Clarissa’s practice includes representation of clients in employment and commercial disputes. She regularly litigates cases involving allegations of discrimination and retaliation, defamation, breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duties, and other business torts. She has successfully litigated cases in both state and federal courts and is well-versed in negotiations, mediation, and arbitration, including JAMS and the International Chamber of Commerce. She counsels employers on a variety of employment matters, focusing on mitigating risks and achieving efficient resolutions.

Clarissa clerked for the Circuit Court for the City of Alexandria in Virginia, serving the Hon. Lisa Bondareff Kemler, Chief Judge; Hon. Nolan B. Dawkins (Ret.); and Hon. James C. Clark, Presiding Judge. She has served as President of the Alexandria Bar Foundation and on the Executive Board of the Alexandria Bar Association.

In law school, Clarissa was a member of the Executive Board of the International Law Review and the lead Editor of its Human Rights and Humanitarian Law Book, published in both Spanish and English. She also managed the South Sudan program for the Public International Law and Policy Group, traveling to South Sudan to work with civil society leaders in their efforts to draft a permanent constitution.