NEW YORK, March 05, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — H/Advisors Abernathy today announced the promotions of James Bourne and SY Lee to Managing Director, expanding the firm’s senior leadership and strengthening its public affairs, special situations, and litigation communications capabilities.
“As a firm with more than four decades of experience advising leaders through complex reputation and communications challenges, we remain focused on delivering trusted counsel,” said Carina Davidson, Interim Chief Executive Officer of H/Advisors Abernathy. “James and SY exemplify the strategic judgment, deep expertise, and partnership our clients expect. They each play an essential role in advancing the firm as we continue to anticipate and respond to an increasingly dynamic landscape.”
Mr. Bourne co-leads H/Advisors Abernathy’s Litigation Communications practice. Since joining the firm in its Los Angeles office in 2013, he has advised clients on litigation communications, issues management, and transaction-related matters, many of which involved high-profile California-based organizations while others played out on a national or global stage.
With more than 15 years of experience across the public and private sectors, Mr. Lee has guided CEOs, major corporations, non-profits, and senior government officials through high-stakes situations, including significant national security events. He joined H/Advisors Abernathy in 2023 and is based in the firm’s Washington, D.C. office.
About James Bourne
James Bourne helps clients develop and implement communications strategies that resonate with the audiences that matter most. He helps clients maintain credibility, articulate value and achieve results in high-stakes situations, particularly in challenging or dynamic legal, policy or regulatory environments.
Mr. Bourne excels at developing and implementing litigation communication strategies that drive tangible legal and business outcomes for clients. His experience includes clients facing major class action lawsuits, shareholder lawsuits, executive employment disputes, FCPA investigations, qui tam complaints under the False Claims Act, #MeToo and sexual harassment investigations and litigations, and competitive disputes relating to false advertising, unfair competition, federal and state antitrust concerns, breach of contract, theft of trade secrets, and intellectual property matters.
In his transaction work, Mr. Bourne has supported mergers and acquisitions with a total value exceeding $160 billion, and has counseled clients facing public short attacks, dissenting founders and contentious proxy contests with formidable shareholder activists, including Elliott Management, JANA Partners and Starboard Value.
About SY Lee
SY Lee provides strategic counsel on a range of matters, with a focus on crisis mitigation, public affairs, and corporate affairs. He specializes in guiding clients through complex situations with minimal reputational damage, maximum business continuity, and optimized outcomes with all stakeholders.
With more than 15 years of experience spanning both public and private sectors, he has advised CEOs and major corporations, political candidates, non-profits, and senior government officials.
Prior to joining Abernathy, Mr. Lee was Chief of Staff of an AI software startup that specialized in national defense. Before that, Mr. Lee was a spokesman for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security where he handled national security matters including the Boston Marathon attacks, the nation state cyber-attacks on Sony and the Office of Personnel Management, and the Ebola crisis.
About H/Advisors Abernathy
H/Advisors Abernathy advises CEOs, boards, and senior executives on stakeholder communications and engagement. For more than 40 years, the firm has helped clients protect and enhance their reputations, navigate challenges, and pursue new opportunities. The firm operates from offices in New York, Los Angeles, Houston, San Francisco, Chicago, and Washington, D.C., and is a core member of H/Advisors, a global strategic communications group with more than 1,500 professionals across 40+ offices worldwide.
Contact:
Angela Gonzalez-Rodriguez
Director of Marketing
H/Advisors Abernathy
[email protected]
Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:
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