Carlisle Pearson

Carlisle Pearson is an experienced associate attorney in Tonkon Torp’s Business Department and Environmental & Natural Resources Practice Group. Clients value Carlilse for his creative and thoughtful advice and advocacy and his skill in tailoring his recommendations to their particular needs. Carlisle’s work is focused on supporting clients through complex disputes and projects, particularly in environmental and land use matters relating to eminent domain, unique property interests, CERCLA issues, contract disputes, and permitting.

Before joining Tonkon Torp, Carlisle was an associate at Ballard Spahr (formerly Lane Powell) focused on commercial litigation, land use issues, and environmental and natural resources work. Carlisle also clerked for a year with the U.S. Department of Energy at the Bonneville Power Administration, where he gained meaningful experience in inter-agency negotiations and assisted in matters involving environmental regulations as well as energy, forest, federal land, and natural resource law.

Carlisle earned his J.D., cum laude, from Lewis & Clark Law School with a Certificate in Environmental & Natural Resources Law and served on the Executive Board of the school’s Environmental Law Review. At the University of Pittsburgh, Carlisle earned two bachelor’s degrees, summa cum laude, in Environmental Studies and Legal Studies, as well as a Certificate in Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies.

Carlisle maintains a longstanding dedication to pro bono advocacy and community involvement, currently serving on the board of directors for Basic Rights Oregon and the Basic Rights Education Fund. He previously served on the Lewis & Clark Law School Alumni Board of Directors. Carlisle maintains an active pro bono practice—with highlights including representing and assisting an Oregon domestic violence victims’ shelter and serving on a co-counsel team with the ACLU in a class action to protect gender-affirming care for persons incarcerated in the Idaho Department of Corrections. He also regularly volunteers in support of various diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in and outside the legal industry.

In his free time, Carlisle pursues his interests in art (ink work and tattoo design), motorcycle riding, Scandinavian history, reading, dance, and ecology.