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
Successful trial win in breach of contract claim in Orange County Superior Court. For over two years, a homeowner customer of the firm’s client, a local construction company, refused to pay the full terms of the contract. After a two-day trial, Pearl Legal, APC recovered the full amount owed to our client, with the additional recovery of costs and attorney’s fees.
Pearl Legal, APC obtains a full defense verdict in retaliation/discrimination/failure to accommodate claims in Los Angeles Superior Court. Plaintiff refused to consider any pre-trial settlement and attempted to put the Defendant, the firm’s client, out of business. Following the close of Plaintiff’s case, Plaintiff’s counsel demanded $595,000 in settlement. However, Pearl Legal, APC, on behalf of Defendant, successfully brought a non-suit claim following Plaintiff’s close, eliminating a number of claims, including retaliation and punitive damages. For the remaining claims, the jury deliberated for less than an hour providing a full defense verdict. Pearl Legal, APC not only successfully defended the case, but obtained a costs judgment against Plaintiff for over $7,000 (payable to the Defendant).
Successful Special Motion to Strike on behalf of a private school and church, including the recovery of more than $13,000 in client-attorney fees.
Successfully disposed pre-trial of all claims against individual owners and the company entity against a former employee claiming fraud and breach of contract claims.
Successfully obtained summary adjudication of all wrongful termination-related (discrimination and retaliation) in arbitration by an hourly employee against his former employer.
Successfully quashed service of a complaint against an Arizona corporation on jurisdictional grounds where the Plaintiff attempted to subject the firm’s client to California consumer laws. The Plaintiff never sought any other claims against the client.
Pearl Legal, APC was retained to enforce and obtain a Workplace Violence Restraining Order against a client’s former employee where prior counsel was unable to obtain such an order. After a multi-day hearing, Pearl Legal, APC obtained a three-year restraining order for its client.
Obtained a dismissal of all wage and wrongful termination-related claims against a California business and business owner prior to trial.
Pearl Legal, APC was retained to assist a client in a multi-million-dollar class action lawsuit over unpaid wages to union employees. Within 3 weeks of retention, Pearl Legal, APC negotiated a full settlement and saved the client $1M over what the prior counsel was recommending they settle for.
Successful resolution, without payment, of numerous pre-litigation settlement demands from various Plaintiff’s counsel.