Debevoise Adds Josh Lerner as Commercial Litigation Partner in San Francisco

NEW YORK, July 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Debevoise & Plimpton LLP announces today that Josh Lerner has joined the firm as a partner in the Commercial Litigation Group, based in the San Francisco office. Mr. Lerner will focus on high-stakes commercial and intellectual property disputes for technology and life sciences clients.

A senior trial lawyer, Mr. Lerner brings deep experience in trade secrets, intellectual property and complex commercial litigation. He represents leading technology and life sciences companies in enterprise-defining matters across courts and arbitral forums, including IP and business torts disputes  and founder conflicts, and advises on sensitive internal investigations involving IP and data. 

Presiding Partner Peter Furci said, "Technology companies are at the center of a broader rise in trade secrets and commercial disputes across industries, often on compressed timelines and headed toward trial. Josh brings the battle-tested courtroom experience and sector focus clients need in that environment and further strengthens our already robust litigation platform in San Francisco."

Maeve O'Connor and Michael Schaper, Co-Chairs of the Commercial Litigation Group, said in a joint statement, "Josh is a seasoned first-chair trial lawyer with deep experience advising market-leading companies on business-critical disputes. He is a terrific addition to our top-notch commercial litigation practice, and we look forward to working with him on the most challenging matters for the most innovative clients, both on the West Coast and across the country."

Mr. Lerner said, "Debevoise has a strong track record handling complex disputes for technology clients. The firm's litigation platform and client base create an opportunity to build on and expand that work on the West Coast, including in matters where trial readiness is critical."

Prior to joining Debevoise, Mr. Lerner was partner and Co-Chair of the trade secrets practice at another international law firm. Earlier in his career, he served as senior litigation counsel at Genentech, and taught business torts at the University of California College of the Law, San Francisco (formerly UC Hastings). Mr. Lerner received his J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law in 2001 and his B.A. from Reed College in 1998.

The firm's Commercial Litigation Group is one of the strongest in the industry, consistently delivering outstanding results for its clients. Routinely noted for its depth of expertise, strategic judgment and creative solutions, the team is well-known for addressing the most complex, challenging and high-profile matters across a diverse range of industries. The Group handles domestic and cross-border disputes of every kind, including securities and derivative actions, trade secrets, contract disputes, products liability and mass torts, antitrust, insurance disputes, bankruptcy, environmental litigation, mergers and acquisitions, employment, professional liability, and matters involving corporate governance.

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SOURCE Debevoise & Plimpton LLP