Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Petersen worked as an attorney in the Virginia office of an intellectual property law firm where his areas of practice included patent drafting and prosecution, opinions and client counseling, and patent office proceedings. Previously, Mr. Petersen was an associate in the Washington, D.C. office of an international intellectual property law firm where he practiced all aspects of patent law, including patent and trade secret litigation, and patent procurement. Prior to launching his legal career, Mr. Petersen was employed at the hydrocarbons plant of a major chemical company, and at a drug delivery company.

Mr. Petersen conducted research in polymer synthesis, polymer processing and rheology in the lab of Dr. Chris Macosko at the University of Minnesota. While attending law school, he served on the editorial board of the Duke Law Journal, as a staff writer for the Duke Law and Technology Review, on the board of directors of the Duke Law Intellectual Property and Cyberlaw Society, and as an intellectual property research assistant for Professor Jerome Reichman. Mr. Petersen also spent a semester studying international law and intellectual property at Katholieke Universiteit Leuven in Belgium.

Mr. Petersen was recognized in 2025 as one of the "Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch" for Patent Law by The Best Lawyers in America®.