Risk Guru Rises: Fish & Richardson Taps Chief Legal Risk Officer Elham Dehbozorgi as New General Counsel

🔍 A Strategic Move in IP Leadership

Dehbozorgi’s rise is no accident. She joined Fish & Richardson in August 2024 as the firm’s first Chief Legal Risk Officer. In that newly created role, she led conflicts management, legal compliance, intake processes, and innovative risk systems—shaping the firm’s infrastructure to match its forward‑looking IP strategies fr.com+13fr.com+13businesswire.com+13.

John Adkisson, President & CEO of Fish & Richardson, lauded her leadership, saying, “Elham’s appointment as General Counsel reflects her deep experience, thoughtful leadership and the trust she has earned across the firm. As chief legal risk officer, she strengthened Fish’s technology‑forward approach to risk and compliance. We’re excited to see her bring that same vision and rigour to the general counsel role” ccbjournal.com+2globallegalpost.com+2businesswire.com+2.

👩‍⚖️ From Risk Management to Trusted Counsel

Before her tenure at Fish, Dehbozorgi spent nearly nine years at Sterne Kessler Goldstein & Fox, initially as Chief Ethics and Risk Counsel, later ascending to General Counsel. Her early experience includes roles in ethics and conflicts at Latham & Watkins and at WilmerHale fr.com+10fr.com+10globallegalpost.com+10. Her career reflects an athlete-like discipline in managing firm integrity, compliance, and ethical standards.

Additionally, Dehbozorgi is a recognized voice on national legal ethics. She serves on the DC Bar’s Legal Ethics Committee and is frequently tapped to speak on professional responsibility issues—including emerging topics such as cybersecurity and artificial intelligence fr.com+1fr.com+1.

🕰️ Timing of Transition

The July 1 transition marks a dual milestone for Fish & Richardson. It signifies the sealing of Dehbozorgi’s steady ascent within the firm, and the beginning of Roger Feldman’s well-earned winding down after more than 23 years at the firm, including 17 years as GC since 2008 x.com+9globallegalpost.com+9ccbjournal.com+9.

Adkisson conveyed gratitude to Feldman, stating, “I am grateful to Roger for his two‑plus decades of service to the firm. With unwavering integrity, he has helped shape firm policy and guided us through complex legal matters. Roger has made a lasting mark on Fish” businesswire.com+3globallegalpost.com+3businesswire.com+3.

🌐 IP World Takes Notice

This leadership transition reflects a broader trend: IP‑centric law firms are elevating leaders whose expertise spans both intellectual property law and legal governance infrastructure. Dehbozorgi’s promotion echoes moves at peer firms; as noted, other law firms such as Goodwin Procter, Clifford Chance, and Debevoise & Plimpton have recently elevated senior talent to top GC/CLO roles, further highlighting the expanding influence of compliance-oriented leadership in legal practice fr.com+7globallegalpost.com+7finance.yahoo.com+7.

💼 What It Means for Fish & Richardson & the IP Field

• Enhanced IP Risk Protocols: Dehbozorgi’s background ensures that Fish’s operations will increasingly intertwine technological compliance and proactive risk frameworks with IP strategy.
• Ethics-Driven Governance: Clients can expect heightened standards in confidentiality, conflicts avoidance, and integrated compliance—critical in cross-border patent, trademark, and litigation contexts.
• Leadership Continuity: She arrives with strong internal support and institutional knowledge—minimizing disruption ahead of Feldman’s retirement and enabling smooth continuity.