Starbucks names Brad Lerman as general counselStarbucks names Brad Lerman as general counsel

Starbucks Coffee Co. has named Brad Lerman as executive vice president and general counsel, the restaurant company announced Wednesday.

The Seattle, Wash.-based coffee brand said Lerman would assume the post May 8. He succeeds acting general counsel Zabrina Jenkins, who served in the role the past year.

“Zabrina will lead a successful transition with Brad,” said Laxman Narasimhan, Starbucks CEO, in a note Wednesday to the company staff, “and then we look forward to sharing a new role in the company for Zabrina that maximizes her depth of experience, capabilities and leadership in the future.”

Most recently, Lerman served as senior vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary at Medtronic, a healthcare technology provider, where he led the global legal function, government affairs and the office of ethics and compliance across the U.S., South America, Europe and Asia. Earlier, he served in similar leadership roles at the Federal National Mortgage Association and Pfizer, where he led the company’s litigation and investigations teams.

Lerman’s background also includes more than two decades as a private practice litigation and intellectual property attorney advising leading consumer brands, eight years as an assistant U.S. attorney, and as an adjunct professor at Northwestern University School of Law. He also serves on the board of directors of McKesson, a leader in healthcare services.

Related:New Starbucks CEO takes the reins almost two weeks earlier than expected

The company said Lerman will be relocating from Minneapolis, Minn., to Seattle.

Narasimhan said in a statement: “We are excited to welcome Brad, who brings a tenure of experience leading companies through some of their most challenging issues across international markets and working closely with regulators around the world. His expertise in both the public and private sectors will strengthen our decision making, protect and advance the business and brand of Starbucks in the markets in which we operate, and further develop our legal and compliance talent.”

Lerman said: “The strength of Starbucks’ leadership team and board of directors, coupled with the talented Starbucks law and corporate affairs team, is what excites me most as we look to advance a bold mission and vision for the future of Starbucks.”

Starbucks, founded in 1971, has more than 36,000 stores worldwide.

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