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

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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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Morrison Foerster has a long-standing commitment to diversity, inclusion, and pro bono work. 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.

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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

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 

In what was a generally disheartening year for the world at large, Morrison & Foerster nevertheless managed to change many lives for the better through pro bono legal services. Here are some highlights.MAJOR COURTROOM WINSBefore the COVID-19 pandemic hit the United States, MoFo pro bono teams hit several home runs in U.S. courtrooms.When Georgia’s vote tally took center stage in the drama surrounding the outcome of the 2020 Presidential Elections, state election officials were quick to cite paper ballots as a key means of validating the electronic vote count. Secretary of State Raffensperger acknowledged that the reason Georgia had those paper ballots was because a federal judge, in an injunction issued in August 2019, ordered the state to scrap its old paperless system. That critical ruling arose from a lawsuit led by MoFo on behalf of Georgia voters seeking secure, reliable elections in the state. The 2019 ruling in the long-running elections security case led by MoFo, <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.mofo.com/resources/news/200910-election-machine-trial.html">Curling v. Raffensperger</a>, made clear that Georgia had to replace its fully electronic voting system and adopt procedures for paper back-up ballots. Voters in Georgia, and across the United States, were the beneficiaries of that ruling this year.In collaboration with several public interest groups, the firm secured <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.mofo.com/resources/news/200220-border-protection-facilities.html">a landmark decision</a> in which a federal district judge in Arizona granted a permanent injunction requiring all Customs & Border Protection (CBP) facilities in the Tucson Sector to provide immigration detainees who are held for more than 48 hours with a bed, blanket, shower, potable food and water, and a medical assessment, because the conditions under which former detainees suffered violated the U.S. Constitution.In the first civil rights lawsuit brought under any state constitution to secure students’ right to achieve literacy, Morrison & Foerster and its co-counsel, Public Counsel, reached a groundbreaking settlement on behalf of school children across the State of California. The settlement, among other things, assigns $53 million in funding to advance literacy for children in California’s lowest-performing schools. MoFo and its co-counsel filed the suit, Ella T. v. State of California, alleging that, in 2016–17, the reading proficiency rates at the schools attended by plaintiffs were between 4% and 11%.Morrison & Foerster litigator Mark Zebrowski reached a $1.475 million settlement on behalf of pro bono clients Brandon Duncan and Aaron Harvey for a wrongful arrest lawsuit involving the two California men who were arrested in 2014 and spent seven months in jail before a judge dismissed all charges against them. The suit alleged that the gang-related charges brought against our clients were based solely on speech that was protected by the First Amendment.COVID-19 EFFORTSStopping the virus in its tracks—as opposed to mitigating its impact—was the focus of Technology Transactions Group partner Matt Karlyn’s efforts. Matt and several other MoFo partners have been advising Survivor Corps, an organization with its sights set on contributing to terminating the pandemic. Survivor Corps’ initiatives are taking several forms, from investing in the research associated with finding a cure and treatment options for COVID-19, to mobilizing COVID-19 survivors to donate blood and plasma that would be used in treatment options for those currently infected.SOCIAL & RACIAL JUSTICEIn collaboration with the Promise of Justice Initiative (PJI), Morrison & Foerster this year began representing five people incarcerated by non-unanimous juries in Louisiana, a practice that the U.S. Supreme Court declared unconstitutional in April 2020 in its <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/19pdf/18-5924_n6io.pdf">Ramos v. Louisiana</a> opinion. Non-unanimous jury trials are considered remnants of Jim Crow laws, which Jamila Johnson, Managing Attorney of the Jim Crow Juries Project, describes as “systemic racism defined: a law written by white supremacists that continues to deprive thousands of predominantly Black Louisianans of their liberty.”MoFo is also bringing hope to individuals serving harsh sentences for non-violent crimes in Mississippi, where, under the state’s “<a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://law.stanford.edu/stanford-justice-advocacy-project/three-strikes-basics/">Three Strikes Law</a>,” a person convicted of a third non‑violent felony can be sentenced to decades in prison, regardless of the severity of his or her crimes. Beginning in January 2020, MoFo’s Tokyo office has been assisting the <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.splcenter.org/">Southern Poverty Law Center</a> with its <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.splcenter.org/news/2020/03/17/splcs-three-strikes-project-helps-nonviolent-offenders-move-prison-parole">Three Strikes Project</a>, which affords certain prisoners who have served at least 25% of a no-parole sentence the chance for a parole hearing. Since then, at least five other MoFo offices have gotten on board, collectively filing nearly 100 petitions.ENVIRONMENTALMoFo issued a series of <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.mofo.com/culture/pro-bono/helping-handbooks.html">Helping Handbooks</a> as devastating wildfires spread across California during the summer, offering individuals, families, and small businesses affected by the fires access to county-specific information and assistance to help with recovery. The handbook contains information on subjects including housing, government benefits, insurance, FEMA assistance, replacement of lost documents, and fraud prevention.AWARDS WONThe very embodiment of MoFo’s pro bono ethos, federal tax lawyer <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.mofo.com/people/linda-arnsbarger.html">Linda Arnsbarger</a> and litigation associate Chanwoo Park received the ABA Business Law Section’s 2020 National Public Service Award and the Thurgood Marshall Award for Exceptional Pro Bono Service in the Rising Star category from the <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.federalbarcouncil.org/">Federal Bar Council</a>, respectively.A 30-year veteran of the firm, Linda has donated 3,300 hours of pro bono legal work to MoFo’s nonprofit and social enterprise clients, assisting entities at every level and as diverse as the Childhood Apraxia of Speech Association and the Nature Conservancy. The legal advice she donates spans the areas of tax, governance, contracts, and intellectual property, and spans the globe.Another area of Linda’s pro bono practice involves helping nonprofits benefit from the increasing popularity of impact investing without sacrificing the tax-exempt status that the U.S. Internal Revenue Code affords to public charities.As passionate as Linda is about her corporate work for organizational clients, she says she’s especially proud of having collaborated with members of MoFo’s appellate group in the earlier years of her career to work on special education issues, which interest her on a personal level.Chanwoo Park has provided more than 2,700 hours of pro bono service since becoming a summer associate at MoFo in 2014. Since April 2019, he has been working with the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund (LDF) on the headline-grabbing <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.naacpldf.org/press-release/lawsuit-filed-school-district-illegally-strip-searched-12-year-old-black-latina-students/">I.S. v. Binghamton City School District</a>, a lawsuit challenging school officials’ illegal, intrusive, and non-consensual searches of four 12-year-old Black and Latina middle school girls.Earlier in his career, Chanwoo represented a couple who were the lead plaintiffs in a federal RICO class action lawsuit against a landlord, who, at the time, owned approximately 15,000 apartments across New York City and was accused of intimidating and harassing tenants in rent‑regulated apartments in an attempt to empty these buildings to make way for higher‑paying tenants. While most damages awards in the case were less than $5,000, the claims administrator granted Chanwoo’s clients a six-figure damages award.Chanwoo’s other pro bono contributions include appealing a federal court decision that denied disability benefits to a woman repeatedly hospitalized because of sickle cell disease and traveling to an Albany, New York jail to help immigrant detainees prepare for their credible fear interviews as the first step in seeking asylum.Watch MoFo’s latest pro bono video to see the remarkable work our lawyers have undertaken to help make an impact during this unprecedented year. <iframe src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/vc2qB8Ewph8?rel=0" title="Video: A Year Like No Other, Coming Together to Make a Difference" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="1" title="iframe"></iframe>

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In a Year Like No Other, MoFo Made a Difference

In a Year Like No Other, MoFo Made a Difference

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In what was a generally disheartening year for the world at large, Morrison & Foerster nevertheless managed to change many lives for the better through pro bono

MoFo is pleased to congratulate litigation associate Chanwoo Park on receiving the prestigious Thurgood Marshall Award for Exceptional Pro Bono Service in the Rising Star category from the <a href="https://www.federalbarcouncil.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Federal Bar Council</a>, recognizing his tremendous dedication to achieving justice for his pro bono clients.Chanwoo has provided more than 2,700 hours of pro bono service since becoming a summer associate in 2014, with no signs of slowing down. In her recommendation, MoFo Senior Pro Bono Counsel <a href="https://www.mofo.com/people/jennifer-brown.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Jennifer Brown</a> noted that “Chanwoo combines unsurpassed diligence in representation with an unassuming and even humble style, inspiring his clients’ trust and winning them outstanding results.”The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund (LDF)—the very organization founded by Thurgood Marshall—sent a letter of support on Chanwoo’s behalf. Chanwoo has been working with LDF since April 2019 on the headline-grabbing <a href="https://www.naacpldf.org/press-release/lawsuit-filed-school-district-illegally-strip-searched-12-year-old-black-latina-students/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">I.S. v. Binghamton City School District</a>, a lawsuit challenging illegal, intrusive, non-consensual searches of four 12–year-old Black and Latina middle school girls conducted by school officials. LDF praised Chanwoo’s work on the case, describing him as “patient in breaking down complex legal issues during meetings, comprehensive in how he prepares our clients for depositions and other appearances, and thoughtful in how he listens and advises our clients around important decisions.” Chanwoo is dedicated to bringing justice to the litigants whose schooling and lives have been seriously disrupted by the incident. The case shines a light on the pervasive and racially disproportionate discipline imposed upon students of color throughout the United States education system.Earlier on in his career, Chanwoo volunteered to take a housing conditions case, in which he expected to represent a tenant who would be seeking a Housing Court order to repair unlawful conditions in his or her apartment. However, the case referral that Chanwoo actually accepted was representing a couple who were the lead plaintiffs in a federal RICO class action lawsuit against a landlord, who, at the time, owned approximately 15,000 apartments across New York City and were being accused of intimidating and harassing tenants in rent-regulated apartments in an attempt to empty its buildings to make way for higher-paying tenants.With guidance from MoFo of counsel Jayson Cohen, Chanwoo vigorously pursued the case, stepping into a minefield of complex New York City and New York State housing laws and amassing a record of thousands of incidents of harassment by the landlord. While most damages awards in the case were less than $5,000, the claims administrator awarded Chanwoo’s clients a six-figure damages award.Other cases of note that Chanwoo has dedicated his time to include appealing a federal court decision that denied disability benefits to a woman repeatedly hospitalized because of sickle cell disease, traveling to an Albany jail to help immigrant detainees prepare for their credible fear interviews as the first step in seeking asylum, and assisting with the defense of a Mexican journalist against a defamation claim brought by a former government official.The Federal Bar Council Thurgood Marshall Pro Bono Award for Exceptional Pro Bono Service recognizes and celebrates lawyers who have demonstrated an exemplary commitment to pro bono legal services, including pro bono services in federal courts or agencies within the Second Circuit. The award was announced during the Council’s Annual Thanksgiving Luncheon, held virtually on Wednesday, November 25, 2020.Chanwoo receives a special delivery from the firm in celebration of this great honor.<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-4943 size-full" src="https://media2.mofo.com/v3/images/blt5775cc69c999c255/blt26f6de9859009742/6287fcfb30bc9653db3ac39d/cpark_tmpba.jpg?format=auto&quality=60" width="491" height="654" sizes="(max-width: 491px) 100vw, 491px" type="asset" sys-style-type="download">

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Thurgood Marshall Pro Bono Award Presented to Rising Star Chanwoo Park

Thurgood Marshall Pro Bono Award Presented to Rising Star Chanwoo Park

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MoFo is pleased to congratulate litigation associate Chanwoo Park on receiving the prestigious Thurgood Marshall Award for Exceptional Pro Bono Service in the R

Earlier this year, in <a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/19pdf/18-5924_n6io.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Ramos v. Louisiana</a>, the U.S. Supreme Court made the landmark decision to declare non-unanimous jury convictions unconstitutional in state criminal trials. The decision represented a significant victory in the lengthy struggle to put an end to Jim Crow juries, originally instated to oppress and imprison Black people, resulting in countless wrongful convictions across the state of Louisiana and elsewhere. In spite of this monumental decision, the ruling, as it stands, does not apply to the more than 1,500 Louisianans who are currently imprisoned—many for the rest of their lives—after being convicted by a non-unanimous jury.On December 2, 2020, the Supreme Court will hear argument in <a href="https://www.scotusblog.com/case-files/cases/edwards-v-vannoy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Edwards v. Vannoy</a>, which will decide whether the ruling announced in Ramos applies retroactively. Meanwhile, Morrison & Foerster is one of 40 firms that has joined the Jim Crow Juries Project, launched by the Promise of Justice Initiative (PJI), to file court petitions on behalf of the 1,500 wrongfully incarcerated people. In each of the filings, lawyers ask the court for a new trial or to resentence the individual to time served. Under Louisiana law, the petitions must be filed within one year of the April 2020 Ramos decision.According to Jamila Johnson, Managing Attorney of the Jim Crow Juries Project, applying the law retroactively is a critical step to restoring justice and healing the wounds inflicted by Jim Crow juries. “Jim Crow juries are systemic racism defined: a law written by white supremacists that continues to deprive thousands of predominantly Black Louisianans of their liberty,” said Ms. Johnson.MoFo is currently collaborating with PJI to represent five clients on these petitions.  The lawyers involved are litigation partners Demme Doufekias in Washington, D.C., David Fioccola and Ron White in New York, and Judson Lobdell in San Francisco, together with associates Lena Hughes, Malka Levitin, Kat Mateo, Natasha Menell, Mark Sobin, and Elnaz Zarrini in New York and Ken Sexauer in San Francisco, and paralegals Alfredo Chamorro and Matthew Franks.Ms. Johnson adds, “We are thankful to the attorneys at Morrison & Foerster and all those who are contributing their time and resources to help us restore justice and finally put an end to shameful Jim Crow juries once and for all.”Watch this <a href="https://vimeo.com/476268350" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">video</a> to see the inspiring, real life story of Edna Gibson, a domestic violence survivor who was convicted of second‑degree murder by a 10-2 non-unanimous jury in 1987 and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, until the Governor of Louisiana commuted her sentence, granting her parole in 2020.

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MoFo Partners with Promise of Justice Initiative to Advocate for Louisianans Still Imprisoned by Jim Crow Juries

MoFo Partners with Promise of Justice Initiative to Advocate for Louisianans Still Imprisoned by Jim Crow Juries 

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Earlier this year, in Ramos v. Louisiana, the U.S. Supreme Court made the landmark decision to declare non-unanimous jury convictions unconstitutional in state 

MoFo Partners with Promise of Justice Initiative to Advocate for Louisianans Still Imprisoned by Jim Crow Juries

Should every person convicted of three felonies get the maximum possible sentence without possibility of parole even if his or her offenses were nonviolent? That’s the law in Mississippi, where, under the state’s “<a href="https://law.stanford.edu/stanford-justice-advocacy-project/three-strikes-basics/">Three Strikes Law</a>,” a person convicted of a third felony can be sentenced to decades in prison, regardless of the severity of his or her crimes.MoFo litigation department associate Janelle Hyun, who works out of the firm’s Tokyo office, has had the opportunity to speak with the families and friends of several people serving unduly harsh sentences under the Three Strikes Law. One situation in particular stands out in her mind.“This individual, who was convicted of multiple drug offenses, had been a loving and a diligent man before sustaining severe burn injuries at work, which led to prolonged opioid treatments, which in turn resulted in his drug addiction,” Janelle said. “His fiancée was able to provide us with a Letter of Support detailing this downward spiral. Being able to personalize his situation, made a significant difference in the petition we prepared.”Janelle helped to complete the petition she references as part of her pro bono work for the <a href="https://www.splcenter.org/">Southern Poverty Law Center</a> (SPLC). Since January 2020, MoFo’s Tokyo office has been assisting the SPLC in seeking parole eligibility for people incarcerated in Mississippi as part of <a href="https://www.splcenter.org/news/2020/03/17/splcs-three-strikes-project-helps-nonviolent-offenders-move-prison-parole">SPLC’s Three Strikes Project</a>.“The Three Strikes Project emerged from SPLC’s criminal justice reform work, which culminated with the passage of Mississippi House Bill 585 in 2014,” <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jade-morgan-esq-33755815/">Jade Morgan</a>, SPLC staff attorney for the Three Strikes Project, explains. “Under the bill, someone who was sentenced to a mandatory maximum, parole-ineligible sentence under the ‘Three Strikes Law’ and has served at least 25 percent of his or her sentence may petition the sentencing court for parole eligibility. Through the Three Strikes Project, we are working to reunite families that have been torn apart by Mississippi’s unduly harsh criminal justice system.”Since the Tokyo office first became involved in SPLC’s Three Strikes Project, the office has worked on at least 40 petitions, and MoFo’s Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, New York, San Diego, and San Francisco offices have gotten on board. Many of the firm’s summer associates also worked on petitions.The sentencing judges have discretion in determining whether a petitioner will get a parole hearing.  In addition to showing that an individual has served 25% of his or her sentence, the petitions also describe rehabilitation efforts, including degrees or certificates earned while incarcerated.  The petitions also contain letters of support from family members and friends who will support petitioners if released.These letters of support are often facilitated by interviews that the MoFo volunteers conduct with the petitioners’ loved ones.“Being able to talk to the friends and family is really helpful because it allows us to understand the petitioner’s history, character, and interests, and to use that information to humanize the petitions” said Keiko Rose, a litigation associate in the Tokyo office, who serves as the project manager on this pro bono work for SPLC.“Mississippi has one of the highest incarceration rates in the world. The pandemic is exacerbating prison-overcrowding there and highlighting the need for these petitions,” Keiko said. “And so the Southern Poverty Law Center is trying to file a petition for every eligible person incarcerated in Mississippi. We’re assisting SPLC in that effort.”

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Bringing Hope to Individuals Serving Harsh Sentences for Non-Violent Crimes

Should every person convicted of three felonies get the maximum possible sentence without possibility of parole even if his or her offenses were nonviolent? Tha

Bringing Hope to Individuals Serving Harsh Sentences for Non-Violent Crimes

Pictured above: Boston associates Caroline Duer Agan, Dan Gonzalez, and Teddy Wan representing MoFo at the 21st annual Best Buddies Challenge. In a year full of unexpected challenges, Morrison & Foerster was delighted to partake in the 21st annual <a href="https://www.bestbuddieschallenge.org/hp/event-overview/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Best Buddies – Hyannis Port Challenge</a> on September 25 and 26, 2020. Best Buddies International is a nonprofit organization dedicated to establishing opportunities for friendships, integration, leadership development, and inclusive living for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.For this year’s event, MoFo participants Caroline Agan, John Caruolo, Will Gerber, Daniel Gonzalez, Mike Maroni, and Theodore Wan entered in a virtual, self-tailored 100-, 50-, or 20-mile bike ride or a 5k run/walk to support the organization and raise awareness for its mission.Read more about MoFo’s participation in last year’s Best Buddies Challenge <a href="https://together.mofo.com/pro-bono/mofo-boston-takes-on-the-2019-best-buddies-challenge-in-hyannis-port/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">here</a> and follow #BestBuddiesChallenge for more information and great photos of this year’s events!

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MoFo Takes on the 2020 Best Buddies Hyannis Port Challenge

MoFo Takes on the 2020 Best Buddies Hyannis Port Challenge

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Pictured above: Boston associates Caroline Duer Agan, Dan Gonzalez, and Teddy Wan representing MoFo at the 21st annual Best Buddies Challenge.  In a year full o

For many of us, it’s easy to take everyday things for granted; things like a roof over our head, a floor under our feet, a safe place to sleep, or clean-running water. But for people living in emerging countries or natural disaster zones, these seemingly commonplace things aren’t always guaranteed. Two innovative nonprofits — Build Change and Every Shelter– are working to change that.Build Change MoFo began working with Build Change in 2009, when the group came to us seeking advice on how to best protect its intellectual property. Build Change designs disaster-resistant houses and schools in emerging nations and trains builders, homeowners, engineers, and government officials to build them. We have also assisted the international nonprofit with corporate governance and employment advice.Today, MoFo’s relationship with Build Change continues as it expands its international efforts. Corporate finance associate Rose Zukin Pierson has worked closely with Build Change, reviewing and updating its bylaws to reflect its current operations and ensure they are aligned with best practices for California nonprofits. MoFo of counsel Justin Haan and associate Jill Tellioglu from the firm’s Technology Transaction Group recently advised Build Change regarding a potential partnership with a private company and prepared and revised non-disclosure agreements for use by Build Change in future engagements.Build Change was formed in 2004, shortly after founder Dr. Elizabeth Hausler traveled to India as a Fulbright Scholar to study the way people rebuilt their homes after major disasters, such as the 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck Gujarat, India in 2001. What she discovered was that the homeowners, whose homes had been rebuilt by international relief agencies, often feared the construction wouldn’t hold up over time, especially if another natural disaster were to test its strength.Elizabeth also discovered that homes built by these agencies in developing countries may not be culturally appropriate or sustainable, given local construction sector resources. To address this challenge, the Build Back Better program was established to ensure that homeowners are actively involved in the decision-making and construction process. This homeowner-driven reconstruction and retrofitting approach enables vulnerable families to live in safer houses because they are trained to manage the purchase of good-quality construction materials and to oversee construction. Additionally, the program works to connect homeowners with financing options to support rebuilding their homes.By using materials and skills that are available through the local private sector, Build Change has been helping communities not only to rebuild, but also to stimulate local demand for materials and services, creating jobs and the capacity to apply the home-building process to other critical structures, such as schools and cultural institutions. Over the last 15 years, the organization has constructed nearly 80,000 safe buildings, creating nearly 30,000 jobs and training 54,000 people in its sustainable building processes. Rose notes that “working with Elizabeth has been a pleasure. She’s always responsive to our advice when it comes to regulations and other matters. You can tell how passionate she is about running the organization effectively, so it’s no surprise what she’s been able to accomplish. I look forward to working with her and her team for years to come.”Every Shelter Another innovative organization that MoFo has been proud to partner with is <a href="https://everyshelter.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Every Shelter</a>, a nonprofit dedicated to developing low-cost, high-impact products geared towards improving the lives of refugees living in shelters. Every Shelter’s best-known product, the Emergency Floor system, provides families living in shelter encampments with quickly deployable, lightweight, and insulated flooring that is easy to install and requires no tools.There are currently millions of refugees living in shelters, which are intended to be temporary but oftentimes end up being not so temporary. Many live in these makeshift shelters for upwards of 12-17 years, most with no flooring. In crowded camps, this often means a dirt floor with poor drainage, flooding issues, and no barriers against sewage and human waste. As noted in an article by Every Shelter Co-Founder Nicole Iman, titled <a href="https://everyshelter.org/what-difference-can-a-floor-make/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">What Difference Can a Floor Make?</a>, a study on the impacts of a social program in Mexico called Piso Firme (Firm Floor) found that by replacing dirt floors with a clean floor surface, parasitic infections in children can be decreased by as much as 78%, diarrhea by 49%, and anemia by 81%. The study also found an increase in childhood cognitive development by up to 96%. Adults responded to solid flooring with lower rates of depression and stress and higher satisfaction in their quality of life.Our first project for Every Shelter engaged a New York litigation team, London associate Harriet Sassoon, and trainee solicitors Ziqi Qi and Matthew Rodin to develop a statement of supply-chain principles and expectations for Every Shelter’s suppliers. The statement covered slavery, child labor, and safe working conditions.Beijing corporate senior counsel Sherry Yin was poised to assist Every Shelter with its next request: negotiating contracts with potential Emergency Floor manufacturers in China.  However, the Covid-19 epidemic and other developments led the group to move its manufacturing to Turkey instead.  While advising on contracts in Turkey was beyond our capacity, we succeeded in connecting Every Shelter to pro bono counsel there through the Lex Mundi Pro Bono Foundation.Most recently, Every Shelter has sought our help to engage with the Treasury Department Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) to ensure that its shipments of Emergency Floor products to organizations that house refugees in Syria would not violate U.S. sanctions. Washington, D.C. litigation of counsels Aki Bayz and Michael Dobson, as well as co-head of the firm’s National Security practice John Smith, are leading this effort. On the importance of this work, Aki notes, “Given the refugee crises in Syria, it is rewarding to assist Every Shelter in supporting its humanitarian efforts to relieve suffering.”<a href="https://www.mofo.com/culture/pro-bono" target="_self">Learn more about MoFo’s commitment to pro bono</a>.

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Meet the Innovative MoFo Clients That Are Working to Improve Living Conditions for Displaced Individuals

Meet the Innovative MoFo Clients That Are Working to Improve Living Conditions for Displaced Individuals

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For many of us, it’s easy to take everyday things for granted; things like a roof over our head, a floor under our feet, a safe place to sleep, or clean-running

At age 97, Betty Reid Soskin is not only the oldest National Park Ranger, she’s a powerful voice for the African-American wartime experience. When visitors come to <a href="https://www.nps.gov/rori/index.htm">Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park</a>, they are eager to find Betty and get a photo with this national treasure, who still works five days a week presenting her unique perspective on American history to packed theaters at the park. Before joining the National Park Service at the age of 85, Betty was an entrepreneur, singer-songwriter, community activist, and legislative representative, and also played an integral role in planning the park.The WWII Home Front National Historical Park was founded in the year 2000 to honor the many heroes who worked on the home front to support the war. With a shortage of white male workers who were sent into service, the United States Government began to actively recruit women and, later, minorities to war industry jobs. “Rosie the Riveter” became an iconic symbol for the nearly six million women who entered the workforce during WWII.The great granddaughter of slaves and a former file clerk for the Boilermakers Union A-36, a Jim Crow all-Black union auxiliary, Betty’s life has been filled with challenges and painful moments, yet she remains hopeful that the next generation will benefit from the history lessons of those who paved the way for them. She first caught the attention of the public during the government shutdown of 2013, when she, as the oldest furloughed National Park Ranger, told the media that gridlocked legislators were wasting her precious time to do important work.A team of MoFo lawyers from the San Francisco office has partnered with the Rosie the Riveter Trust—a nonprofit formed to support the national historical park—to ensure that Betty’s important work is remembered through a documentary film by Carl Bidleman titled No Time to Waste. Partner Paul Jahn has been advising the Trust on IP and commercial issues relating to film production for some time. More recently, MoFo corporate associate <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittaniojoghofields/">Brittani Ojogho-Fields</a> did a content clearance review on the film with the help of summer associates <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/reidknabe/">Reid Knabe</a> and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmanuel-manny-p%C3%A9rez-45744299/">Manny Perez</a>. Paul and Brittani also prepared an agreement with the Bay Area NBC affiliate to air the film on television, which received over 28,000 household views.No Time to Waste explores the life of this legendary National Park Ranger, her reflections on her role in the park’s planning, and her recollections of the African-American woman’s experience working in a segregated environment while supporting the war effort. Betty recalls that often, she “was the only person in the room who had any reason to remember that … what gets remembered is a function of who’s in the room doing the remembering.”Brittani summarizes what working on this project has meant to her, stating “I am extremely honored to be working with the Trust and assisting in sharing the inspiring story of Betty’s life and work with the world. Her lifelong commitment to social justice, even in the face of many obstacles, sets such a motivating example of how we all should dedicate ourselves to creating positive, lasting change in our own communities.”MoFo will continue to work with the Rosie the Riveter Trust as it further promotes No Time to Waste and raises the money needed to enable broader distribution of it. Until then, the film is available for rent for a limited time here: <a href="https://www.notimetowastefilm.com/">https://www.notimetowastefilm.com/</a>.

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The World’s Oldest National Park Ranger Betty Reid Soskin Has No Time to Waste

The World’s Oldest National Park Ranger Betty Reid Soskin Has No Time to Waste

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At age 97, Betty Reid Soskin is not only the oldest National Park Ranger, she’s a powerful voice for the African-American wartime experience. When visitors come

On June 15, 2020, 126 talented law students representing 34 of the nation’s top law schools joined MoFo for the Summer Associate Program. Even though no one could have predicted that we would have our largest summer class attend the program completely online, it couldn’t have gone better, thanks to the Recruitment team who worked so diligently to ensure their experience was as engaging as it would have been in-person.The six-week Summer Associate Program is designed give students the chance to learn about the lawyers, staff, and clients who make MoFo such a special place, and to learn from them in every capacity, from classroom lessons and workshops to researching and drafting briefs for real-life cases. Each week, a new theme was introduced to provide the associates with technical and soft‑skill training in areas such as written and oral communication, legal problem-solving and creative analysis, and teamwork and client service.Rather than traditional lectures, the summers were invited to join a number of panel discussions and forums where they heard from and interacted with MoFo lawyers and a variety of special guest speakers, such as author and historian Dr. William Meinecke, Legal Writing Works founder Kiko Korn, and leadership development trainer and improv coach Jessica Hoffman.In addition, a number of MoFo partners from varying practice groups took the time to discuss some of their biggest cases and lessons learned throughout their careers and give practical advice. Some of the “Meet the Experts” sessions addressed practical skills, such as interpersonal communication, strategic negotiation, persuasive written advocacy, and contract writing. The partners also shared their own MoFo Stories regarding landmark cases they worked on, such as Doe v. Wolf, which ordered an overhaul of the way U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) detains people in its custody in the Tucson Sector of Arizona, and Waymo v. Uber, in which MoFo litigators won a favorable settlement after just four days of jury trial and defeated a motion for preliminary injunction that sought to bar Uber’s autonomous vehicle program.Summer associates receive a broad mix of assignments, including writing briefs, motions, contracts, and client memoranda; assisting in drafting and negotiation sessions; helping with depositions and witness preparation; and performing due diligence in corporate transactions. They are also encouraged to volunteer for pro bono assignments. The goal is to provide a variety of substantive projects in which to demonstrate their writing, research, and analytical skills, and get a realistic perspective on what it’s like to be a lawyer at MoFo. This year, we invited some of the associates to write about their experiences from the program and tell us a little more about themselves.Read their MoFo Stories here:<a href="https://together.mofo.com/pro-bono/my-mofo-story-building-legal-practice-skills-through-state-survey-of-election-audits/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Building Legal Practice Skills Through State Survey of Election Audits</a> – Megan Smith, Washington, D.C.<a href="https://together.mofo.com/mofo-life/my-mofo-story-gaining-a-new-perspective-on-career-path-possibilities/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Gaining a New Perspective on Career Path Possibilities</a> – James Dionne, Washington, D.C.<a href="https://together.mofo.com/pro-bono/my-mofo-story-kacyn-fujii-on-exploring-how-mofos-pro-bono-program-makes-a-difference/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">How MoFo’s Pro Bono Program Makes a Difference</a> – Kacyn Fujii, Palo Alto<a href="https://together.mofo.com/mofo-life/my-mofo-story-haley-paloutzian-on-learning-there-is-no-right-or-wrong-way-to-partnership-only-your-way/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Learning There Is No Right or Wrong Way to Partnership, Only Your Way</a> – Haley Paloutzian, Palo Alto<a href="https://together.mofo.com/pro-bono/my-mofo-story-kevin-brown-on-helping-an-important-pro-bono-client-gain-tax-exempt-status/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Helping an Important Pro Bono Client Gain Tax-Exempt Status</a> – Kevin Brown, Boston<a href="https://together.mofo.com/pro-bono/my-mofo-story-navigating-the-path-to-relicense-dams-on-the-tuolumne-river/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Navigating the Path to Relicense Dams on the Toulumne River</a> – Ian Bennett, Palo AltoThe Summer Associate Program wasn’t all training and assignments though. The Recruitment team planned several virtual networking events, including a mixology class, paint night, and a Cyber Sleuths exercise. The virtual social events helped the participants connect with fellow summer associates and attorneys through throughout the summer and resulted in some pretty funny moments.MoFo Chair Larren Nashelsky addressed the summers for one final virtual meeting, where he took questions from the group. He closed by noting that “No one expected this summer to turn out the way it did, so I was especially impressed by the professionalism, patience, and enthusiasm of this class. Our recruiting team went above and beyond to make sure this year’s program went off without a hitch. I thank each and every one of you who took part in the Summer Associate Program for your flexibility and positivity. It was certainly one to remember.”

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MoFo’s 2020 Summer Associate Program Is a Virtual Success

MoFo’s 2020 Summer Associate Program Is a Virtual Success

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On June 15, 2020, 126 talented law students representing 34 of the nation’s top law schools joined MoFo for the Summer Associate Program. Even though no one cou

One thing that struck me when I interviewed with Morrison & Foerster last year was the firm’s commitment to pro bono work. When I spoke to partner Colette Reiner Mayer during my interview, I was impressed to learn that MoFo had sued the government for inhumane conditions at an Arizona detention center in Doe v. Wolf. So, I was excited when we were given the chance to hear more about the case during the summer program.The Doe v. Wolf team described the appalling conditions in the center and showed us some shocking images unearthed during the case. They shared their stories from the case, including how they dealt with the destruction of video evidence and how everyone on the team fell ill with a bad flu right before trial. This was the first major lawsuit challenging conditions in detention centers, and its successful outcome paved the way for future litigation in other detention centers. From listening to this story, it was clear to me that MoFo attorneys can make a real difference with their pro bono work.Even the firm’s smaller pro bono projects can help the community and teach us how to be better lawyers and advocates. This summer, I worked on a conservatorship case for a local couple with a disabled child. The couple was seeking conservatorship to make medical decisions for their son, who has a learning disability. I was given the task of preparing the clients’ conservatorship application, with assistance from Palo Alto partner Rudy Kim and associate Albert Rugo.While on this case, I learned the most by observing Rudy and Albert during our client meetings. It stood out to me how well they were able to explain the application process and answer the clients’ questions. Watching them also showed me how important it is to view things from the clients’ perspective. Once, when I was reviewing a form with the client, I asked a series of questions about the client’s financial situation. Sensing some discomfort at these questions, the attorneys reassured the client that the court only considers these questions to get a fuller picture of their financial situation. Past financial hardship would not disqualify them from obtaining conservatorship. By anticipating the clients’ concerns and viewing it from their perspective, the attorneys were able to put the client at ease. This experience taught me that, no matter the size of the case, building rapport with clients and understanding their point of view is paramount to our work.From cases like Doe v. Wolf to smaller ones like the conservatorship, pro bono gives us the opportunity to develop our legal and interpersonal skills and give back to the community. I left my previous career as a software engineer in part because I wanted to help people more directly with legal skills rather than programming skills. Learning about the Pro Bono program was one of the highlights of my MoFo experience so far, and I know it will continue to be part of my life as an attorney.xxx<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/kacynfujii/">Kacyn Fujii</a> is a Wetmore fellow in the Palo Alto office. She is a rising 2L at Michigan Law School interested in IP litigation. Kacyn got her M.S. in Electrical Engineering at Stanford University and her B.S. in Engineering from Harvey Mudd College. She likes to dabble in various instruments like melodica and ukulele (she bid on steel drum lessons in the Michigan Law auction for the next time she’s in Ann Arbor).

My MoFo Story: Kacyn Fujii on Exploring How MoFo’s Pro Bono Program Makes a Difference

My MoFo Story: Kacyn Fujii on Exploring How MoFo’s Pro Bono Program Makes a Difference

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One thing that struck me when I interviewed with Morrison & Foerster last year was the firm’s commitment to pro bono work. When I spoke to partner Colette Reine