SILICON VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL
SILICON VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL
APRIL 8, 2016
SILICON VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL Jessica Perry Partner | Orrick
LESLIE GRIFFY Contributor Jessica Perry is an employment attorney tackling some of Silicon Valley’s highest-profile employment cases. As a partner at Orrick, she represented venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins in a gender discrimination suit filed by former partner Ellen Pao. Perry has successfully represented other high profile clients, including Apple, Gap, Banana Republic, Roche and others against claims that they failed to provide breaks, overtime, vacation hours or other wage-and-hour class action suits. She’s also helped Apple, AMD and Microsoft fight off harassment and discrimination claims. As the tech economy changes, so has Perry’s caseload. She’s begun advising gig economy companies on issues including employee classification. Perry also has three school-age children. Residence: Redwood City Education: B.S., political science and art history, and J.D., Santa Clara University Job description: I’m an employment lawyer. I help employers in the tech and retail industries stay out of trouble, and I’m there to defend them when they get dragged into court. Where were you born? Eugene, Oregon What was your first job? Newspaper delivery person at age 13 Growing up, you wanted to be: A chef
Career path: Well, this is the only professional job I’ve ever had. But my work in retail before law school really taught me a lot about how to provide great service with a positive attitude! The number of years you have been in your line of work: 16 The best advice you’ve ever received: Don’t take things that happen in business too personally. This is a great piece of advice I learned from my friend, Lynne Hermle. There can be a natural tendency, especially for women, to think that something that doesn’t go your way in a professional setting is about something personal. But usually, whether it is right or wrong, it is a business decision based on factors someone else thought important to the decision they were tasked with making, and has nothing to do with how the person feels about you personally.
Your best advice for others: You can do anything but not everything. Something about you that would surprise others: I really enjoy cooking, and I’m not bad at it! Your favorite gadget: I often wonder how I survived in the time before smartphones. Guilty pleasure: Chocolate, chocolate chip ice cream
This article appeared in the online edition of the Silicon Valley Business Journal on April 8, 2016. It has been reprinted by the Silicon Valley Business Journal and further reproduction by any other party is strictly prohibited. Copyright ©2016 Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal, 125 South Market Street, Suite 1100, San Jose CA 95113
APRIL 8, 2016
SILICON VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL Jessica Perry Partner | Orrick
LESLIE GRIFFY Contributor Jessica Perry is an employment attorney tackling some of Silicon Valley’s highest-profile employment cases. As a partner at Orrick, she represented venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins in a gender discrimination suit filed by former partner Ellen Pao. Perry has successfully represented other high profile clients, including Apple, Gap, Banana Republic, Roche and others against claims that they failed to provide breaks, overtime, vacation hours or other wage-and-hour class action suits. She’s also helped Apple, AMD and Microsoft fight off harassment and discrimination claims. As the tech economy changes, so has Perry’s caseload. She’s begun advising gig economy companies on issues including employee classification. Perry also has three school-age children. Residence: Redwood City Education: B.S., political science and art history, and J.D., Santa Clara University Job description: I’m an employment lawyer. I help employers in the tech and retail industries stay out of trouble, and I’m there to defend them when they get dragged into court. Where were you born? Eugene, Oregon What was your first job? Newspaper delivery person at age 13 Growing up, you wanted to be: A chef
Career path: Well, this is the only professional job I’ve ever had. But my work in retail before law school really taught me a lot about how to provide great service with a positive attitude! The number of years you have been in your line of work: 16 The best advice you’ve ever received: Don’t take things that happen in business too personally. This is a great piece of advice I learned from my friend, Lynne Hermle. There can be a natural tendency, especially for women, to think that something that doesn’t go your way in a professional setting is about something personal. But usually, whether it is right or wrong, it is a business decision based on factors someone else thought important to the decision they were tasked with making, and has nothing to do with how the person feels about you personally.
Your best advice for others: You can do anything but not everything. Something about you that would surprise others: I really enjoy cooking, and I’m not bad at it! Your favorite gadget: I often wonder how I survived in the time before smartphones. Guilty pleasure: Chocolate, chocolate chip ice cream
This article appeared in the online edition of the Silicon Valley Business Journal on April 8, 2016. It has been reprinted by the Silicon Valley Business Journal and further reproduction by any other party is strictly prohibited. Copyright ©2016 Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal, 125 South Market Street, Suite 1100, San Jose CA 95113
