Otis Felder is a distinguished partner and the Co-Chair of Maritime Practice at Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman & Dicker LLP, a leading national defense litigation firm. A Harvard-trained forensic and educational psychologist, Felder is pursuing a doctorate in organizational change and leadership at the USC Rossier School of Education. With more than 30 years of trial and appellate experience spanning multiple jurisdictions on the West Coast and Hawai’I, and as a Proctor Member of the Maritime Law Association for 25 years, the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization recognizes Felder as an Admiralty & Maritime Law Specialist. He previously served as corporate counsel for Princess Cruises and Cunard Line, giving him an in-depth understanding of the maritime sector. He also is co-chair of the firm’s LGBTQIA+ Employee Resource Group and is a Wellness Ambassador.

Before joining Wilson Elser, Felder served as a Deputy City Attorney in Los Angeles, where he successfully prosecuted hundreds of criminal violations from arraignment through jury trial, achieving a 98% conviction rate, and having also took part in over 10,000 criminal arraignments. Following a clerkship with the Hon. Wallace Douglass in the Criminal Division of the San Francisco Superior Court, Felder volunteered to train cadets from the Los Angeles Police Department in testifying for various court proceedings. He serves as a special master and discovery referee by special appointment of the Los Angeles Superior Court in executing search warrants that involve privilege holders such as other attorneys and medical providers. He also spent time working in the U.S. Senate, for then-Sen. Al Gore and later for then-Sen. Alan Cranston. He also worked for California Lt. Gov. Leo McCarthy.

Felder earned his AB in economics from the University of Michigan, followed by a master’s degree in international relations from the University of San Diego and later earned his JD from the University of San Francisco School of Law, where he was editor-in-chief of the USF Maritime Law Journal and later served on its board of advisors. Most recently, he completed a second master’s degree in liberal arts for extension studies in psychology at Harvard, where he achieved recognition on the Dean’s List for his academic excellence, including his work focusing on developing grit in educating SOGI minority youth through mentorship in reaching career goals and research in psychology working with the judicial system in reducing recidivism in people suffering addictive behaviors leading to criminal conduct.