13 Apr 2026
Dechert LLP Adds Tara Lee, Scott Lerner and Melissa Taylormoore to Washington, D.C. Enforcement and Investigations Group
"Dechert LLP has hired Tara Lee, Scott Lerner and Melissa Taylormoore as partners in its Washington, D.C. enforcement and investigations group, strengthening its trial bench and sports & gaming and government contracts practices."
Tara Lee joins Dechert as a partner from an international law firm where she headed the trials practice. Her broad practice spans complex commercial litigation, wrongful death and mass tort matters, arbitration enforcement and corporate investigations. She has represented multinational companies, sovereign nations, public and private companies, funds and individuals across a range of industries. Ms. Lee was named U.S. Trial Lawyer of the Year in 2017 and is consistently ranked among leading litigation lawyers by Chambers USA; she has also been recognized by the National Law Journal, the Financial Times and Global Investigations Review. Prior to her legal career she served as an officer in the United States Navy and was named the ATLA Outstanding Military Trial Lawyer while serving in the Navy JAG Corps.
Scott Lerner joins Dechert as a partner from an international law firm where he headed the U.S. sports and gaming practice. He is a trial lawyer with significant experience in sports- and gaming-related disputes and focuses on complex commercial litigation, class actions, investigations and corporate crises. Mr. Lerner regularly advises clients across the sports and gaming industries, including professional athletes and coaches, sports franchises, team owners, event organizers, sports charities, unions and online sports betting companies.
Melissa Taylormoore joins Dechert as a partner from an international law firm where she served as the global head of the U.S. government contracts practice and co-chair of the defense working group. She brings more than two decades of experience advising clients on government contracting and regulatory matters involving federal, state and local governments, including matters implicating national security, defense, aerospace and dual-use technologies. Ms. Taylormoore leads sensitive internal and cross-border investigations and advises boards and executive teams on governance, remediation and crisis response.
Ms. Lee, Mr. Lerner and Ms. Taylormoore are among more than 35 lateral partners Dechert has welcomed this year as part of the firm’s ongoing expansion of its litigation, investment management, finance and restructuring, capital markets and mergers and acquisitions capabilities.