CGS Board of Directors

Betsy Pearce
Attorney and Founder, Pearce LLP

Elizabeth "Betsy" Pearce is a lawyer and advisor with over 25 years of experience representing creative professionals, industry executives, founders, and the companies they've built. Her practice blends legal expertise, business strategy, and human insight, shaped by decades at the center of creative business.

Betsy began her career as a Law Clerk in the Federal District Court, S.D.N.Y., followed by a litigation associate role at Cravath, Swaine & Moore. From there, she transitioned to entertainment law, spending nearly a decade in film, advertising, and ultimately fashion.

She founded Pearce LLP in 2003. An early client was Alexander McQueen, whom she represented in the sale of his company to the Gucci Group. Soon after, she represented Nicolas Ghesquière, whose singular talent at Balenciaga spurred Gucci Group to engage him and acquire the company. She later became a Director of Balenciaga.

Today, her practice serves an international clientele of creatives, executives, and founder-led businesses. She has represented the designer in creative director engagements with 20+ European luxury brands and numerous American brands, and advises and represents founders from early-stage development through acquisition.

In 2023, Betsy earned a certification in Coaching from Columbia University, working with executives and founders facing transitions and high-stakes decisions. In 2025, she became a faculty member of the New York Bar Association's Continuing Legal Education program, presenting the course “The Sale of a Founder-Led Fashion Company: Reconciling Creative Vision and Buyer Value.”

**Education:** Columbia University School of Law, J.D. · Columbia University, Certification in Leadership Coaching (2023) · Brown University, B.A. (inc. Université de Lyon II), Women's Varsity Ice Hockey

Betsy lives and works between Paris and New York and is fluent in French. She is a member of the National Arts Club (est. 1898), and her other interests include surfing and independent film.