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TechElon Musk

Tesla just hired a new top lawyer after Elon Musk said he wanted to build a ‘hardcore litigation department’

By
Dana Hull
Dana Hull
and
Bloomberg
Bloomberg
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By
Dana Hull
Dana Hull
and
Bloomberg
Bloomberg
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February 10, 2023, 10:51 AM ET
Elon Musk, CEO and CTO of SpaceX, CEO and product architect of Tesla Motors, and chairman of SolarCity, attends the Allen & Company Sun Valley Conference on July 7, 2015 in Sun Valley, Idaho.
Elon Musk, CEO and CTO of SpaceX, CEO and product architect of Tesla Motors, and chairman of SolarCity, attends the Allen & Company Sun Valley Conference on July 7, 2015 in Sun Valley, Idaho. Scott Olson—Getty Images

Tesla Inc. has hired Brandon Ehrhart to oversee its legal department, filling the top role after Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk said last year he wanted to build a “hardcore” team.

Ehrhart revealed on LinkedIn that he assumed the role as Tesla’s general counsel and corporate secretary in January after departing Dish Network Corp. The carmaker confirmed the hiring in a tweet Friday following Bloomberg’s report.

Excited to have Brandon Ehrhart join the Tesla team as our General Counsel & to have Dinna Eskin continue in a leadership role in Tesla Legal, as we build a world class team!

— Tesla (@Tesla) February 10, 2023

Tesla has faced years of turnover at the top of the legal team. Bloomberg reported in August that David Searle, who was heading an internal inquiry into purchase orders at the electric vehicle maker, had stepped down as the law department leader, and Dinna Eskin had taken over.

The moves came after Musk tweeted last May that the Austin, Texas-based company was “building a hardcore litigation department where we directly initiate & execute lawsuits.”

Tesla is building a hardcore litigation department where we directly initiate & execute lawsuits. The team will report directly to me.

Please send 3 to 5 bullet points describing evidence of exceptional ability.

justice@tesla.com

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 20, 2022

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