Joan Lesser

Joan Lesser is partner emeritus in the transactional group at the law firm of Irell & Manella LLP, after having been a partner at the firm for over 30 years. She has represented clients ranging from individuals and early stage companies to established public and private companies in a variety of transactions, including public and private financings, real estate transactions, corporate mergers and acquisitions, entertainment-related transactions, debt and equity restructurings, corporate governance, executive employment agreements and general business issues. Joan has served on boards of directors of private companies and has advised boards of directors of both public and private companies.

Joan is on the Board of UCLA’s Design for Sharing, having previously served as President of the organization. Design for Sharing produces special daytime performing arts programs on the UCLA campus for public school students, provides in-school performing arts education and distributes tickets to evening performances at UCLA for distribution to nonprofit and social service organizations throughout Los Angeles. Joan has been a member of the Foundation's Los Angeles Donor's Circle and has served on its grants committee.

Joan previously served on a number of nonprofit Boards, including In2Books.org, which developed a literacy and teacher training program that was developed for schools that qualify for assistance under the federal Title I school lunch program; Windward School, a private secondary school in West Los Angeles; and the Organization of Women Executives, an organization designed to provide prominent speakers and activities for senior women executives.

Joan received her BA from Brandeis University and her JD from the University of Southern California School of Law.