Debevoise & Plimpton announced today that Josh Cohen and Abraham Tabaie – two prominent California litigators – have joined the firm’s San Francisco office as partners. Mr. Cohen, an accomplished white collar trial lawyer with over 20 years of experience in criminal defense and government investigations, joins the firm’s White Collar & Regulatory Defense Group, while Mr. Tabaie, a broad-gauged commercial litigator, joins the Commercial Litigation Group. Their arrivals bolster the firm’s litigation capabilities on the West Coast, following the addition of SEC veteran and white collar partner Kristin Snyder and IP litigation partner Jay Neukom in 2022.
Presiding Partner Peter Furci said, “We continue to see strong demand among our Bay Area clients, especially in the technology and asset management industries, for representation on a broad range of complex litigation matters. The arrivals of Josh and Abe, both exceptional lawyers with deep local roots and expansive skillsets, help us strategically expand our California litigation platform to meet the growing needs of our clients.”
A seasoned trial lawyer and courtroom advocate, Mr. Cohen has advised high-profile Fortune 500 companies and senior executives of public and multinational corporations on cases involving a wide range of criminal and regulatory issues. Mr. Cohen also has significant experience in litigation involving class actions, shareholder derivative suits and antitrust matters. A Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and Vice Chair of the College’s Federal Criminal Procedure Committee, Mr. Cohen also has experience in civil proceedings in federal and state courts in California and nationwide.
David Sarratt, Co-Managing Partner of the firm’s San Francisco office and a member of the White Collar & Regulatory Defense Group, said, “Josh has an impressive track record of navigating the intricacies of California’s legal landscape and achieving favorable outcomes for clients. His expertise will enable us to better meet the needs of individuals and corporations in Northern California facing criminal or regulatory scrutiny, and complements our renowned white collar and civil litigation capabilities.”
Mr. Cohen said, “I am honored to join the outstanding team at Debevoise, which has long been recognized for its strong white collar practice and excellent client service. I look forward to leveraging my trial expertise in California to advise our West Coast clients in their most challenging legal matters.”
Prior to joining Debevoise, Mr. Cohen was a partner at another law firm based in San Francisco where he advised leading financial services firms and public companies, as well as senior executives, on white collar matters and related litigation. Earlier in his career, he clerked for the Honorable Charles R. Breyer of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. Mr. Cohen received his J.D. from Yale Law School in 2001 and his B.A. summa cum laude from Williams College in 1996.
Based in California for his entire career, Mr. Tabaie’s practice focuses on large-scale commercial business litigation for companies on the West Coast, often involving trade secret misappropriation, breach-of-contract, breach of fiduciary duty, false advertising, hacking, data privacy, debt collection, and unfair competition claims. He has represented clients across a range of industries, including technology, real estate, venture fund, private equity, manufacturing, and financial services at both the federal and state levels, as well as in private arbitration.
Co-Chair of the Commercial Litigation Group Maura Monaghan said: “Abe is a highly-regarded litigator in the Bay Area legal community who has successfully represented blue-chip clients in bet-the-company matters. His addition underscores our continued growth in the region and strengthens our position to deliver favorable results for our clients facing complex commercial litigation matters in California and beyond.”
Mr. Tabaie added: “Debevoise has a well-earned reputation in complex commercial litigation and for having a uniquely collaborative culture. I look forward to joining my new colleagues to deepen our practice on the West Coast and further strengthen our platform nationally.”
Prior to joining Debevoise, Mr. Tabaie was a litigation partner in the Palo Alto office of another international law firm. Earlier in his career, he clerked for the Honorable Barry G. Silverman of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and the Honorable George H. King of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. Mr. Tabaie received his J.D. from the University of Southern California Law School in 2008 and his B.A. summa cum laude from University of California, Los Angeles in 2005.
About the White Collar & Regulatory Defense Group
Debevoise’s award-winning White Collar & Regulatory Defense Group is ranked as one of the world’s top practices by Global Investigations Review and as Band 1 by Chambers on both sides of the Atlantic for its complex representations of clients facing litigation and public policy crises, as well as Band 1 in the U.S. for securities enforcement and anti-corruption. Selected by Law360 as a 2021 White Collar Practice Group of the Year and by Benchmark Litigation as the 2022 White Collar Firm of the Year, the group has been involved in some of the most significant investigations, litigations, and resolutions over the past few years, and offers international and domestic clients a depth of experience and global reach that allows for effective and strategic counsel.
About the Commercial Litigation Group
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, contract disputes, products liability and mass torts, antitrust, insurance disputes, bankruptcy, environmental litigation, mergers and acquisitions, employment, professional liability, and matters involving corporate governance.
About Debevoise & Plimpton LLP
Debevoise & Plimpton LLP is a premier law firm with market-leading practices, a global perspective and strong New York roots. We deliver effective solutions to our clients’ most important legal challenges, applying clear commercial judgment and a distinctively collaborative approach.
