Perese was admitted to the bar in Samoa in 1999, and has also worked in the Cook Islands.[3] From 2000 to 2002 he was President of the Pacific Lawyers Society, and in 2002 he was appointed as inaugural chair of the National Pacific Radio Trust, which operates the Pacific Media Network.[4] From 2003 to 2009 he was a member of the New Zealand Human Rights Review Tribunal. He has also worked as a New Zealand Crown prosecutor.[1]
As a lawyer, he represented New Zealand MP Taito Phillip Field during his trial for corruption.[5] In 2016, he was hired by Samoa's Attorney-General to prosecute the then-Director of the National Prosecutions Office, Mauga Precious Chang.[6][7]
In March 2020, Perese was appointed Chief Justice of Samoa, replacing Patu Tiava'asu'e Falefatu Sapolu.[3] He was sworn in on 12 June 2020.[8] In October 2020 he was evacuated to New Zealand for medical treatment.[9]
In May 2021 he delivered the judgement in the case of the FAST Party against the Electoral Commission, overturning the revocation of the 2021 election.[10] On 7 July, the HRPP lodged a complaint against him with the Judicial Services Commission, alleging he was incompetent.[11]
