Scott Lerner

Scott Lerner is a trial lawyer and partner in Dechert’s Washington, D.C. office who represents companies and individuals in complex commercial litigation, class actions, investigations and corporate crises. His practice combines a focus on sports and gaming disputes with substantial experience representing clients in the media, technology and government contracting industries.

His clients  have included FanDuel, Disney, Microsoft, the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), the NFL Players Association, the Madrid Open, the U.S. Soccer Foundation and Morningstar, as well as Major League Baseball All-Stars Ryan Howard and Ryan Zimmerman. He handles disputes in which the legal issues are closely connected to a client’s business, public reputation or institutional responsibilities, combining courtroom advocacy with strategic advice on resolving the underlying problem.

Across the sports and gaming industry, Mr. Lerner has advised sporting federations, professional athletes and coaches, franchises and team owners, event organizers, apparel companies, sports charities, players’ unions and online gaming businesses. His experience includes publicity rights and intellectual property disputes, defamation litigation, player-related investigations, and labor and contract disputes. He also advises sports franchises and institutions on internal investigations and workplace culture reviews following allegations of misconduct.

Beyond sports and gaming, his work includes commercial disputes involving media companies’ intellectual property rights and broadband spectrum, litigation and appeals for government contractors, and sensitive corporate investigations. He also maintains a transnational disputes practice encompassing U.S. litigation for international clients, litigation arising from events abroad and international arbitration-related matters.

Chambers USA recognizes Mr. Lerner for Litigation: General Commercial in the District of Columbia. Its 2026 guide quotes clients describing him as someone who “leads major, complex matters and does a wonderful job” and praising his “knowledge and interest in our business.”

Before entering private practice, Mr. Lerner worked at the NFL Players Association, where he was part of the legal team that guided the union through the NFL’s 2011 lockout and decertification. He represented players in labor and contract disputes with the league and its member clubs and worked extensively on return-to-play guidelines for players who had suffered traumatic brain injuries.