Jenner & Block is pleased to announce that Washington, DC, partner Ishan Bhabha has assumed the role of co-managing partner. Ishan succeeds Katya Jestin, who is returning to her thriving practice to meet the increasing needs of her growing client base, after serving in the co-managing partner role for five years from January 2020 through December 2024 alongside Chicago partner Randy Mehrberg.
Ishan is a highly respected first-chair litigator with significant experience in trial and appellate courts. He joined Jenner & Block in 2012 and became a partner in 2017. In addition to co-chairing the firm’s Education and Technology practices, Ishan served on Jenner & Block’s Management Committee. Randy will continue in his role as co-managing partner, which he has held since January 2020, while also co-chairing the firm’s Energy practice.
Known for his work advising institutions of higher education and large corporations facing complex legal, ethical, and reputational issues, Ishan has argued cases before numerous courts, including the US Supreme Court. Ishan is known as a trusted advisor who is able to anticipate major economic, political, and technological trends and his forward-thinking approach helps clients navigate legal and regulatory risks in a rapidly evolving environment.
“I am excited and humbled to take on this role,” Ishan said. “Jenner & Block is my professional home, and I am honored to have earned my colleagues’ trust as we leverage our collective strengths to benefit our clients. This is an exciting time for our firm, and I look forward to working with Randy and our leadership team to continue driving growth and success. I also want to thank Katya for her remarkable stewardship and leadership of the firm, and her guidance as I am transiting into this role. All of us at Jenner owe her an enormous debt of gratitude. Randy and I will continue to rely on her wisdom and experience.”
Before joining Jenner & Block, Ishan served as an appellate lawyer at the US Department of Justice. He also clerked for then-Judge Merrick Garland on the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit and Justice Anthony Kennedy on the US Supreme Court. He graduated magna cum laude from Harvard Law School, prior to which Ishan worked as a management consultant with the Boston Consulting Group.
Katya, based in New York, is a member of the firm’s Policy Committee and will continue to co-lead Jenner’s market-leading Investigations, Compliance, and Defense Practice.
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