John Bender
K&L gates
Partner
John Bender is a partner in the firm's Commercial Disputes and White Collar Defense and Investigations practice groups. Recognized as one of the best litigators under 40 in the US by Benchmark Litigation, John represents public and private companies and entrepreneurs in cases involving exposure in the tens and hundreds of millions of dollars in high stakes commercial litigation and investigations.
John prosecutes and defends high-profile and bet-the-company matters involving securities, breach of contract, partnership and shareholder disputes, corporate governance, claims of fraud and embezzlement, franchising, trade secrets, and emerging technologies, including blockchain, digital assets, and artificial intelligence. John also defends companies and individuals in matters involving regulatory agencies such as DFI, SEC, and state attorneys general. He also handles matters involving various forms of reputational harm.
In 2024, Benchmark Litigation named John to its "40 & Under List...the guide to the best and brightest litigators under 40 in the US." He has been selected to the Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® every year since 2021. John has also been named to the Washington Rising Stars list in business litigation every year since 2017.
As a lawyer with experience at the intersection of US law and emerging technologies such as blockchain, digital assets, and AI, John frequently speaks and provides legal commentary and analysis covering these emerging areas; his cases have been featured in major publications, including TIME Magazine.
John also has substantial expertise in complex venture capital and private equity litigation, including cases involving claims of investment fraud and Ponzi scheme litigation, in state, federal, and bankruptcy courts. Inparticular, John represented major stakeholders in two of the largest cases of alleged investment fraud of recordin Pacific Northwest history, in which creditors asserted over US$500 million in total losses. John served as court-appointed “Special Counsel” and lead trial lawyer in iCap Equity's insolvency proceedings in which a federal courtfound that the enterprise operated a US$250+ million Ponzi scheme.
John has a substantial record of thought leadership and pro bono service. He is a member of the Steering Committee for the Washington Technology Industry Association's Cascadia Blockchain Council. He is an Advisory Board Member of the WTIA's Advanced Technology Advisory Board. He served as a member of the Washington Blockchain Workgroup sponsored by the Washington State Department of Commerce. He was appointed to the Washington State Bar Association's Legal Technology Task Force. He is a past volunteer and speaker for the City