Josh Lee
Co-Head of Litigation and Disputes, Chicago
Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP
Related services and key industries
Biography
Josh Lee advises clients on high-stakes bet-the-company issues, working to set strategy, manage regulatory affairs and negotiate complex deals. He is experienced in class actions, mass torts involving product liability, environmental contamination, consumer fraud, intellectual property, collective bargaining agreements, constitutional law and First Amendment issues.
Clients rely on Josh for his innovative approach to dispute resolution and his ability to reshape and set the pace of litigation, even during trial. He advises C-suite executives from start-ups and some of the world’s largest corporations in all aspects of their businesses. Josh also serves as national and regional counsel responsible for development, budgeting, coordination and implementation of comprehensive legal strategies.
Professional experience
Collapse allJD, University of Michigan Law School, 2002
BS, BA, Valparaiso University, 1998
- California State Bar
- Illinois State Bar
- Michigan State Bar
- New York State Bar
- Wisconsin State Bar
- Managed a criminal investigation by European regulators, avoiding both criminal prosecution and civil penalties for clients.
- Dissolved an entire mass-tort scheme through trial work, allowing client to negotiate a favorable long-term resolution.
- Dismantled long-running civil conspiracy litigation against client and result was upheld by appellate court.
- Defeated litigation that had held client hostage for nearly a decade and result was upheld by appellate court.
- Defeated a motion to consolidate litigation, eliminating client’s involvement in a mass-tort scheme.
- Defeated a plaintiff’s novel theory of liability, extinguishing plaintiffs’ attempts to expand his clients’ liability.
- Josh’s civil rights work led to significant changes in the treatment of civilly-committed individuals.
- Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America, Lawdragon, Inc., 2025
- The Best Lawyers in America, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants, Best Lawyers, 2023-2025
- Illinois Leading Lawyer in Civil Appellate Law, Class Action/Mass Tort Defense Law, and Products Liability Defense Law, Law Bulletin Media Leading Lawyers, 2014-2024
- Chicago’s Notable Gen X Leaders in Law, Crain’s Chicago Business, 2019
- Chicago’s Notable Minority Lawyers, Crain’s Chicago Business, 2018
- Illinois Super Lawyers, Thomson Reuters, 2016-2023
- Illinois Rising Stars, Thomson Reuters, 2008-2015
- Illinois Emerging Lawyer, Law Bulletin Media Leading Lawyers, 2015-2016
- Top Rated Litigators, Martindale-Hubbell and ALM, 2021
- Edmund S. Muskie Pro Bono Service Award, American Bar Association, Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section, 2015
- Law in Public Service Honor Roll, American Bar Association, Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section, 2014
- Outstanding Young Alumnus, Valparaiso University, 2014
- Peer Reviewed AV Preeminent, Martindale‐Hubbell, Since 2014
- 40 Illinois Attorneys Under Forty, Law Bulletin Media, 2013
- Excellence in Pro Bono and Public Interest Service, Judges of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and the Chicago Chapter of the Federal Bar Association
- Co-author, “Recent Developments in Appellate Advocacy,” Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Law Journal, Winter 2015
- Co-author, “A Cautionary Note for Lawyers in Asbestos Litigation,” Law360, March 7, 2014
- Co-author, “Recent Developments in Appellate Law,” Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Law Journal, Fall 2013
- Co-author, “Recent Developments in Toxic Torts and Environmental Law,” Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Law Journal, Fall 2013
- Co-panelist, “Medical & Scientific Literature Update on Asbestos & Mesothelioma,” Perrin Conferences National Asbestos Litigation Conference, Charleston, SC, September 13, 2023
- Panelist, “Class Action, MDL or Bankruptcy: What is the Best Option for Global Resolution?,” Perrin Conferences Mass Tort Litigation Conference, June 24, 2021
- Panelist, “Elevating Black Excellence Regional Summit,” Black In-House Counsel (BIHC), June 17, 2021
- Panelist, “The Use of Genetic Testing in the Courtroom,” International Association of Defense Counsel 2020 Virtual Annual Meeting, July 8, 2020
- Panelist, “What Constitutes the Effectiveness of Settlements?,” Perrin Conferences Mass Tort Global Settlement Architecture Conference, Washington, DC, May 2, 2019
- Moderator, “Judicial Spotlight: What Is Effective Advocacy?,” ABA-TIPS Section Conference, 2017
- Panelist, “The Role of DNA in Asbestos Litigation,” Perrin Conferences Cutting-Edge Issues in Asbestos Litigation Conference, Beverly Hills, CA, March 6-7, 2017
- Panelist, “Epigenetics in the Courtroom,” IADC Mid-Year Meeting, 2016
- Moderator, “Epigenetics and Causation in Toxic Tort and Environmental Law,” Toxic Tort and Environmental Law Committee of the Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section of the American Bar Association’s 24th Annual Spring CLE Meeting, April 2015
- Panelist, “Jury Selection and Jury Persuasion in Federal Trials: It Isn’t as Limited as You Might Think,” HarrisMartin Federal and State Asbestos Litigation Conference, Naples, FL, Feb. 21, 2012
- American Bar Association, Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section, Ethics and Professionalism Special Standing Committee (Past Chair); Continuing Legal Education Board (Chair); Toxic Torts and Environmental Law Committee (Past Chair); Asbestos Litigation Task Force
- International Association of Defense Counsel
- Defense Research Institute (DRI)