Jerry Hersh is an attorney who has represented clients in litigation on issues including online speech and defamation, commercial technology, intellectual property, civil rights, public education, and employment. He has successfully defended individuals from online defamation claims and also has unmasked sources of harmful online content. As a result, Jerry appreciates the nuanced societal, moral, practical and legal challenges facing online platforms in developing and enforcing content moderation policies in a fair and consistent manner. 

Jerry has served as a leader, volunteer or program participant in many Jewish community organizations, including the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) of San Francisco, the Jewish Public Affairs Committee of California (JPAC), the American Jewish Committee, and the Raoul Wallenberg Jewish Democratic Club of San Francisco.

Jerry’s legal and Jewish community experiences sparked his keen interest in the use of language, identity and psychological biases to form perceptions and beliefs about people and ideas. He is particularly curious about these processes in the context of current internet ecosystems. In this vein, he seeks to help alter common misperceptions about Jewish identity, Zionism and antisemitism and to more broadly assist in fostering a healthier democracy and society by addressing the flood of online disinformation.  

Jerry holds a J.D. from University of California, Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco and a B.B.A. degree from the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, VA. He lives in San Francisco with his wife and two children.