Joseph Petro

Joseph Petro is a Partner and Chair of ECJ's Corporate Department.

Joe advises entrepreneurs, founders, and privately held companies on a wide range of business and corporate transactional matters. His practice focuses on counseling clients through all stages of the business lifecycle, from initial formation to growth, strategic transactions, and exit planning. Joseph’s work includes entity formation and structuring, mergers and acquisitions, private equity transactions, financing and capital investments, joint ventures and other strategic business arrangements, employment and consulting matters, secured transactions and general corporate operations and business dealings.

As Chair of the Corporate Department, Joseph plays a central role in the firm’s corporate practice, working closely with colleagues across disciplines to deliver coordinated, practical, and results-driven counsel. He represents sole proprietors, start-ups, emerging companies, and established small to mid-sized businesses across a variety of industries and serves as outside general counsel to many of his clients. In this capacity, he provides ongoing guidance on day-to-day legal, business and operational issues while also leading complex transactions that require careful planning, sound judgment, strategic thinking and a clear understanding of business objectives.

In addition to his Juris Doctor, Joseph holds a Master of Business Administration, which broadens his understanding of the financial, business and operational considerations underlying corporate decision-making. This background allows him to offer counsel that is both legally rigorous and grounded in practical business realities, helping clients evaluate risks, structure transactions, and pursue opportunities aligned with their long-term goals.

Joseph has been recognized by Super Lawyers as a Rising Star in 2005, 2006, and 2007, and was named a Super Lawyer in 2025, reflecting the respect he has earned within the legal community. He is committed to providing high-quality legal counsel and to building long-standing client relationships based on trust, responsiveness, and thoughtful, solutions-oriented service.

Honors & Recognitions

Super Lawyers: Southern California Rising Stars, 2005-2007

Southern California Super Lawyers, 2025

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