Mr. Pearson received his bachelor’s degree from Stanford University in 1976 and his law degree from the University of Utah College of Law in 1979. He clerked for a federal district court judge for a year and then practiced at Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison from 1980–1995, focusing on all aspects of estate and charitable planning, trust, will, probate, and gift matters.

In 1995, Mr. Pearson joined the legal staff of Stanford University and is currently the Senior Philanthropic Advisor and Development Legal Counsel at Stanford. He also teaches estate planning as well as trusts and estates in the Stanford Law School.

Over the many years of his career, Mr. Pearson has worked with a number of families as they develop financial and philanthropic plans in the context of their distinct family value systems.

Mr. Pearson is a member of the American Bar Association, Section of Real Property, Probate and Trust, and among other law-related activities, was an editor of Matthew Bender’s California Probate Practice and on the Practicing Law Institute faculty for many years.

Mr. Pearson and his wife, Lisa, live in Palo Alto where they have raised four children.