CJ Pearl
Founder; Managing Partner
With over 20 years of extensive legal experience, CJ Pearl specializes in employment and business law and represents a diverse range of clients, from corporations and educational institutions to non-profits and executives. CJ is not just a legal expert but also a strategic partner to his clients, offering both a compassionate approach and a tenacious spirit when it comes to high-profile litigation across California and the United States.
“I believe in a preventative approach to advising and defending clients, working to best resolve or avoid litigation in an efficient and economical way. This matter-of-fact approach and professionalism has garnered the respect of my clients, the bench, and opposing counsel.”
- CJ Pearl, Founder; Managing Partner and Employment Litigation Attorney, Pearl Legal
After establishing Pearl Legal, APC, in 2018, CJ successfully expanded the firm’s client base into the hundreds, becoming the go-to legal resource for matters including high-stakes trials and arbitrations.
Prior to founding his own firm, CJ gained invaluable expertise at a major international labor and employment firm. This experience equipped him with the insights and skills to launch Pearl Legal, a prestigious boutique law firm that serves a diverse clientele, from startups and nonprofits to Fortune 500 companies.
CJ’s reputation, from a large-firm corporate lawyer to a boutique law firm owner, continues to grow. From 2012-2016, he was named a Southern California Super Lawyers Rising Star (reserved for no more than 2.5% of lawyers under the age of 40) and in each of the five years leading his own firm, has continued to be named a Southern California Super Lawyer in the Employment Litigation – Defense category (reserved for no more than 5% of all lawyers). CJ is commonly sought out to provide high-level guidance and litigation defense to companies, schools, non-profits, and individuals throughout California and the United States. CJ is an instructor in the UCI DCE (Department of Continuing Education), where he teaches “HR and the Law.”
CJ earned a B.A. in History from the State University of New York, College at Geneseo, graduating as a member of the National History Honor Society, Phi Alpha Theta. While in college, CJ served as a legislative intern for U.S. Congressman and House Leadership member William Paxon. He was also accepted to study Humanities and Literature at Oxford University (New College).
CJ later earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Pittsburgh, School of Law. His matriculation included serving as a certified clinical legal intern with the Pennsylvania Supreme Court and the vice president of the Student Bar Association.
Practice Areas
Employment Litigation
Employment Counseling
Employment Law Compliance
Business Litigation
Internal Investigations
Government Investigations
General Counsel Services
Education
Undergraduate: State University Of New York, College at Geneseo (1998)
Law School: University of Pittsburgh School of Law (2001)
Bar Affiliations/Memberships
State Bar of California
U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
U.S. District Courts
Central, Northern, Southern Districts of California and District of Colorado
A Lawyer with Ties to the Community
CJ spends his downtime enjoying Southern California with his wife, Jenifer (also a lawyer and his business partner), their son and daughter, and their three dogs. For a number of years, CJ was a Little League and travel baseball manager and served on the executive council of the Mission Viejo-area YMCA Adventure Guides Program. CJ volunteers with a number of local non-profits organizations. In his free time, CJ likes to play golf, travel, and attend his children’s high school sporting events.