Dechert Continues Lateral Hiring Momentum with Addition of Cybersecurity, Privacy and AI Expert J.J. Jones

Dechert LLP announced today the addition of J.J. Jones as a partner in its cyber, privacy and AI practice, further elevating the firm’s capabilities in incident response, AI counseling and litigation. Ms. Jones will be based in the firm’s San Francisco office.

“We are experiencing significant momentum across the firm, and J.J.’s arrival reflects our continued investment in areas critical to our clients’ futures,” said Dave Forti, co-chair of Dechert. “A sophisticated understanding of cybersecurity, privacy and AI is central to successfully navigating today’s risk landscape, and J.J.’s capabilities further advance our strategic growth in this sphere.”

“J.J.’s deep expertise and experience at Microsoft handling the most sophisticated legal issues related to cybersecurity and AI makes her an excellent addition to our top ranked, global team,” said Brenda Sharton, chair of Dechert’s cyber, privacy and AI practice. “She will further enhance our bench strength and reinforce our ability to guide clients through the most complex, high-stakes situations.”

Ms. Jones joins Dechert from Microsoft, where she recently served as Assistant General Counsel for Cybersecurity. In her role, Ms. Jones provided legal guidance to the Global Chief Information Security Officer, security operations and threat intelligence teams on high-risk cybersecurity and privacy incidents, supporting enterprise-wide cybersecurity initiatives while managing regulatory, privacy and customer trust considerations. Prior to that, Ms. Jones litigated high stakes matters in private practice, was an in-house strategy counsel and advisor at Google and served as an Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland. Her practice at Dechert will center upon cybersecurity, incident response and AI regulatory risk management counseling and defensive litigation matters.

"Dechert has built one of the premier cybersecurity, AI and privacy practices in the world, and the sophistication and cutting-edge nature of their work, as well as my exemplary personal experiences as their client, made the decision an easy one," said Ms. Jones. "I wanted to be part of a team at the forefront of some of the most consequential and high-stakes matters in this space, and Dechert is exactly that. The Bay Area remains the epicenter of the technology sector, and I look forward to helping clients here and globally navigate the risks that come with rapid innovation and big data."

Already in 2026, Dechert has welcomed more than 25 lateral partners, each strengthening capabilities in the firm's steeples of excellence in investment management, finance and restructuring, capital markets and securitization, mergers and acquisitions, intellectual property and across litigation practices. The 2026 laterals have significantly expanded the firm’s litigation platform, including the addition of a new accounting defense practice and further strengthening its labor and employment and cyber, privacy and AI teams.

Dechert has also announced that it is opening offices in Chicago, Dallas and Houston.

Dechert’s global cybersecurity, privacy and AI practice is second to none. The group’s partners are top thought leaders, pioneers in this space and have handled landmark litigation, including trying the first big tech privacy case ever to go to trial. The team counsels on global strategic data security, privacy and AI governance programs as well as data breach response and defends regulatory matters and class action litigation around the globe. In 2025, the practice received top individual and group rankings in The Legal 500 and Chambers USA and was named Law360’s Cybersecurity & Privacy Group of the Year for the third time.

About Dechert

Dechert is the law firm that helps business leaders lead.

For more than 150 years, we have advised clients on critical issues – from high-stakes litigation to first-in-market transaction structures and complex regulatory matters. Our lawyers in commercial centers worldwide are immersed in the key sectors we serve – financial services, private capital, real estate, life sciences and technology.

Dechert delivers unwavering partnership so our clients can achieve unprecedented results.