Former California Deputy Solicitor General, Josh Patashnik, Joins Perkins Coie’s Litigation and Appellate Practices

SAN DIEGO (August 25, 2025) - Perkins Coie is pleased to announce that former California Deputy Solicitor General Josh Patashnik has joined the firm’s Litigation practice as a partner in the San Diego office focused on appeals, issues, and strategy. Josh’s arrival in San Diego follows the recent addition of Tara McGrath, the former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of California, as a partner in the Litigation practice focused on white collar and investigations matters.

Josh has briefed and argued many cases in state and federal appellate courts with far-reaching impact, including in the California Supreme Court, the California Court of Appeal, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. He also has substantial experience litigating in the Supreme Court of the United States at both the merits and cert stages, as well as seeking and opposing emergency relief, writs, stays, and injunctions pending appeal in both state and federal courts.

“Josh’s extensive litigation experience will be valuable for our clients, particularly for California state and Ninth Circuit appellate representations, and we’re excited he has chosen to join our premier litigation team,” said Julia Markley, firmwide co-chair of Perkins Coie’s Litigation practice. “Amid an increasingly complex and high-stakes litigation landscape, Josh’s deep insights as a former California Deputy Solicitor General will help deliver successful legal outcomes for our clients.”  

Josh’s experience spans a broad range of subject matter areas, including constitutional and administrative law, federal preemption, antitrust and unfair competition, environmental law, and healthcare regulation. He will assist clients in navigating statutes and regulations at both the federal and state level, and in responding to enforcement actions and investigations initiated by state agencies and attorneys general.

“I’m energized by the opportunity to help guide some of the world’s most sophisticated companies and to help them see around corners in the critical California market and across the nation,” said Josh. “Perkins Coie is well known in California’s legal and business community as a tenacious and principled firm that advocates zealously for its clients and is committed to their growth and success.”

Josh served as a law clerk to Judge Jeffrey Sutton on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit and to Justice Anthony Kennedy of the U.S. Supreme Court. He earned his B.A., summa cum laude, from Harvard University and his J.D. from Stanford Law School.

Josh joins a preeminent litigation practice of more than 300 lawyers and former federal prosecutors who serve as staunch advocates in the courtroom and beyond. He is the 12th new partner to join Perkins Coie this year as the firm further expands its global capabilities across litigation, M&A, private equity, capital markets, technology transactions, and intellectual property.