Clarisse C. Petersen is a Principal in the Orange County, California, office of Jackson Lewis P.C. Ms. Petersen represents and counsels employers in all aspects of labor and employment matters, including wrongful termination, harassment, discrimination, retaliation, denial of family and medical leaves, and wage-and-hour violations.

Ms. Petersen is experienced with all stages of litigation, from case inception through trial or arbitration, and practices in both state and federal court. She has served as second chair in jury trials and, most recently, she obtained a unanimous defense verdict following a three-week jury trial in Ventura County Superior Court. Ms. Petersen has also successfully negotiated settlements on behalf of her clients at mediations and settlement conferences.

Ms. Petersen also serves as a local resource to enhance the firm's diversity and inclusion efforts and oversees the onboarding and training process of incoming lateral attorneys and new hires.

Prior to joining Jackson Lewis, Ms. Petersen was a litigation attorney at a national law firm where she defended and advised insurance companies in complex coverage disputes, tort claims, and bad-faith litigation. She also spent years litigating as a plaintiff’s attorney, representing individual and corporate clients in a variety of civil matters, including labor and employment. Ms. Petersen’s dual perspective on the risks of civil litigation provides her with a unique and valuable insight when developing case strategies for her clients.