PJ Harari is a Partner in Southern California, where she has been since the inception of the Los Angeles, Orange County and San Diego offices which she helped launch 19 years ago. In 2007, she became the firm’s Co-Global Practice Leader for In-House, as part of the team overseeing the strategic development of the firm’s corporate practice on a worldwide basis. Prior to this promotion, from January 2004–2007, she also headed the In-House Practice Group for Southern California, managing a team of eight recruiters and business developers. Today, PJ’s practice is nationwide and focuses primarily on conducting senior/compliance and general counsel searches on behalf of emerging market to Fortune 100 corporate law departments across industries. In addition to personally handling all aspects of those searches including conducting candidate assessments, she assists clients with her expertise in compensation and retention strategies.

PJ, who was born and raised in New York City, has lived in the Manhattan/Hermosa Beach area of Southern California since 1987. She is fluent in French and has traveled extensively around the world, having visited more than 48 countries.

Experience

PJ practiced in the corporate department of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher’s Los Angeles office and served on the Hiring Committee. In 1992, she co-founded the publishing company, First Base Sports Inc., which is still in existence, and wrote more than a dozen books about team sports.

Prior to joining Major, Lindsey & Africa, PJ established Kozmo.com’s Los Angeles operations (in partnership with Amazon and Starbucks), where, as VP/general manager, she hired, trained and managed a staff of 600. Since leaving the practice of law, PJ has worked with a number of startup and technology firms, advising on areas such as marketing, operations, business development, strategy, leadership, HR and recruiting over the past 25 years.

Speaking Engagements

November 4, 2009: Panelist, General Counsel Roundtable, hosted by Gibson Dunn & Crutcher, “Key Issues and Trends in Law Department Compensation and Talent Management”
November 10, 2010: Panelist, General Counsel Roundtable, hosted by Gibson Dunn & Crutcher, “Key Issues and Trends in Law Department Compensation and Talent Management”
March 10, 2011: Panelist, Orange County Intellectual Property (OCIP) Roundtable hosted by Latham & Watkins, “Current Compensation Trends in In-House Legal Departments”
April 23, 2014: Panelist, “The Big Payback: A Candid Discussion of General Counsel Compensation Trends”, sponsored by Skadden Arps
May 22, 2014: Panelist, “Marketing Yourself & How to Work with Recruiters” – ACC SoCal Works, sponsored by Anaheim Angels
June 3, 2014: Speaker, Navigating Career Paths, Inside Counsel Executive Leadership Conference
November 13, 2014: Panelist, Women In-House Legal Leaders Workshop, hosted by Project 5/165 and Sheppard Mullin, “Critical Leadership Competencies for the Law Department Leaders of the Future”
April 29, 2015: Panelist, Trio Webinar Series, presented by Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) and Seyfarth Shaw LLP, Operations and Strategy: “Do You Have What It Takes to Be General Counsel?”
May 19, 2015: Moderator, Project 5/165, General Counsel Panel, presented by Inside Counsel and Sheppard Mullin, “Strategic Thinking”
June 23, 2016: Panelist, “Getting What You Want: Strategies for Obtaining New Jobs, Promotions and Raises” ACC SoCal Works at The London West Hollywood
July 13, 2016: Panelist, Webinar presented by the Association of Corporate Counsel Health Law Committee Advocacy/Career Development (A/C) Series: “Career Advice: Managing Your Health Care/Life Sciences Career”
October 4, 2016: Panelist. Webinar presented by the Association of Corporate Counsel Real Estate and Finance Committees: “Career Advice: The Path to General Counsel and In the General Counsel Role”
May 2, 2017: Panelist. Nationwide Webinar presented by the Association of Corporate Counsel: “EQ vs. IQ: What Is It? Why Does It Matter? And How Do Hiring Managers Test For It?”
July 11, 2017: Panelist. Nationwide Webinar presented by the Association of Corporate Counsel: “Career Development in the Evolving Workplace”
November 29, 2017: Panelist, “Trends in General Counsel Compensation Trends”, co-presented with Skadden Arps and Willis Towers Watson
April 20, 2018: Panelist, Project 20/35, Workshop presented by Women’s In-House Counsel Leadership Institute (WIHCL) and Ogletree Deakins, “General Counsel Fireside Chat: Developing the Right Practical and Soft Skills to Become a Successful General Counsel”
June 12, 2018: Panelist. Nationwide Webinar presented by the Association of Corporate Counsel: “The Important Role of Emotional Intelligence and How Hiring Managers Test For It”
June 27, 2019: Panelist. “The Scoop on the In-House Legal Market” presented by SunLaw Orange County and hosted by Stradling Yocca Carlson & Rauth

Articles

March 10, 2017: The Recorder: “What It Takes to Work in Silicon Beach as a Lawyer” http://www.therecorder.com/home/id=1202781044244/What-It-Takes-to-Work-in-Silicon-Beach-as-a-Lawyer
August 2, 2017: Corporate Counsel: “Part I: Making the Most of the Role: Advice for New General Counsel” by PJ Harari, Partner and Global Practice Leader – In House, Corporate Counsel
http://www.corpcounsel.com/top-stories/id=1202794585566/Making-the-Most-of-the-Role-Advice-for-New-General-Counsel?mcode=1202614998157&curindex=0&slreturn=20170704192335
August 3, 2017: Corporate Counsel: “Part II: Serving as a GC Requires More Than Legal Savvy”, by PJ Harari, Partner and Global Practice Leader – In House, Corporate Counsel

http://www.corpcounsel.com/id=1202794679791/Part-II-Serving-as-a-GC-Requires-More-Than-Legal-Savvy?mcode=1202614998157&curindex=1&curpage=2

Education

University of Chicago School of Law: J.D. o Managing Editor and one of the Founders of Legal Forum
The Anderson School at UCLA (Graduate School of Management): M.B.A., Marketing and Entrepreneurship o 1st place in the Venture Capital Competition (for the honor of representing UCLA at the National Moot Corp Competition in Austin, Texas)
L’Université Paris-Sorbonne: Certificate in French Language and Civilization
University of Rochester: B.A., Political Science, French and International Relations, magna cum laude o Elected Phi Beta Kappa

Associations

California Bar
Grades of Green Docent
LiveWell Kids Nutrition Docent
Hermosa Valley PTO – Grade Level Coordinator
Sand Tots, Board Member
MBX, Mira Costa Boys’ Water Polo – Board Member/Vice President

Contact

pjharari@mlaglobal.com

Office: 213.689.0708