7 Characters from Suits who were intimidated by the aura of Jessica Pearson

Suits’ character Jessica Pearson, played by Gina Torres, might have been one of the strongest female characters of the series, whose fierce personality had even intimidated Harvey Specter a couple of times. She was the former MD of Pearson Specter Litt and a badass lawyer.

Throughout the show’s run, Pearson intimidated many characters through her knowledge, her lawyering skills, her strict stance while managing the law firm, and sometimes even her height. Other than slaying in every episode she appeared in the show with her impeccable fashion sense, Jessica Pearson also didn’t hold back when she knew she was right (which was mostly the case), and this quality of hers terrified many. Let’s take a look at 7 such characters from Suits who saw the intimidating side of Jessica Pearson.

Disclaimer: This entire article is based on the writer's opinion. Readers' discretion is advised.

7 Characters from Suits who were intimidated by the aura of Jessica Pearson

7) William Sutter

Alan Rosenberg in Suits | Image via Universal Content Productions

The shady businessman introduced in Suits season 6, William Sutter, was one of the few people who were not from Jessica’s firm but still ended up being intimidated by her. In Season 6 episode 6, as Sutter pushes for Harvey to try to dismiss the case after squashing Sean Cahill’s request to investigate the trading software that Sutter’s son-in-law made, Harvey tries to make him understand that it was not a good idea as it would make Mike’s release from prison difficult.

While Sutter is busy pressuring Harvey, Jessica meets Sutter unannounced during lunch and openly threatens and blackmails him to make him agree that their firm represents all of his businesses, including his investment business, or she will drop him as his client. No one can say no to Jessica when she makes a threat, so what could William Sutter have done? He had to agree to Jessica’s terms, which later resulted in an argument between Harvey and her.

6) Victor Forrest

Joseph Kell in Suits | Image via Universal Content Productions

Jessica’s intimidation not only works during her blackmailing and threatening, but also to save innocent people from death sentences and prisons. In the season 6 episode titled P.S.L., Jessica, after being helped by Mike to take inspiration from the movie A Few Good Men, tries to question the victim’s father, Victor Forrest, who is set on sending Leonard Bailey to his death sentence as he thinks he killed his daughter.

While the aggressive questioning, frustrated Mr. Forrest ends up blurting out the truth that he had paid the other witness, who was also the alibi, to prove Bailey didn’t commit the crime. With Mike’s idea and Jessica’s unwavering fierceness, Leonard Bailey walked out of the court as an innocent man.

5) Charles Van Dyke

Charles Van Dyke in Suits | Image via Universal Content Productions

In Suits Season 3 episode 15, the firm’s former partner, Charles Van Dyke gives a visit and informs Jessica that using his stockholder position, he would be auditing the firm’s books to check for hidden profits. Louis Litt was still going through a heartbreak, and Katrina had to go through Pearson’s wrath when she tried to cover for him.

However, the best part of the episode was Jessica giving it back to Van Dyke for all the stress he caused the firm. While stalling him for Louis’ arrival, she tells him that she recently found out about why she was hired by him, and the reason was only to fulfill the diversity employment requirements, not her knowledge of law and her top grades. She made him feel guilty about it and also successfully stalled him as Louis appeared just when their conversation was about to end.

4) Anita Gibbs

Leslie Hope in Suits | Image via Universal Content Productions

You might remember Anita Gibbs, the US Attorney who was hell bent on sending Mike to jail and not becoming a lawyer. All of the firm was ready to fight to keep Mike out of prison and later tried their best to let him become a member of the BAR.

One of those people was Jessica Pearson, who stood her ground against Gibbs when she tried to end everything for Mike. In the season 5 episode 14 of Suits, Gibbs tries to target Jessica and Louis with her threatening ways, but our fearless Jessica stands her ground and challenges Gibbs to put her on stand where she will confess that Mike was the best Harvard-graduate lawyer that she has ever met and she was the one who hired him. Everyone who follows after her would probably say the same thing, and her case would be a waste of time. That’s not all, as Jessica also gets a restraining order to keep Gibbs away from her.

3) Daniel Hardman

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While being a senior partner with Pearson at Pearson Hardman, Daniel Hardman had many instances where Jessica sometimes, through her witty humor or her intimidation, put him in his place. In the season 2 episode titled Normandy, Jessica finally gets rid of Hardman after merging with Edward Darby.

While visiting his office with Darby, Jessica informs him about her decision to merge with Edward Darby and had to show him the firm’s books, which revealed about his embezzlement that crippled the firm. Hardman tries to counter her by telling her that she did not report his embezzlement, a crime against the law, which he could use. Jessica, in her bold and unflinching way, challenges him to sue her even without having any actual proof.

2) Harvey Specter

The relationship between Jessica and Harvey, two of the most powerful characters in Suits, was based on mutual respect and ambition. However, there were many times when conflicts happened between them due to occasional disagreements and power struggles, but they always moved past them.

Having a good partnership never stopped Jessica from asserting power over Harvey, as seen in the season 2 episode 16 when she decided to merge the firm with Darby’s, which Harvey opposed. In a heated argument, Harvey tried to make Jessica understand that it was a wrong move, but Jessica quickly changed into her intimidating self and reminded him to be humble and know his place.

1) Louis Litt

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Louis Litt had been on the receiving end of Jessica’s snarky comments various times in the series. However, in season 4 episode 11 of Suits, after discovering Mike’s secret, Louis wreaks havoc in the firm, beginning with wanting to have a name partnership in the firm. Jessica and Harvey agree but show their resentment at his behaviour every chance they get.

At last, Jessica gets back to him when she gives him the agreement to sign and become a partner with adding a little clause that says that he was a co-conspirator in hiring Mike in the firm. Being a name partner was something that Louis wanted more, and hence he ended up signing the agreement.