Clarisse Casanova Petersen

Clarisse C. Petersen is an Associate Attorney in the Orange County 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. She is experienced with all stages of litigation, from case inception to completion, and practices in both state and federal court. Ms. Petersen has also successfully negotiated settlements on behalf of her clients at mediations and settlement conferences.

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

Ms. Petersen received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science and Sociology from the University of California, Los Angeles, where she was on the Dean’s Honors List and Provost’s Honors List of Scholars. Ms. Petersen earned her Juris Doctor from Whittier Law School, where she was a recipient of the Dean’s Merit Scholarship and earned CALI Excellence for the Future awards in Legal Writing; Legal Skills; Professional Skills; and Women, Law & Culture. In addition, she was a member of the school’s Center for Children’s Rights, focusing on disabilities rights and special education law and providing pro bono legal assistance to family and children in administrative and court-based matters. Ms. Petersen was also a member of the Whittier Journal of Child and Family Advocacy, and published an article entitled, Charter Schools: A Step in the Right Direction or a Fourth Left Turn for Public Education?

Ms. Petersen is admitted to practice in all California state courts, the United States District Court of the Center District of California, and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.