Coffee shop chain Starbucks will be searching for a new legal chief in the coming months after announcing it would be parting ways with current chief legal officer Brad Lerman.
In an SEC filing, the company says that Lerman ‘would no longer serve’ in his role ‘as of a date to be determined’, but would continue to work as CLO until a successor was appointed.
Lerman, who previously worked at medical device company Medtronic as general counsel before retiring in 2022, came out of retirement in April 2023 to become Starbucks’ CLO not long after Laxman Narasimhan became CEO. Narasimhan was himself replaced by now CEO Brian Niccol in September 2024.
Prior to Medtronic, Lerman previously held leadership roles at the Federal National Mortgage Association and Pfizer, where he led the company’s litigation and investigations teams.
Lerman’s legal experience also includes working for more than two decades as a private practice litigation and intellectual property attorney advising consumer brands, eight years as an assistant US attorney and as an adjunct professor at Northwestern University School of Law. He also sits on the board of directors of healthcare services firm McKesson.
The move comes as part of a wider reshuffle which sees Mike Grams, formerly North America chief coffeehouse officer, take over as chief operating officer, a position that has been reinstated in the Starbucks executive leadership team.
In a letter to Starbucks employees, Niccol writes: ‘We’re beginning a search for a new chief legal officer and Brad will both assist with the search and continue to lead our legal team until a successor is in place.
‘We’ll recognize Brad’s contributions to Starbucks before he leaves but for now, I’ll just say how much I appreciate everything he’s done and the wise counsel he offers me, the board and leaders across the company.’
Laurie Havelock
Laurie has been with IR Impact for over a decade, becoming editor in 2023 after roles as a reporter and research editor. He moderates events and serves as MC for global awards. Previously, he was acting business editor at the i newspaper and deputy...
