PETRA DeJESUS, Associate

After graduating from law school, Petra DeJesus focused most of her legal career in public interest law. She represented low income individuals at California Rural Legal Assistance, Mission Community Legal Defense, and the San Francisco Public Defender’s office. As a senior Public Defender trial attorney, she has experience in all aspects of criminal litigation and has completed numerous jury trials including serious felonies and homicides.

In 1995, Ms. DeJesus accepted an opportunity to practice business law with a privately held company in Costa Mesa. As General Counsel for ETM Entertainment Network, she supervised all legal matters during its growth from a start-up company of 25 employees to a national live event and movie ticketing company with approximately 400 employees with offices located in the United States and internationally.

Ms. DeJesus joined Kazan Law in February 2000, excited to return to litigation. She represents workers, bystanders, and their families who are ill or have died from exposure to asbestos. Ms. DeJesus sees the firm’s clients as the backbone of our country, and without their contribution, the United States would not be the industrial giant it is today. She feels it is an honor to represent her clients against the industries that refuse to acknowledge their culpability or to compensate the workers for their workplace injuries. During her tenure, she has undergone extensive litigation and trial experience, including product identification research, and depositions of clients, co-workers, company representatives, experts and others.

As a Commissioner for the San Francisco Police Commission, Ms. DeJesus has worked on a variety of issues, the highlights of which include the election of the first transgender president of the Commission; review of the Police Department’s policy on use of Tasers; approval of Language Access Service for Limited English Proficient Persons, the most comprehensive General Order to guarantee access of police services for all community members; approval of strict Policies and Procedures for Juvenile Detention, Arrest and Custody to protect the rights of juveniles; modification of the Vehicle Towing Procedures for unlicensed drivers; and voted to develop and implement the first mental health crisis team in the Police Department.

Education

• Hastings College of the Law, University of California (J.D., 1982) Public Interest Law Graduate, Third Year Class president, Commencement Speaker, Extern California Supreme Court, Central Staff
• San Francisco State University (B.A., 1979) Deans List

Bar Admissions

• California (1982)

Organizations

• Alameda-Contra Costa Trial Lawyers (former Director)
• San Francisco La Raza Bar Association (former President)
• Consumer Attorneys of California
• National Lawyers Guild
• American Association for Justice
• San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association
• San Francisco Bar Association
• American Bar Association
• Public Justice Foundation
• California State Bar Association (Ethnic Minority Relations Committee 1985-1988)