Christien Francis Petersen

Christien Francis Petersen

5.0
Rating: 7.0

Licensed for 17 years

Criminal defense Lawyer at Los Angeles, CA
Practice Areas: Criminal Defense, DUI & DWI, Expungement

11500 West Olympic Boulevard., Suite. 400, Los Angeles, CA

This lawyer was disciplined by a state licensing authority in 2023
See Details

About Christien

Biography

Practice Areas

Fees and Rates

Cost

Free Consultation

$0 first 30 minutes


Payment Methods

  • Cash
  • Check

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Licenses

Licensed in California for 17 years

State: California

Acquired: 2008

Not Eligible to Practice Law (Not Entitled)

Lawyer disciplined by state licensing authority in 2023

Location

The Law Office of Christien F. Petersen

11500 West Olympic Boulevard., Suite. 400, Los Angeles, CA, 90064

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Christien Francis Petersen's Reviews

Avvo Review Score

5.0 /5.0

9 Client Reviews

Filter Avvo Reviews (9) Refine reviews to match your needs. Use the filters to quickly surface reviews that align with your case or priorities.

Showing 1 - 3 of 3 reviews | General Knowledge

Posted by Supriya | July 03, 2015 | Lawsuits & Disputes

Review

I had a very complicated and emotionally draining case and I was at the end of my wits. With christien's reassuring ways and professional approach I was able to get a more positive response. I would recommend him to everyone just because he cares and is very knowledgeable in the way he takes care ...of the situation I am grateful

Posted by Brett | July 25, 2014 | Family

If your needs fall into his practice, don't even hesitate to hire him.

All my life I thought I'd never need an attorney. However life never gives you what you want and my girlfriend and I were forced to deal with some legal issues that arose from actions perpetrated by her former husband. We had made contact with other lawyers most of whom were probably very good at wha...t they do however would barely even provide a consultation unless you were ready to pay their fees and hire them on the spot. Christien was different, he provided the best legal consultation prior to hiring that I've ever experienced and went above and beyond what any other lawyer I've contacted was willing to do. When you speak with him his knowledge of the law is very apparent and while I am no legal expert I do have a college degree in criminal justice so I can tell when someone is full of it or not. Christien's knowlege in regard to our legal issue was definitely above and beyond what I know and I felt extremely confident in everything he did and rightly so because everything he did produced desirable results. He's done everything and more than he's been asked to do and thinks two steps ahead of what we need so nothing is missed and everything that needs to get done, and is done RIGHT. I was also extremely impressed with his level of responsiveness and attentiveness. He always answered either through email or text any questions or requests I had and if I needed contact throughout the day would tell me when he'd be unavailable such as when he was seeing another client who is incarcerated. Not only was he responsive but he kept me informed on the progress of any tasks such as writing legal responses without me even asking him to do so, automatically forwarding me fax confirmations etc. without me even asking him to do so. He's on top of it. Overall, my experience with Christien has been nothing but extremely positive and he has given me the confidence to not worry about my legal matters because I know they're being taken care of by an extremely professional and expert attorney. Look him up and hire him if your matters fall into his expertise, you won't regret it!

Posted by Blake | July 24, 2014 | Lawsuits & Disputes

Very Happy

Christien Petersen impressed me from day 1. He is a shark of a lawyer and super knowledgable. I had a pretty serious case starring me in the face and he was able to acheive a "better than great" result. Other attorneys I know even said "I cant beleive he got you that deal". More importantly, duri...ng the entire case he really took an interest in my life and my well being. He has been a friend and a mentor ever since. Please feel free to contact me directly with any questions about Mr. Petersen.

See All Client Reviews

Christien Francis Petersen's Lawyer Endorsements

Endorse Christien
Negin Yamini headshot
Negin Yamini

Criminal defense lawyer | May 23

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Mr. Petersen is an outstanding attorney, incredibly knowledgeable and talented, and a zealous advocate for his clients. He provides hands-on, first rate legal representation, and is very well respected by judges and prosecutors. He has my highest recommendations!"

Michael Stewart Phillips headshot
Michael Phillips

Criminal defense lawyer | Mar 22

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I went through law school with Christien. He is tough, sharp, and dedicated. I confirmed that he is an attorney to respect when I watched him put on the perfect argument in a probation matter a few months ago. Lawyering is a complex art that requires talent; he has it."

Judd S Nemiro headshot
Judd Nemiro

Unknown lawyer | Oct 23

Relationship: Other

"This Attorney is a well respected member of the legal industry, they go above and beyond to fight for their clients and I highly recommend them for legal counsel."

William Michael Aron headshot
William Aron

Criminal defense lawyer | Oct 22

Relationship: Worked together on matter

"Christien is a very thorough attorney and he knows how to get results for his clients. He is especially talented at navigating complex systems and situations and I reccommend him."

John Benjamin Chason headshot
John Chason

Criminal defense lawyer | Aug 21

Relationship: Worked together on matter

"I have worked with Christien on several criminal matters. I have found him to be knowledgeable and very forceful in pursuing his client's interests. I regularly refer clients to him who are in need of skilled criminal representation."

Anna Reese Yum headshot
Anna Yum

Criminal defense lawyer | Aug 18

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Christien Petersen is an excellent trial attorney who works very hard for his clients. He has a great reputation among the DA's and the judges, which really helps when it comes to negotiating cases on behalf of his clients. I highly endorse his work."

Levon B. Kevorkian headshot
Levon Kevorkian

Criminal defense lawyer | Jul 07

Relationship: Worked together on matter

"I have personally seen Mr. Petersen in trial. Quite frankly, he's outstanding. Simply put, you want a lawyer who has trial experience to represent you, and Mr. Petersen has just that."

Clarisse Casanova Petersen headshot
Clarisse Petersen

Criminal defense lawyer | Apr 05

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Mr. Petersen has quickly become one of the most well-known, successful criminal defense attorneys in Southern California. With the innate ability to combine expert analytical, investigative, and courtroom litigation skills, Mr. Petersen's powerful defense in numerous high-profile cases proves that he has exceptional talent in the field of criminal law. Further, and perhaps most importantly, Mr. Petersen brings the utmost respect, courtesy, and professionalism to the courtroom and, as a result, has earned the same from his clients, the District Attorneys, the courtroom staff, and the judges. I highly recommend Mr. Petersen to anyone looking for a great criminal defense attorney."

Michael Santino Carrillo headshot
Michael Carrillo

Criminal defense lawyer | Mar 12

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Mr. Petersen is a first-rate, top notch attorney. I went to law school with Mr. Petersen but also have had the privilege to see him in court countless times. He is a fierce advocate and someone that I know works hard for his clients. I definitely endorse him."

View All Endorsements
Cole Michael Williams headshot
Cole Williams

Criminal defense lawyer

Negin Yamini headshot
Negin Yamini

Criminal defense lawyer

Brian Jacob Ramsey headshot
Brian Ramsey

Personal injury lawyer

William Michael Aron headshot
William Aron

Criminal defense lawyer

Stuart Goldfarb headshot
Stuart Goldfarb

Criminal defense lawyer

Michael Stewart Phillips headshot
Michael Phillips

DUI and DWI lawyer

John Benjamin Chason headshot
John Chason

Family lawyer

Lee Paul Mankin IV headshot
Lee Mankin

Bankruptcy and debt lawyer

Anna Reese Yum headshot
Anna Yum

Criminal defense lawyer

James Reid Kristy headshot
James Kristy

Employment and labor lawyer

Levon B. Kevorkian headshot
Levon Kevorkian

DUI and DWI lawyer

Michael Santino Carrillo headshot
Michael Carrillo

Criminal defense lawyer

Experience

Rating:  7.0 (Very Good)

Professional misconduct

This lawyer was disciplined by a state licensing authority in 2023.

Interim suspension after conviction issued in CA, 2023

updated on 06/26/2025

This means the attorney temporarily lost his or her license to practice law while the State investigates whether the attorney should be disciplined. The suspension typically expires when the investigation is resolved.

Public reproval with/duties issued in CA, 2021

updated on 04/01/2022

A censure or reprimand issued by the Supreme Court or the State Bar Court that is not a matter of public record unless imposed after the initiation of formal disciplinary proceedings. No period of suspension is imposed. The reproval may be imposed with duties or conditions.

Honors

2019

Rising Star, Super Lawyers

2018

Top 100 Criminal Defense Trial Attorney in Southern California, The National Trial Lawyers

2018

Top 10 Under 40, National Academy of Criminal Defense Attorneys

2017

Top 100 Criminal Defense Trial Attorney in Southern California, The National Trial Lawyers

2016

Top 100 Criminal Defense Trial Attorney in Southern California, The National Trial Lawyers

2015

Top 100 Criminal Defense Trial Attorney in Southern California, The National Trial Lawyers

2015

Top Contributor - Criminal Defense, Avvo.com

2014

Top 100 Criminal Defense Trial Attorney in Southern California, The National Trial Lawyers

2014

Clients' Choice, Avvo.com

2014

Top Contributor, Avvo.com

2012

Outstanding Young Alumni Nominee, Whittier Law School

Work Experience

2013 - Present

Managing Partner, The Law Office of Christien F. Petersen

2010 - 2013

Associate Attorney, The Foxx Firm

2008 - 2009

Law Clerk, Rose Klein & Marias

Associations

2011 - Present

California Public Defenders Association

Member

2013 - 2014

Beverly Hills Bar Association

Sample of Legal Cases

People vs. EG

Count 1 - Hung Jury, County 2 - Not Guilty

People v. IA

Plead to a Wet Reckless, instead of a DUI

United States v. KN

Dismissed

People v. CH

Dismissed

People v. DB

Not guilty on everything except two counts of armed robbery. Client went from over two decades's worth of potential state prison time to 44 months. Was sentenced to 32 months.

People v. JC

Client plead to no time misdemeanors instead of felonies which would have ruined his ability to work.

See More Legal Cases

Education

2008

Whittier Coll Sol

Doctorate of Jurisprudence

2004

Westmont Coll

BA - Bachelor of Arts

Languages

English

Activity

Avvo Rating

Our Rating is calculated using information the lawyer has included on their profile in addition to the information we collect from state bar associations and other organizations that license legal professionals. Attorneys who claim their profiles and provide Avvo with more information tend to have a higher rating than those who do not.

What determines Avvo Rating?
  • Experience & background Years licensed, work experience, education
  • Legal community recognition Peer endorsements, associations, awards
  • Legal thought leadership Publications, speaking engagements
  • Discipline
    This lawyer was disciplined by a state licensing authority in 2023
    Disciplinary information may not be comprehensive, or updated. We recommend that you always check a lawyer's disciplinary status with their respective state bar association before hiring them.
Avvo Rating Levels
10.0 - 9.0 Superb8.9 - 8.0 Excellent7.9 - 7.0 Very Good6.9 - 6.0 Good5.9 - 5.0 Average4.9 - 4.0 Concern3.9 - 3.0 Caution2.9 - 2.0 Strong Caution1.9 - 1.0 Extreme Caution