CJ Pearl

Founder; Managing Partner

With over 20 years of extensive legal experience, CJ Pearl specializes in employment and business law, representing a diverse range of clients from corporations and educational institutions to non-profits and executives. He 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, 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 non-profits 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” two times a year.

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), and their son and daughter. 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 the Orange County Second Harvest Food Bank and the Community Action Partnership of Orange County, among a number of other non-profits. In his free time, CJ likes to play golf, travel, and attend his children’s sporting events.

 

Client Highlights

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