country. He is also a nationally recognized speaker and trainer on contemporary issues facing law enforcement and continues to serve on several POST committees, receiving a lifetime for excellence. Mr. Praet continues to remain very active in developing legislation affecting law enforcement in California and works closely with California Police Chiefs and Sheriffs Associations on these issues.

Prior to becoming an attorney, Mr. Praet was honored to become the youngest police officer in California back in 1973 when he began his career at age 19 with the Laguna Beach Police Department. In 1974, he transferred to the Orange Police Department where he spent ten years working a variety of assignments including patrol, SWAT, K9 and detectives. In 1979, Mr. Praet was awarded the Medal of Valor for rescuing two hostages during an officer-involved shooting. It is this career in law enforcement which provides Mr. Praet with the unique insight and understanding necessary to successfully relate to and defend police litigation.