Jeanette Petersen
Attorney
jpetersen@ij.org

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Jeanette M. Petersen is an attorney with the Institute for Justice Washington Chapter (IJ-WA).  IJ-WA engages in constitutional litigation to secure economic liberty, school choice, private property rights, freedom of speech and other vital individual liberties in state and federal courts.

Jeanette’s practice focuses on occupational licensing and free speech.  She is currently lead attorney in a First Amendment challenge to a law regulating grassroots political speech in Washington State.  She is the author of an occupational licensing report: Entrepreneurship in the Emerald City: Regulations Cloud the Sparkle of Small Business. 

Prior to joining IJ, Jeanette clerked for Judge David Armstrong of the Washington State Court of Appeals, Division II, Justice Richard Sanders of the Washington State Supreme Court, and Judge Ronald Gould of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.  Following her clerkships, Jeanette practiced with Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, P.C. in Kirkland, Washington.

Jeanette received her law degree from the University of Washington, graduating with honors and Order of the Coif.  She received her bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Washington, graduating cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa. 

Jeanette is a member of the Washington State Bar Association and the Puget Sound Lawyers Chapter of the Federalist Society.