Our deeds and shared values define our culture. As a firm, we are equally passionate about delivering legal excellence and making a difference in the world. MoFo+ shares news and thought leadership from our lawyers and their teams who are proud to contribute to the legal profession and the communities we call home.<h2>About Morrison Foerster</h2>Morrison Foerster is a leading global law firm that transforms complexity into advantage for its clients. Our clients include some of the largest financial institutions, banks, consulting and accounting firms, and Fortune 100, technology, and life sciences companies. Highlighting the firm’s commitment to client service, leadership in market-changing deals and impact litigation, and values-based culture, Morrison Foerster has been repeatedly recognized as one of the top 10 firms on The American Lawyer’s A-List. Year after year, the firm receives significant recognition from Chambers and The Legal 500 across their various guides, including Global, USA, Asia‑Pacific, Europe, UK, Latin America, and FinTech Legal. Our lawyers passionately care about delivering legal excellence while living our values. Morrison Foerster has a long-standing commitment to creating a culture that respects and celebrates differences, while providing an inclusive environment. The firm has achieved Mansfield Certification Plus since 2018 as a result of successfully reaching at least 30 percent women, communities of color, and LGBTQ+ lawyer representation in a notable number of current leadership roles and committees. The firm also has a long history of commitment to the community and society through providing pro bono legal services, including litigating for civil rights and civil liberties, improving public education and fostering the wellbeing of children, advocating for veterans, promoting international human rights, enforcing the right to asylum, and safeguarding the environment.

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Jennifer K. Brown is Senior Pro Bono Counsel at Morrison & Foerster LLP, with responsibility for the overall direction of the firm’s pro bono program. Ms. Brown also develops pro bono opportunities and promotes lawyers’ participation in the firm’s offices on the east coast of the U.S. as well as in China, Hong Kong, and Singapore.Before joining Morrison Foerster, Ms. Brown was vice president and legal director of Legal Momentum, the nation's first women’s rights legal organization, originally known as the NOW Legal Defense and Education Fund. There, she directed cutting-edge litigation and policy advocacy focused on employment discrimination, domestic violence victims' rights, and sexuality and family rights. Previously, she served as the reproductive rights director with the Civil Rights Bureau of the Office of the New York Attorney General and as an Assistant U.S. Attorney with the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York.Ms. Brown brings to the firm her deep knowledge of public interest legal organizations and the most pressing civil rights issues of the day. She has, as well, a rich array of litigation experience, having represented individuals as well as federal agencies and the public, from both the plaintiff and defense positions, in trial and appellate courts. As Senior Pro Bono Counsel, she applies this knowledge and experience to multiple goals: encouraging the firm's attorneys from all practice areas to bring pro bono projects to the firm; easing the way for attorneys to undertake meaningful pro bono service; and working with legal service and public interest organizations to identify creative ways to tap the passion and intellect of the firm's lawyers to pursue the public good. Recent achievements include collaborating with a legal services organization to represent individuals whose claims for unemployment insurance benefits are challenged, and forming a project to represent disabled individuals who are seeking federal disability benefits.Ms. Brown received her J.D. from Yale Law School in 1993, where she was essays editor of the Yale Law Journal (1992-1993) and was awarded the Benjamin Scharps and Israel H. Peres prizes for outstanding writing. Ms. Brown’s publications include, "The Nineteenth Amendment and Women's Equality," 102 Yale Law Journal 2175 (1993) (student note), and "Life and Death with Joan," in AIDS: The Women, Cleis Press, 1988.

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Senior Pro Bono Counsel

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As senior pro bono counsel, Jennifer manages and promotes the pro bono participation of lawyers on the East Coast.

Jennifer K. Brown

Natalie Kernisant is Morrison Foerster’s Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer.Natalie provides strategic leadership to advance recruiting and retention of talent with a wide range of experiences and perspectives at the firm, as well as providing client development support in the area of diversity and inclusion. She works closely with the firm’s Diversity Strategy Committee co-chairs Alexis Amezcua, Purvi Patel, and Mark Whitaker, and Women’s Strategy Committee co-chairs Carrie Cohen, Julie Park, and Stacey Sprenkel.Natalie joined Morrison Foerster in November 2013. She was appointed to the newly created role of Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer in December 2020, having previously served as the firm’s Global Director of Diversity and Inclusion.Prior to joining Morrison Foerster, Natalie served as Human Resources Manager for Risk Management within Global Banking and Markets at Bank of America Merrill Lynch. Before that, she practiced trademark and copyright law and then served as the Special Projects Manager in the Office of Institutional Policy & Planning at Harvard Medical School overseeing the school’s 2011 accreditation process.In 2021, Natalie was named by Crain’s New York Business to its list of Notable Black Leaders & Executives 2021. The special section recognizes black men and women who have impacted New York City in major ways and sets out to honor their professional, civic, and philanthropic achievements. In 2023, Natalie was recognized as one of Savoy Magazine’s 2023 Most Influential Executives in Diversity & Inclusion. She was also selected to Law360’s Diversity & Inclusion Editorial Advisory Board, whose goal is to provide feedback on Law360’s coverage as well as expert insight on how to shape future coverage. Additionally, she was recognized in the Financial Times 2023 North America Innovative Lawyers report as one of seven individual “Change Makers” in the legal industry for her strategic leadership of the firm’s efforts to advance diversity and inclusion in the workplace. In 2024, Natalie was named as a Change Driver in the Annual Diversity Awards of World IP Review (WIPR). The annual Diversity Awards recognize those who have made exceptional contributions to diversity and inclusion in the field of intellectual property.During Natalie’s tenure at MoFo, the firm has received multiple <a href="/culture/diversity#page-section-4" target="_self">diversity and inclusion awards and recognitions</a>.

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Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer

Partner

Natalie Kernisant is Morrison Foerster’s Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer.

Natalie Kernisant provides strategic leadership to advance recruiting and retention of diverse talent at Morrison Foerster, as well as providing client development support in the area of diversity and inclusion.

Natalie Kernisant

Dorothy L. Fernandez is Pro Bono Counsel based in the Denver office of Morrison & Foerster LLP. She is responsible for managing and promoting the participation of lawyers in the firm’s extensive pro bono program which includes, among other things, providing free legal services to low-income individuals, advising nonprofit organizations and assisting in other matters that serve the public interest. Dorothy’s primary focus is on working with lawyers in the firm’s Austin, Los Angeles, San Diego, Denver and Tokyo offices.In 1999, Dorothy joined Morrison & Foerster as an associate in the Securities Litigation, Enforcement and White-Collar Criminal Defense Group. She was elected a partner of the firm in 2004. Dorothy handled complex litigation at the state, federal and appellate levels and was responsible for drafting key dispositive motions in some of the firm’s largest securities litigation matters. In addition, she had an active pro bono practice and represented clients in individual matters, as well as cases addressing the treatment of children in foster care and the rights of LGBT individuals.A dedicated advocate for the LGBT community, Dorothy has served as co-chair of the board of directors of the National Center for Lesbian Rights, and she also served on the board of the Pride Law Fund, a nonprofit organization that provides scholarships to law students working on issues related to the equal rights of LGBT citizens and people living with HIV/AIDS.Dorothy graduated from Stanford University in 1992 with a B.A. in psychology. She earned a J.D. in 1996 from Harvard Law School, where she was a member of the Harvard Civil Rights-Civil Liberties Law Review and co-chair of HLS Lambda. She has taught as an adjunct instructor at both Golden Gate University Law School and Santa Clara University Law School.

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Pro Bono Counsel

Dorothy works with lawyers in our Denver, Los Angeles, and San Diego offices on various pro bono initiatives.

Dorothy L. Fernandez

Rachel Williams is pro bono counsel based in Morrison & Foerster’s San Francisco office. She is responsible for managing and promoting the participation of lawyers in the firm’s extensive program of providing free legal services to low-income individuals, to nonprofit organizations, and in matters that serve the public interest. Rachel works primarily with lawyers in the firm’s San Francisco, Palo Alto, London, Berlin, and Brussels offices. She is an active member of the Disaster Legal Assistance Collaborative and the board of directors of OneJustice. Rachel joined the firm in 1999. Prior to becoming a pro bono counsel, Rachel was a litigation associate in the firm’s Palo Alto office and worked on attorney training and development initiatives. Before law school, Rachel worked for various nonprofit organizations, was an investigator for the public defender’s office in Seattle, and served as a Coro Public Affairs Fellow in New York City.

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Rachel is responsible for managing and promoting the participation of lawyers in the firm’s extensive program of providing free legal services to low-income individuals, to nonprofit organizations, and in matters that serve the public interest.

Rachel P. Williams

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MoFo Celebrates Earth Day

Celebrating Black History Month with Maya Wiley, President and CEO of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights

Faces of MoFo: Dominick Divine III

MoFo's Women of Color Collective: A Conversation with CCWC’s Laurie Robinson Haden

MoFo Wins Asylum for Cameroonian Political Refugee

Each February, here at MoFo, we honor the generations of Black individuals and communities who have made a significant impact throughout history and those who will shape our future. We do this while also acknowledging and advocating against the inequalities and injustices Black people have faced and still continue to face today. This year, our recognition of Black History Month centers on a theme of Black Health and Wellness. One important aspect of the firm’s broader efforts to promote health and wellness within the Black community can be seen in the many pro bono initiatives MoFo has undertaken in recent years to assist organizations whose missions promote Black health and wellness not only in the United States, but around the globe. Listed below are just a few examples of how MoFo’s pro bono program furthers this vital mission.Promoting education and recreation in Black and brown communitiesSince 2019, MoFo has devoted over 500 hours of pro bono services to Stephen and Ayesha Curry’s <a href="https://www.eatlearnplay.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Eat.Learn.Play.</a> Foundation. The foundation funds community organizations in Oakland and the Bay Area that support children in three crucial ways: “fighting to end childhood hunger, ensuring students have access to a quality education, and providing safe places for all children to play and be active.” Along with the firm’s many hours of pro bono service, San Francisco corporate partner Fredo Silva also serves as a member of the foundation’s board.MoFo has contributed approximately 1,500 hours of pro bono services to <a href="https://concretesafaris.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Concrete Safaris</a> since the firm began working with the group in 2008. By providing safe outdoor play and learning experiences, Concrete Safaris prepares children in East Harlem and beyond to build leadership skills that will help them lead healthy lives and shape their communities. Recently, MoFo attorneys have been advising the group on the possible acquisition of a vacant building that one day could house a community center.Advocating for food justice in Washington, D.C.<a href="https://www.dcgreens.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DC Greens</a> has benefited from MoFo’s services since it was founded in 2009. DC Greens began as a farmers’ market created to directly support the local farm economy, and has evolved into a leader in the food justice movement in Washington, D.C. The organization’s extensive food access programs serve largely low-income communities by providing locally grown produce to D.C. residents with limited access to fresh foods, advocating for equitable food policies, and sponsoring school gardens and food education in D.C. public schools.Furthering critical counseling effortsMoFo is also advising a new San Francisco-based nonprofit that will provide traumatic grief counseling to predominantly Black communities suffering from homicides, suicides, and other traumatic experiences. Our attorneys are preparing a Memorandum of Understanding for the group’s planned partnerships with healthcare and governmental agencies.Advocating for healthy outcomes in AfricaAlong with MoFo’s U.S.-focused pro bono services, the firm has also worked with a number of groups that have substantial programs focused on health in Africa. These include the White Ribbon Alliance, which promotes reproductive, maternal, and newborn health and rights globally; Jacaranda Health, which focuses on improving maternal health and healthy births in Kenya; and Doctors for Madagascar, which our Berlin office has assisted in developing a “mobile health wallet,” a mobile app to help individuals save for healthcare expenses.Visit our <a href="https://www.mofo.com/culture/pro-bono/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pro bono page</a> to learn more about our global pro bono program.

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MoFo’s Pro Bono Efforts Support Black Health and Wellness

MoFo’s Pro Bono Efforts Support Black Health and Wellness

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Each February, here at MoFo, we honor the generations of Black individuals and communities who have made a significant impact throughout history and those who will shape our future. We do this while also acknowledging and advocating against the inequalities and injustices Black people

Editors’ Note: As part of our ongoing Faces of MoFo series and in celebration of Black History Month, Christina Golden Ademola, an associate in the firm’s Litigation Practice, discusses how her childhood affected her desire to practice law and how it served as the foundation for her career at MoFo.Like so many others, my paternal grandparents fled the Jim Crow South, leaving East Texas behind in search of opportunities and a better life for themselves and their three young sons. They established themselves in Xenia, Ohio—not too far from Wilberforce, Ohio, home to not one but two prestigious historically Black colleges and universities, Wilberforce University and Central State University. Early in his career, W.E.B. Du Bois taught at the former. My great-grandfather served as dean at the latter. My dad’s father became the principal of the local junior high school and coached varsity football and track at the local high school. Meanwhile, my maternal grandparents also felt Xenia calling them and their seven children from further north in Ohio. My mom’s father became a professor at Central State University, while my mom’s mother finished her post-graduate studies at Ohio State University. Both sides of my family descended upon this little-known small town because of the nearby educational opportunities.With so much emphasis on education, my grandparents consistently rewarded me for my strong academic performance, encouraging me to continue to push myself, handing me crisp $20 bills and $50 checks for each report card. My mom’s parents—the professor and the librarian—fed me endless books from varied genres from history to mystery to fantasy. I marveled at the tales of Black excellence from far-off places in West Africa to local African American heroes. In my early life, I was certain I would follow my mom’s father into academia, serving as a professor of African American studies. I quickly understood that education could be the great equalizer, opening up a world of opportunities that might otherwise be beyond my grasp in my small town.Somewhere between learning to drive my first car and my high school choir trip to New York, my passion for the law deepened. In high school, I participated in mock trial under the leadership of Mr. Duff, a retired police detective, who encouraged my curiosity to understand how the most precise legal argument might overcome whatever evidence we faced. Working through opening and closing statements in my mock trial course, I marveled at the model jury box and relished the opportunity to sit at the counsel table.When I left home to attend college in New York, my dad’s father called to give me an encouraging word, pushing me forward as he always did. In college, my dad’s mother—the undeniable leader of my personal hype squad—called me each Sunday afternoon to remind me to take care of myself, to eat well, and to get sufficient rest. We continue this tradition to this day. When I graduated from Columbia University with my bachelor’s degree, three of my grandparents were there cheering me on, radiating pure joy. And when I enrolled in Columbia University again for my law degree, my mom’s mother could hardly contain her enthusiasm, reminding me that my grandfather had wanted to be an attorney too but “couldn’t hack it.” Seeing her granddaughter achieve the goal that had somehow evaded my grandfather, gave her a great sense of pride. My grandparents have always been there to celebrate my career milestones, lifting me up, and reminding me of all that I have accomplished.Each and every day that I practice in my profession, I know it is a gift and I remember the sacrifices from my grandparents that made it all possible. Much has been written of late about Black women attorneys and our stories about “proving” that we in fact belong in this profession. Many of us have faced strangers’ confused looks as they question our credentials, befuddled that we somehow “do not look like attorneys.” I confess that I, too, have my own tales that could easily fill this column. But those moments do not define who I am as an attorney and they do not rob me of the joy that I feel working in the profession that I love. And I take solace in knowing that I am quite literally the manifestation of the dreams my grandparents had all those decades ago, and for this, I am truly grateful.Outside the office, you can find me doing my best impression of my dad’s mother in the kitchen recreating treasured family recipes and mastering new ones, and planning my next great adventure with my husband, Bayo.<img src="https://media2.mofo.com/v3/images/blt5775cc69c999c255/bltbf34807d0c97f600/6287fff130bc9653db3ac47f/220214-mofotogether-facesofmofo-christina-ademola-2.jpg?format=auto&quality=60" width="1165" height="1431" type="asset" sys-style-type="download">

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Faces of MoFo: Christina Golden Ademola

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Editors’ Note: As part of our ongoing Faces of MoFo series and in celebration of Black History Month, Christina Golden Ademola, an associate in the firm’s Litigation Practice, discusses how her childhood affected her desire to practice law and how it served as the

Faces of MoFo: Christina Golden Ademola

To help small businesses in California navigate the long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the California Small Business Enterprise Task Force (“CASE Force”), a public-private consortium of legal, financial, and nonprofit professionals, created the US$1 billion California Rebuilding Fund (the “Fund”).  A team from MoFo led the development and implementation of the Fund, a public-private partnership loan program to support California’s small businesses, especially those located in economically disadvantaged and historically under-banked areas of the state.Since its inception, the Fund has raised over US$106 million and CASE Force members continue to fundraise additional capital from philanthropists and lending institutions. The Fund has provided vital financial resources to California’s most vulnerable small businesses. As of October 18, 2021, MoFo attorneys have donated over 5000 pro bono hours to CASE Force and the Fund. To date, nearly 800 small businesses in California have received funded loans through the Fund totaling US$50 million, including:<ul><li>40% of funded loans given to women-owned businesses;</li><li>46% of the loans given to entrepreneurs of color; and</li><li>62% of the loans given to businesses owned by either women or people of color.</li></ul>Co-founded by MoFo partner <a rel="noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.mofo.com/people/susan-mac-cormac.html">Suz Mac Cormac</a> in partnership with <a rel="noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.allhomeca.org/">All Home</a>, <a rel="noopener" target="_blank" href="https://case.law.berkeley.edu/">CASE Force</a> was a collaboration formed at the start of the pandemic to support the needs of the state’s smallest businesses. CASE Force’s initial efforts included the development of a comprehensive COVID-19 resource guide and weekly live office hours led by MoFo attorneys and business advisors of the Northern California Small Business Development Center (“SBDC”) Network to address legal issues for California businesses with 50 or fewer employees, as well as nonprofits.  During the early stages of the pandemic, the office hours primarily addressed questions about Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loans and the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”). By summer 2020, concerns during office hours shifted to tax, unemployment, and bankruptcy issues, and it became clear that small businesses needed financial support to endure the pandemic. This led to the formation of the Fund.Launched in November 2020, the Fund drives capital from private, philanthropic, and public sector resources—including a US$25 million anchor commitment and US$50 million guarantee allocation from the California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank (“IBank”)—to California’s smallest businesses through community development financial institutions (“CDFIs”). The Fund provides low-interest loans to businesses with no more than 50 employees and those who earned up to US$2.5 million in gross revenue in 2019.Visit <a rel="noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.connect2capital.com/partners/california-rebuilding-fund/">The California Rebuilding Fund</a> and <a rel="noopener" target="_blank" href="https://case.law.berkeley.edu/">CASE Force</a> to learn more.

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MoFo Assists CASE Force with Implementation of US$1 billion California Rebuilding Fund; includes 778 funded loans totaling US$50 million given to small businesses

To help small businesses in California navigate the long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the California Small Business Enterprise Task Force (“CASE Force”

MoFo Assists CASE Force with Implementation of US$1 billion California Rebuilding Fund; includes 778 funded loans totaling US$50 million given to small businesses

Since 2000, The Morrison & Foerster Foundation has contributed more than $5.4 million in support of Equal Justice Works, a nonprofit organization in Washington, D.C. that creates opportunities for lawyers to transform their passion for public service into a lifelong commitment to equal justice.As the nation’s largest facilitator of opportunities in public interest law, Equal Justice Works brings together an extensive network of law students, lawyers, legal services organizations, and supporters to promote public service and bring lasting change to underserved communities across the United States. More than 2,000 Fellows have launched their public interest law careers through Equal Justice Works, with 85% of participants remaining in public service following their fellowships.For the past 20+ years, The Morrison & Foerster Foundation has selected promising law school graduates for the upcoming fellowship class, which begins each fall. During their two-year fellowships, these lawyers work in new full-time legal positions at their host organizations on projects jointly designed by the Fellows and their hosts. They receive training from both their host organization and Equal Justice Works. We also offer an annual stipend to each of our Fellows, to help them attend educational conferences related to their projects. Often, our Fellows’ projects lead to local pro bono opportunities for Morrison & Foerster attorneys, as well.Through Equal Justice Works, The Morrison & Foerster Foundation has sponsored 55 new lawyers pursuing public interest legal careers at legal services organizations in regions where Morrison & Foerster has offices. Nearly all of our Fellows have focused on improving the lives of disadvantaged youth, especially those experiencing discrimination and educational inequality. We rotate our sponsoring offices while supporting the most compelling candidates. Our donation to Equal Justice Works is usually our largest single gift each year. This year, we contributed $274,000 to Equal Justice Works and began sponsoring our first-ever Fellow in the Greater Boston Area.Our 2020 Fellows, <a href="https://www.equaljusticeworks.org/fellows/stephanie-horwitz/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Stephanie Horwitz</a> and <a href="https://www.equaljusticeworks.org/fellows/renee-schenkman/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Renee Schenkman</a>, have begun their second fellowship year. At the National Center for Youth Law in El Segundo, California, Stephanie is advocating for the rights of students of color with disabilities who face pushout to inferior alternative education settings through direct services, community advocacy, and impact litigation. Renee’s project at Lawyers for Children in New York City, focuses on providing legal representation and advocates to address the needs of youth in Residential Treatment Centers and the Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) Children’s Center and enforces the Family First Prevention Services Act.“We are proud to partner year after year with Equal Justice Works to help inspiring law school graduates pursue careers in public interest law,” said Jamie Levitt, chair of The Morrison & Foerster Foundation and managing partner of the firm’s New York office. “Through this partnership with Equal Justice Works, our Fellows follow their dreams of using their legal education to make a difference in their communities and the lives of their clients, all while supporting important legal services organizations.”Our 2021 Equal Justice Works Fellows, whose projects have just begun, are <a href="https://www.equaljusticeworks.org/fellows/alyssa-rao/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Alyssa Rao</a> and <a href="https://www.equaljusticeworks.org/fellows/alejandra-gutierrez/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Alejandra Gutierrez</a>. As the MoFo Foundation’s first Fellow in the Boston area, Alyssa is hosted by Greater Boston Legal Services, where she will provide legal representation to predominantly Black and Latinx domestic violence survivors involved in the Massachusetts child welfare system while engaged in custody disputes with their abusers. At the National Center for Youth Law in Oakland, California, Alejandra Gutierrez will advocate for youth unlawfully funneled into the juvenile justice system in a racially disparate manner by changing systemic responses from punitive to a public health, community-centered approach. Her project will focus on the Central Valley and Inland Empire, both underserved, rural regions of the state.“Far too many young people in our local communities are being funneled through a juvenile justice system that is not equitable and does not work for them,” said San Francisco corporate partner and Morrison & Foerster Foundation board member Jackie Liu. “I am impressed by the work Alejandra is doing to give a voice to youth in underserved communities in California, and we are proud to support her in her legal public service journey.”Over the years, The Morrison & Foerster Foundation’s Fellows have come from a variety of backgrounds. Prior to law school, Alejandra Gutierrez worked as an organizer for the United Farm Workers Union and as a program director at a community building organization in Stockton, California, where she co-founded the Stockton Trauma Recovery Center. And knowing that she wanted to help survivors of domestic violence, Alyssa Rao pursued concurrent degrees in law and social work, graduating with both a Juris Doctor and a Master’s in social work this spring.“We are proud to support Alyssa and the critical advocacy work she is doing within the local Boston community to provide legal representation to domestic violence survivors,” said David Ephraim, managing partner of Morrison & Foerster’s Boston office and Morrison & Foerster Foundation board member. “We look forward to continuing to support local law school graduates, such as Alyssa, who are dedicated to the advancement of their legal careers and to making a difference in our local community.”Read more about the talented lawyers that The Morrison & Foerster Foundation has sponsored over the years and the impacts their projects have had on their communities <a href="https://media2.mofo.com/v3/assets/blt5775cc69c999c255/blt7484c128dff56c3e/6287fca8dcc93261eccafe06/mofo-foundation-alumni-booklet-2000-2020.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

Morrison & Foerster Partners With Equal Justice Works to Support Recent Law School Graduates With A Passion For Public Service

Since 2000, The Morrison & Foerster Foundation has contributed more than $5.4 million in support of Equal Justice Works, a nonprofit organization in Washington,

Morrison & Foerster Partners With Equal Justice Works to Support Recent Law School Graduates With A Passion For Public Service

MoFo has earned recognition as a <a href="https://www.bikeleague.org/bfa" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bicycle Friendly Business</a>℠ (BFB) from the <a href="https://www.bikeleague.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">League of American Bicyclists</a>, with our San Francisco office receiving Silver status. The New York and Palo Alto offices received Bronze recognitions and the remaining six U.S. offices received honorable mention.The initiative was spearheaded at MoFo by the firm’s San Francisco Internal Sustainability Committee (ISC), which is dedicated to promoting sustainable, eco-conscious practices at all levels of the firm’s operations, and supported by all nine U.S. offices.The League of American Bicyclists started the BFB initiative—a movement of over 1,400 local businesses, government agencies, and Fortune 500 companies across the United States—in the hopes of transforming the American workplace to be more welcoming to customers and employees who bike.As we progress through 2021, we see the impact of thinking increasingly on a local scale when it comes to global health. More employees are biking to work, more people are continuing to look for ways to get outside and be more active, and BFBs play a crucial role in connecting their community with better biking. Being honored with this recognition signifies that the firm isn’t just along for the ride, we are working in tandem with local advocates and the League to promote and encourage bicycling as a means of transportation, fun, and fitness.“We would like to increase morale and quality of life for employees, enhance health and wellness benefits, reduce healthcare costs, and support and expand reliable transportation in the area,” said Hilary O’Brien, MoFo’s Director of Administration in San Francisco. “We believe that ensuring safe and sustainable transportation options will be key in a post-COVID-19 world.”Other sustainability goals for the firm’s ISC include reducing the use of paper and printing resources; enhancing programs for recycling, water conservation, composting, reduction of plastic use, and paper goods conservation; reducing carbon impacts associated with commuting and business-related transportation; following sustainable design and planning solutions for major office renovation projects; and taking action to reduce energy consumption in the firm’s offices.With this recognition, MoFo joins 33 total new and renewing BFBs in the League’s latest round of BFB awards and 1,425 total current BFBs across the country, all united in a commitment to transform American workplaces to be more welcoming to customers and employees who bike. The BFB award recognizes an organization’s contributions over months and years to the movement to build a Bicycle Friendly America for everyone.“We are pleased to celebrate new and renewing Bicycle Friendly Businesses, as these awards are a reminder that our vision of an America where every person can safely and easily choose to bike is shared by every part of a community, including business leaders,” said Bill Nesper, executive director of the League of American Bicyclists.”Learn more about the League’s BFB program <a href="https://bikeleague.org/business" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

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MoFo is Certified a Bike Friendly Business by the League of American Bicyclists

MoFo is Certified a Bike Friendly Business by the League of American Bicyclists 

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MoFo has earned recognition as a Bicycle Friendly Business℠ (BFB) from the League of American Bicyclists, with our San Francisco office receiving Silver status.

MoFo is Certified a Bike Friendly Business by the League of American Bicyclists

On June 24, 2021, nonprofit legal partner <a rel="noopener" target="_blank" href="https://onejustice.org/">OneJustice</a> honored MoFo with its Champions of Justice award during its annual “Opening Doors to Justice” event. Held virtually this year, the program is a celebration of the organizations and individuals whose partnership with OneJustice has helped increase access to justice throughout the state of California.  MoFo shared this honor with Lawyaw and the Social Justice Collaborative.MoFo has worked with this statewide organization on a number of important initiatives, including the Justice Bus Project® and the Bay Area Rural Justice Collaborative program, which bring much-needed legal services to underserved areas of California; the IMPACT LA clinic, a collaborative effort that provides additional legal services to domestic violence survivors in Greater Los Angeles; and the Inland Empire small business clinic. MoFo also has partnered with OneJustice to coordinate disaster legal services in California to help those adversely impacted by natural disasters, including multiple, devastating wildfires.For over 40 years, OneJustice has been committed to building a network of social justice champions, comprised of law schools and students, bar associations, the private sector, and legal services nonprofits, to reach more Californians with much-needed free legal services.Learn more about our partnership with OneJustice in the video below:<iframe src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/yyIjlr1XOiA?rel=0" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" title="MoFo and OneJustice partnership" title="iframe"></iframe>

MoFo Named Champions of Justice by OneJustice

MoFo Named Champions of Justice by OneJustice

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On June 24, 2021, nonprofit legal partner OneJustice honored MoFo with its Champions of Justice award during its annual “Opening Doors to Justice” event. Held v

For more than a decade, lawyers in MoFo’s <a href="https://protect-us.mimecast.com/s/bnuVCVO0oWIxLnoKEurjHjQ?domain=mofo.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Germany</a> office have been attending the <a href="https://protect-us.mimecast.com/s/MIqFCW6jp1U5gLmYQsB8Wjs?domain=exporeal.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">EXPO REAL International Trade Fair for Property and Investment</a>, which is the biggest trade fair for real estate and investment in Europe. The fair has proven to be an extremely valuable resource for liaising with our global real estate clients, but the events of 2020 threatened to dampen that opportunity. The event was initially rescheduled as a hybrid in-person/virtual event, but was eventually cancelled due to rising concerns over the pandemic.True to the motto, “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade,” a group of lawyers from MoFo’s European Real Estate team, spearheaded by Jens-Uwe Hinder and Florian Ehrich in Berlin and Oliver s’Jacob, Luke Mines, and Danielle Hirsch in London, sought out an alternative way to connect with clients while doing something good for the community. Since the real estate team wasn’t going to be sponsoring the event, the attorneys decided to reallocate those funds to a good cause. As the firm shares in Habitat for Humanity’s vision that everyone deserves a decent place to call home, the organization was the perfect choice.“Living in a house with windows, doors and space for privacy is a luxury that most of us take for granted. But for millions of displaced people, this is far from reality. Habitat cares for these people, and MoFo’s Real Estate Team is happy to support the organization’s valuable work in creating homes for those who need it most,” explains the team.The team created an “EXPO REAL Goodie Box,” which was sent to a selected group of clients and contacts and included information about two potential projects we could partner with Habitat for Humanity on. We invited them to anonymously help us choose a project to support and, ultimately, they chose “Die HoffnungsBAUer – A new home for Priscilla.”“We thank our clients who helped create a home that provides security, shelter, and privacy for Priscilla and from where she can now find paid work, live a decent life, and take care for the education and development of her children.”Priscilla is a 52-year-old widow who is caring for six children from three different families, one of which is her late sister’s. She had been living on her family’s property in a dilapidated mud house with no drinking water or toilet. The home’s mud walls and its roof were leaking and in danger of collapse. She works six days a week at a nearby farm to support the school-aged children that she looks after, but has found it increasingly difficult to work.As an HIV-positive individual, she found herself in the high-risk group for COVID-19 and was able to apply for an emergency aid project with food assistance. Even with that help, the cost to repair the home to a livable state was daunting. With the help of MoFo’s European real estate team and other donors, the Habitat project raised enough funds to build a safe home on her family’s property with running water from rainwater harvesting and a latrine. To individuals like Priscilla, the building of this home means much more than just a place to live; it also helps ensure the basis of elementary rights such as health, education, and personal and professional development.“Habitat for Humanity knows that home is the key to freeing families from financial instability, from stress and from impossible choices between essential needs,” the organization says. “Thanks to partners like Morrison & Foerster we are able to provide Priscilla and her family a foundation for a promising future.”The “HoffnungsBAUer” initiative was created to unite members of the construction and real estate industries in their social commitment to help people and their families in disaster areas and developing countries get a solid roof over their heads, access to sanitary facilities, and access to clean water. With over 1.6 billion people worldwide lacking such a home, the initiative aims to support more than 10,000 people a year. While no voluntary trips will be able to take place in 2021, due to the current situation, the group looks forward to launching volunteer missions in the spring of 2022.Learn more about this and other HoffnungsBAUer projects taken on in 2020 <a href="https://protect-us.mimecast.com/s/AEzkC31KE3spJgzMPUP-qGw?domain=hoffnungsbauer.de">here</a>.

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During the Pandemic, MoFo Turns a Missed Networking Opportunity into a Call to Give Back

During the Pandemic, MoFo Turns a Missed Networking Opportunity into a Call to Give Back

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For more than a decade, lawyers in MoFo’s Germany office have been attending the EXPO REAL International Trade Fair for Property and Investment, which is the bi

Hurricanes. Earthquakes. Civil unrest. Government corruption. Global pandemic. These are just some of the challenges MoFo’s pro bono team, led by partner <a rel="noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.mofo.com/people/bonnie-lau.html">Bonnie Lau</a>, have had to face in our quest for justice for our Haitian clients, who have been violently persecuted for speaking out against human rights violations and challenging corruption and brutality by the former mayor of Les Irois, Haiti.MoFo and co-counsel Dentons US LLP have been honored by the <a rel="noopener" target="_blank" href="https://cja.org/what-we-do/">Center for Justice and Accountability</a> (CJA) with the Partner in Justice Award, which will be presented during CJA’s virtual Un-Gala event on May 24-28, 2021. “This award recognizes the extraordinary partnerships that make justice possible,” said Carmen Cheung, Executive Director of CJA. “Litigating transnational human rights cases requires expert lawyering and a deep commitment to our clients. Bonnie Lau and her team have all that and more – going above and beyond at every step of the way in this complex case. It is our privilege to have them as our co-counsel.”Bonnie and CJA have partnered to investigate this case since 2013, and filed the <a rel="noopener" target="_blank" href="https://cja.org/what-we-do/litigation/boniface-v-viliena/">Boniface v. Viliena</a> lawsuit in Massachusetts federal court in 2017. The <a rel="noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/01/world/americas/haiti-politics-violence.html?_r=1">high-profile</a> human rights case seeks to hold Jean Morose Viliena, a former Haitian mayor living outside Boston, accountable for crimes committed against our clients and other residents of Les Irois. Over the years, a number of lawyers from CJA, Dentons, and MoFo have joined the effort, each making significant contributions. Today, the MoFo team includes Bonnie and associates Sarah Vandervalk and Ben Kagel. The Dentons team currently includes associates Connor Scott and Tony Lu. The CJA team is led by Daniel McLaughlin and Ela Matthews, and the entire team also works closely with Nicole Phillips of the Haitian Bridge Alliance.In July 2007, David Boniface, a human rights activist, denounced the defendant in court for assaulting a neighbor. Later that night, the defendant and his militia, armed with machetes, clubs, picks, and guns, went to Boniface’s home in reprisal. David was not home, so they dragged Boniface’s younger brother Eclesiaste out into the street and brutally beat and murdered him. In 2008, the first-ever community radio station was established in Les Irois and hosted in the home of Nissage Martyr. Fearing political opposition speech, the defendant threatened to shut down the radio station. Shortly thereafter, the defendant and his militia invaded Martyr’s home, surrounded and beat Martyr, and shot him and Juders Yseme, a young associate of the radio station, when they tried to escape the attack. Their gunshot wounds were so severe that Yseme was blinded in one eye, and Martyr’s leg had to be amputated above the knee. In October 2009, the defendant’s campaign to silence dissent culminated in an arson rampage where his militia set fire to 36 homes of perceived political opponents in a single night. The defendant fled to the suburbs of Boston in 2009 to avoid criminal charges in Haiti.<img sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" height="223" width="300" src="https://media2.mofo.com/v3/images/blt5775cc69c999c255/blt68528e3444a09e12/6287fcd130bc9653db3ac38d/haitigroup-300x223.jpg?format=auto&quality=60" class="alignleft wp-image-5131 size-medium" loading="lazy" type="asset" sys-style-type="download">The day after the U.S. lawsuit was served on the defendant in March 2017, Martyr suddenly became violently ill and died under suspicious circumstances. Undaunted, our legal team has pressed forward and secured a number of significant litigation victories, including defeating the defendant’s motion to dismiss certain claims under the Alien Tort Statute, defeating a related petition for interlocutory appeal to the First Circuit, and winning a recent motion to compel further discovery. The team has also persevered through fact discovery and depositions, despite their Haiti travel plans being repeatedly thwarted by hurricanes, political instability and violence, and the global COVID-19 pandemic. The team secured an emergency protective order to protect our clients and witnesses from the defendant’s ongoing threats and intimidation, and successfully pivoted to complete investigation interviews and depositions remotely.“It has been a great privilege to work with our remarkable clients, whose courage and determination to hold the defendant accountable in the face of tremendous personal risk, inspires our team every day,” remarked Bonnie. “We look forward to taking this case to trial and securing the justice and redress that has eluded our clients for over a decade.”In this video clip, Bonnie discusses the high-profile Boniface v. Viliena case and accepts the Partner in Justice Award on behalf of the MoFo and Dentons legal team:<iframe src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/wNDTS-qdWL8?rel=0" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" title="Bonnie Lau accepts CJA Partner in Justice award" title="iframe"></iframe>

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Kudos to Bonnie Lau and the MoFo Pro Bono Team Seeking Justice Against Human Rights Abuses in Haiti

Kudos to Bonnie Lau and the MoFo Pro Bono Team Seeking Justice Against Human Rights Abuses in Haiti

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Hurricanes. Earthquakes. Civil unrest. Government corruption. Global pandemic. These are just some of the challenges MoFo’s pro bono team, led by partner Bonnie

Earlier this month, a Morrison & Foerster pro bono team led by New York IP Litigation partner Kyle Mooney and New York IP Litigation associates Eric Lin and Neal Burstyn, filed a federal  lawsuit against the Connecticut Department of Correction (DOC) for the alleged physical and psychological abuse of prisoners with mental illness who are currently incarcerated at, or at risk of transfer to,  Northern Correctional Institution (“Northern”), the state’s only supermax prison.  Our client in the suit is <a href="https://www.disrightsct.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Disability Rights Connecticut, Inc. (DRCT)</a>, a non-profit organization established pursuant to federal law and designated to represent the legal interests of people with disabilities in the state.  The <a href="https://www.acluct.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Foundation of Connecticut</a> and the <a href="https://law.yale.edu/schell/lowenstein-international-human-rights-clinic" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lowenstein International Human Rights Law Clinic</a> at Yale Law School, along with DRCT, are our co-counsel.DRCT alleges that the DOC’s use of prolonged isolation and in-cell shackling of people with mental illness constitutes cruel and unusual punishment in violation of the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution.  The lawsuit alleges that prisoners with mental illness are subjected to “prolonged isolation” where they spend 22-24 hours per day in concrete cells with near-total social and sensory deprivation.  The lawsuit also alleges that prisoners with mental illness are routinely and repeatedly subject to in-cell shackling, where prisoners are left with their arms and legs shackled together in “strip cells” for 24 or even 72 hours at a time. DRCT alleges that DOC’s failure to make modifications to its policies and practices surrounding prolonged isolation and in-cell shackling for people with mental illness is a violation of disability discrimination laws.In a statement, Tyrone Spence, who has been in DOC custody since 2010, gave a harrowing first-hand account of the mental and physical abuses he sustained while at the prison. “Northern staff chained me up more than 50 times, often with the chain so short I had to bend or crouch the whole time,” he said. Additionally, he survived multiple suicide crises while at Northern. “Now, just the sight of handcuffs can give me debilitating anxiety,” he added. “Those years at Northern made me feel like I’d lost my humanity. I don’t want anyone else to have to experience what I’ve been through.”According to Kyle Mooney, lead MoFo attorney on the case, “Northern’s extreme conditions are disturbing in several respects, but two particularly egregious aspects are the population of mentally ill prisoners that are subjected to those inhuman conditions and the barbaric and repeated in-cell shackling of those prisoners.”The lawsuit seeks a court order barring DOC from subjecting people with mental illness to prolonged isolation or in-cell shackling.  Captioned Disability Rights Connecticut, Inc. v Connecticut Department of Correction, the suit was filed on February 4, 2021 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut.The joint press release and the complaint are available on the <a href="https://www.acluct.org/en/press-releases/lawsuit-seeks-end-physical-and-psychological-abuse-people-mental-illness-incarcerated" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ACLU of Connecticut website</a>. or at <a href="http://www.disrightsct.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">www.disrightsct.com</a>

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MoFo Represents Disability Rights Connecticut in Lawsuit Alleging Cruel and Unusual Punishment of Prisoners with Mental Illness

MoFo Represents Disability Rights Connecticut in Lawsuit Alleging Cruel and Unusual Punishment of Prisoners with Mental Illness

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Earlier this month, a Morrison & Foerster pro bono team led by New York IP Litigation partner Kyle Mooney and New York IP Litigation associates Eric Lin and Nea

The inequality of men and women under the Constitution has been a hot-button issue for decades, and doesn’t appear to be going away fast enough. Shifting legal standards have made defining, reporting, and prosecuting gender discrimination or sexual misconduct even more problematic. This gender inequity is all too prevalent in our educational institutions, particularly where women are involved in traditionally male-dominated groups or activities.Female student-athletes and service academy cadets experience some of the most pervasive discriminatory treatment by their peers, coaches, professors, and superiors. Furthermore, our current laws, intended to protect victims of sexual mistreatment and gender bias, are still full of legal loopholes, which educational institutions and aggressors consistently take advantage of. MoFo lawyers in San Francisco and Washington, D.C. are taking action to overturn a number of court rulings where the law has failed the individuals it should be protecting.Leveling the Playing Field for Female Student-AthletesOn December 8, 2020, San Francisco litigation attorneys Christine Wong, Randy Zack, and Rachel Dolphin and Tokyo litigation attorney Lily Smith filed an amicus brief in the Second Circuit Court of Appeals on behalf of a female soccer player from the University of Connecticut (“UConn”) whose goal-scoring celebration, which included briefly showing her middle finger during a nationally televised championship game, was classified as inappropriate conduct and resulted in the revocation of her scholarship.As noted in the brief, “This was an unprecedented disciplinary decision. Never before had a student-athlete lost his or her scholarship based on a first-time sportsmanship issue. And never before had a student-athlete lost his or her scholarship halfway through the year for unsportsmanlike conduct.”Additionally, the brief argues that female athletes have consistently faced two forms of discrimination: they are afforded fewer athletic opportunities than men, and they are often held to a stricter standard of conduct that requires them to conform to traditional female behavioral norms. MoFo argued that UConn did not revoke the client’s scholarship because her gesture constituted “serious misconduct,” as the school claimed, but instead revoked her scholarship because UConn found the gesture to be “serious misconduct” when committed by a woman.The student filed a Title IX lawsuit against her former university, attempting to prove the inequity of the disciplinary action by pointing to numerous incidents where male student-athletes at UConn committed even worse (sometimes criminal) infractions, and received little to no discipline.“The record is replete with examples of UConn choosing to impose limited or no discipline on male student-athletes who committed more serious infractions,” states the brief. Despite the disciplinary record, or lack thereof, against male student-athletes, MoFo’s brief makes clear that the Circuit should consider two points of contention regarding Title IX protections: firstly, whether male and female student-athletes were held to the same standards of conduct, and secondly, whether the plaintiff’s conduct was comparable or less serious than that of her male counterparts, and “if the answer to both questions is ‘yes,’ as it is here, and the plaintiff was nevertheless punished more harshly, then a jury should decide whether the defendant’s decision was, at least in part, motivated by the plaintiff’s sex.”Despite the plaintiff’s Title IX suit, her claims were dismissed due to the trial court’s interpretation of the legal standard for reporting infractions, requiring that complainants prove male student-athletes had been subjected to lesser discipline than female student-athletes imposed by the same coaching staff.If allowed to be applied more broadly, the legal standard dismissing the student-athlete’s claims would gut Title IX protections for hundreds of thousands of student-athletes because there are very few college athletic programs in which female and male student-athletes have the same coaching staff.In summary, the brief holds that this same-supervisor requirement would not only nullify Title IX protections for student athletes across the country, but “allow the imposition of discriminatory stereotyping, and subject female students to a stricter code of conduct than their male counterparts. This would result in an even greater disparity in collegiate athletic and scholarship opportunities for women than already exists.”MoFo’s brief was filed on behalf of amici Legal Momentum, the National Organization for Women Foundation, the Feminist Majority Foundation, and the Clearinghouse on Women’s Issues.Read the full brief <a href="https://media2.mofo.com/v3/assets/blt5775cc69c999c255/blt23d93819e99e749f/6287fcfabd980555189d7348/united-states-court-of-appeals.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.Supreme Court Filing on West Point Sexual Assault CaseWhile certain protections for victims of sexual misconduct have taken shape in our traditional institutions, an enormous legal loophole still exists in our Nation’s military and service academies called the Feres doctrine, a judicial invention that shields the military from tort liability for injuries that are deemed “incident to” military service.Washington, D.C. litigation attorneys Brian Matsui and Adam Sorensen filed a brief at the United States Supreme Court on November 30, 2020, in support of a certiorari petition for a woman who brought constitutional and tort claims after she was raped by a fellow cadet while attending the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. The petitioner’s tort claims were dismissed under a broad application of the Feres doctrine.We represent graduates of the service academies as amici who describe the pervasiveness of sexual harassment and assault in the service academies, the failure of the academies to address these issues despite their legal obligations to do so, and the impact of these failings on the plaintiff as well as other women students. The brief also notes that service academies are exempt from Title IX and its requirement of equal educational opportunity, which has allowed women to hold other colleges liable for similar failures.“Overbroad application of the Feres doctrine has left cadets at the service academies truly defenseless against pervasive sexual violence on campus,” notes Adam. “These young men and women are no different than other college students. They deserve a chance to seek relief in court when their schools fail to protect them. Hopefully, the Justices will recognize that this doctrine has far exceeded its original justifications.”The amici support the petitioner’s request that the Supreme Court either abolish or limit the Feres doctrine. As the brief notes, the U.S. military’s failure to curb the rampant sex discrimination that flourishes on the campuses of its service academies condemns the “brightest aspiring officers” to “an impossible choice: endure years of sexual aggression or abandon their careers.” With this brief, the amici hope to persuade the Court to “correct that manifest injustice.” The Supreme Court directed the government to respond to the petition, an indication of the Court’s possible interest in the case.Read the full brief <a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/20/20-559/162016/20201130122804057_Brief.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

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The Gender Divide: When Legal Standards Are Not “Standard”

The Gender Divide: When Legal Standards Are Not “Standard”

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The inequality of men and women under the Constitution has been a hot-button issue for decades, and doesn’t appear to be going away fast enough. Shifting legal 