Peter J. Woo

Peter J. Woo is the Office Litigation Manager for Jackson Lewis’ Riverside office, and is a principal in the Orange County office of Jackson Lewis P.C. He is Co-Chair of the firm’s Entertainment and Media Group and a member of the firm’s EPLI Leadership Committee with respect to its nationwide insurance practice. Peter believes that equally important to knowing and understanding the law, a legal advisor must earn the trust of clients by anticipating their questions and offering solutions before they even know there is an issue requiring attention. 

As a triple threat, Peter leverages his experience as a judicial law clerk, in-house counsel, and trial attorney litigating employment matters to advise corporations, not-for profit companies, and private entities to facilitate outcomes that align equally with legal and strategic business goals. He works with clients from the outset to develop litigation strategies, taking a deliberate, step-by-step approach to align with case and client needs. 

Peter defends companies and individuals in litigation and arbitration forums, facing claims of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wrongful termination, defamation, contractual disputes and fraud, including executive compensation disputes and bet-the-company complex employment litigation. He also successfully defends clients against wage and hour litigation on an individual, class action, and/or representative basis under California’s Private Attorneys General Act.  

Peter prioritizes protecting clients’ interests, understanding that each client’s issues are as unique as their businesses. While Peter devotes his energy to serve clients in an array of industries, he has built a significant practice in the entertainment, media, and insurance industries.   In entertainment and media, Peter successfully defended major film production companies, advertising/marketing firms, publications, professional sports teams, music recording studios/labels, online studios, celebrity business ventures, and costume design companies in complex employment litigation and contractual matters.  He also navigates media attention from high-profile lawsuits and assists companies with internal employee concerns.  

In the insurance sector, Peter regularly defends insurance companies, address corporate employment needs, and successfully manages employment claims under EPLI and D&O policies.  His prior work in-house at several insurance companies, where he managed litigation and supervised outside counsel on complex employment and corporate litigation matters, allows him to sharply view issues wholistically from both in-house and litigation perspectives. 

Outside of the office, Peter is active in the Asian American legal and business communities, both nationally and in Southern California. He co-chairs the Litigation Committee for the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association, promoting trial and advocacy skills. Peter is the founder, chairperson and president of the Asian American Insurance Network, a non-profit organization amplifying the voices of Asian-Pacific Islander professionals in the insurance and risk management industries. Additionally, Peter was previously a Board Member of the Orange County Korean Bar Association, who fostered deeper connections between the legal system and the Korean-American community.

Representative Matters

• Trial and arbitration counsel on numerous employment and professional liability cases that resolved favorably for client, including obtaining defense verdict on case involving $3M exposure.
• Lead counsel who brokered a non-monetary settlement of a shareholder derivative lawsuit of celebrity business venture by significantly restructuring six major corporate transactions while negotiating employment termination and release of all claims of its chief executive officer.
• Obtained favorable ruling in dispositive motion resulting in dismissal of $10 million union wage and hour class action.
• Vigorously defended a $3 million employment disability-related lawsuit through summary judgment, which resulted in a nuisance value settlement.
• Obtained favorable resolution of a highly publicized lawsuit alleging sexual harassment against a major advertising agency while negotiating separation of employment with executive.
• Vigorously defended two sexual harassment cases brought by a prominent plaintiff’s law firm against the same employer, leading to the plaintiff’s firm withdrawing as counsel and resulting in a de minimis settlement.
• Obtained dismissal of wage-and-hour matter after negotiating settlement of 4 percent of opening demand.

Honors and Recognitions

• Los Angeles Times, "DEIA Visionary” (2023)
• The Best Lawyers in America©, “Litigation - Labor and Employment” (2023-present)
• Chambers USA, “Labor & Employment” (2021-present)
• Los Angeles Business Journal, “Leaders in Law for Employment Law” inductee, (2019-2020)
• Los Angeles Business Journal, ”Diversity and Inclusion Executive of the Year” inductee, (2021)
• Martindale-Hubbell®, “AV Preeminent® - Peer Rated for Highest Level of Professional Excellence” (2018-present)
• Southern California Super Lawyers,® “Rising Stars” (2020) and “Super Lawyers” (2023-present)

Published Works

• "Background Check Laws: California," Westlaw Practical Law State Q&A (January 2025) [Author]
• "With Trump taking an ax to DEI, these are the ways companies can legally bulletproof their diversity practices," Business Insider (January 2025)
• “Why is California Such a Hotbed for Employment Litigation,” Willis Tower Watson (August 2022) [Co-Author]
• “Employers are Bracing for Four Types of Employment Claims Arising Out of the COVID-19 Pandemic,” Advisen Front Page News (May 2020) [Co-Author]
• “Virus Could Spur Avalanche of Tort and Employment Litigation,” Courthouse News (March 2020)

Speeches

• “Cradle to Grave and Everything in Between: The Lifespan of an EPL Claim” (Virtual, January 2025) (presenter)
• “Let’s Talk Ethics: A Review of Common Ethical Issus in Legal & Employment Relationships” (Chicago, November 2024) (presenter)
• “2024 Update – What We Are Watching in Employment Law” (Virtual, September 2024)”
• “Moving the Diversity Needle” (Las Vegas, December 2023) (presenter)
• “DEI in the Insurance and Risk Management Industry: Where Are We Now?“ (Los Angeles, CA, June 2023) (presenter)
• “Wage and Hour Law and EPLI Update in 2023“ (Bermuda, June 2023) (presenter)
• “Employment Practices Liability Trends: The Impact on Insurers and Insureds“ (Bermuda, June 2023) (presenter)
• “Pay Transparency Trends” (New York, NY, February 2023) (presenter)
• “Latest Trends in Employment Practice Liability Claims” (Virtual, September 2022) (presenter)
• “California Mid-Year Employment Law Update” (Virtual, August 2022) (presenter)
• “California as a Hotbed for Employment Litigation: Why and How to Mitigate Risks” (Virtual, July 2022) (presenter)
• “The New Reality of Discrimination Claims in a Post-COVID World” (Palm Desert, CA, March 2022) (presenter)
• “EPL Quarterly: COVID-19 and Federal/State Law Update” (Virtual, March 2022) (presenter)
• “Coronavirus Risk Forecast: Coverage and Claims Analysis for Toxic tort, Employment, Workers’ Compensation, Cyber, and Insurance Policy Concerns” (Virtual, March 2020) (presenter)
• “The Current Legal Landscape of Website Accessibility” (Virtual, March 2020) (presenter)
• “Stay tuned with Employment Law Issues” (New York, NY, June 2019) (presenter)
• “Ensuring that #METOO is Not You Too: Defending a #MeToo Claim, Including Practical Tips for Clients” (New York, NY, May 2019) (presenter)
• “What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You! – Avoiding Accounting Malpractice and California Employment Law Update” (Los Angeles, CA, April 2019) (presenter)
• “Sex Drugs and Real Estate” (Los Angeles, CA, April 2019) (presenter)
• “Sex, Drugs and Claims Management: 2019 Developments on #MeToo and Marijuana in the Workpace” (New York, NY, June 2019) (presenter)
• “Construction Law 101: Tools to Manage Risk in Employment, Contracts, Insurance, Bonds, and More” (Los Angeles, CA, January 2019)
• “Employment and Wage and Hour Issues Today: A Guide on New and Existing Labor Laws in California” (Los Angeles, CA, August 2018)
• “Employment and Labor Issues Facing the Apparel Industry” (Los Angeles, CA, June 2018)
• “California Fair Claims Settlement Practices Regulations” (New York, NY, June 2016 and September 2017)
• “Recent Developments in Federal and California Employment Law” (Los Angeles, CA, February 2016)