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

Staff

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

Dorothy 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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Pro Bono Counsel

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 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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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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Dorothy L. Fernandez

Rachel P. Williams

MoFo Celebrates 25 Years in San Diego

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

Throughout September, Morrison Foerster’s Environmental Sustainability (ES) Committees focused on climate with several initiatives and activities across the firm.Krista deBoer, associate and co-chair of the San Diego ES Committee, and Cedar Hobbs, associate and member of the San Diego ES Committee, led a two-session training for MoFo attorneys and business professionals on the basics of climate change and greenhouse gas emissions. Attendees joined these virtual events from across the firm.  The ES Committees encouraged attorneys and business professionals to share a photo of their favorite place in nature that could be impacted by climate change in a climate photo contest. The winner received recognition through their personal carbon footprint being offset for a year.  The Committees also held in-person events related to the linkages between climate and other environmental topics, like waste, and regional impacts. Photos from the Brussels “Zero Waste Workshop” and San Francisco “Great Highway Project Presentation” are featured below.<a href="https://www.mofo.com/culture/sustainability" target="_blank">Learn more</a> about MoFo’s environmental sustainability initiatives. <div data-reactroot=""><img src="https://media2.mofo.com/v3/images/blt5775cc69c999c255/blteb921816594bd927/651f462e5554e9e94a63df06/231003-climate-week-1.jpg?format=auto&amp;quality=60" alt="Climate Week"/></div><div data-reactroot=""><img src="https://media2.mofo.com/v3/images/blt5775cc69c999c255/bltd51b1b2ce06482a8/651f462e6065f336902294f6/231003-climate-week-2.jpg?format=auto&amp;quality=60" alt="Climate Week"/></div>

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Krista deBoer’s practice involves the full range of environmental, climate, and green claims issues. As a partner in MoFo’s Class Actions + Mass Tort practice group, Krista represents clients in environmental and toxic tort litigation, Proposition 65 litigation, and consumer class actions 

Krista S. deBoer

Krista deBoer

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Associate

Cedar Hobbs is an associate in MoFo’s Complex Litigation + Advisement Group in the San Diego office. His practice focuses on complex civil litigation and environmental law and regulation.

Cedar Hobbs

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Throughout September, Morrison Foerster’s Environmental Sustainability (ES) Committees focused on climate with several initiatives and activities across the firm.

Climate Week 2023: MoFo Highlights Environmental Sustainability Issues

MoFo Singapore is delighted to continue our long-standing support of Willing Hearts—a Singapore charity that prepares and distributes 11,000+ daily meals to low-income families, the elderly, migrant workers, and persons with special needs to over 70 locations island wide every day.As part of our community day of service, MoFo lawyers and business professionals spent a fulfilling day helping with the food preparation, packaging and delivery of the meals, and learned more about what the organization does and its important work within the community. We then bonded over a delicious team meal prepared with love by the APSN Café for All, an inspirational social enterprise run by trainees from the Association for Persons with Special Needs.Serving our local communities is one of our core values, and we continue to live out this shared value by making a positive impact through our pro bono and community activities in the local communities where we work and live. To commemorate our 40th anniversary in Asia, The Morrison & Foerster Foundation will also make a special grant to support organizations serving underprivileged communities in China, Japan, and Singapore.<div data-reactroot=""><img src="https://media2.mofo.com/v3/images/blt5775cc69c999c255/bltac022e9e9014e46c/64bfeb53ab018e348451dee4/230727-community-day.jpg?format=auto&amp;quality=60" alt="Singapore Community Day"/></div>

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MoFo Singapore is delighted to continue our long-standing support of Willing Hearts—a Singapore charity that prepares and distributes 11,000+ daily meals to low-income families, the elderly, migrant workers, and persons with special needs to over 70 locations island wide every day.

MoFo Singapore’s Community Day of Service 2023

On June 2, 2023, a federal judge determined that a Tennessee law aimed at restricting drag shows is unconstitutional—a timely initial victory for MoFo, which played an important supporting role in the case, as well as for the LGBTQ+ community.The Tennessee statute, commonly referred to as a “drag ban,” prohibits “adult cabaret entertainment” including by “male or female impersonators,” on public property or anywhere children could see it, if the performance is deemed “harmful to minors” by the state. While the law does not explicitly refer to drag, the law’s lead sponsor made it clear that he was targeting drag shows that might be viewed by children. He had previously led an effort to block a drag show in a public park in his district that he hadn’t even seen, one incident among several that supported the court’s finding that the law was enacted for the impermissible purpose of chilling drag performers, rather than the stated purpose of protecting minors from potential harm.MoFo supported Memphis firm Donati Law, PLLC in representing a drag-centric theater company, Friends of George’s, whose performances are generally open to all members of the public. Prior to MoFo’s involvement, Donati Law had won a temporary restraining order preventing the statute from taking effect, and it requested MoFo’s help to prepare for trial on an expedited schedule. New York litigation partner Katie Viggiani led the MoFo pro bono team including New York associate Victor Lopez, San Francisco associate Rachel Dolphin, and Washington, D.C. associate Shelby Teeter.The law would have greatly impacted drag artists, such as Friends of George’s, and other impersonators, as they risked criminal liability for breaking the law, including a misdemeanor or felony charge depending upon the number of offenses. The judge cited the example of a female impersonator wearing an Elvis Presley costume and mimicking the musician who could be at risk of violating the drag law because they would be deemed a “male impersonator.”The ruling that the “drag ban” law is unconstitutional upholds the First Amendment right to freedom of speech in artistic expression, including by our client, Friends of George’s. Especially meaningful to MoFo, including Katie Viggiani and her team, the ruling is congruent with MoFo’s inclusive culture, respect for diverse people and ideas, and core belief that our differences make us stronger.“We’re thrilled with the Court’s findings,” Katie stresses. “The law at issue had a demonstrable chilling effect on drag performances in a state where gender identity and gender expression have been repeatedly under attack. I’m extremely proud of the team at MoFo who provided critical support to the civil rights lawyers on the ground in Tennessee who achieved this tremendous result.”To learn more about MoFo’s pro bono efforts, visit our <a href="https://www.mofo.com/culture/pro-bono">Pro Bono</a> page.

MoFo Provides Critical Support to Drag Artists’ First Amendment Right in Tennessee’s “Drag Ban” Ruling

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Katie Viggiani is co-chair of Morrison Foerster’s Complex Litigation + Advisement practice group and a partner in the firm’s New York office. She specializes in the defense of complex commercial disputes and consumer class actions and privacy litigation.

Katie Viggiani is co-chair of Morrison Foerster’s Complex Litigation + Advisement practice group and a partner in the firm’s New York office. 

Katie Viggiani

Katie Viggiani is a partner in the Litigation Department in Morrison Foerster’s New York office. Her practice focuses on investigations, white collar defense and commercial litigation

Katie L. Viggiani

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Victor is an associate in the Litigation Department of Morrison Foerster’s New York office. His practice focuses on complex civil litigation and cross-border internal and government-facing investigations, with particular experience in matters involving Latin America.

Victor Lopez

The Regents of the University of California v. California Berry Cultivars, L.L.C.

Arch Development Corp. v. Genentech, Inc.

Whirlpool Corp. v. TST Water LLC

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Rachel Dolphin is an associate in the Litigation Department. Her practice focuses on intellectual property litigation and general commercial litigation.
Rachel’s intellectual property practice concent

Rachel Dolphin

Rachel S. Dolphin

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MoFo Provides Critical Support to Drag Artists’ First Amendment Right in Tennessee’s “Drag Ban” Ruling

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

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On June 2, 2023, a federal judge determined that a Tennessee law aimed at restricting drag shows is unconstitutional—a timely initial victory for MoFo, which played an important supporting role in the case, as well as for the LGBTQ+ community.

As part of MoFo’s summer associate programming, MoFo recently welcomed Professor Stephen Vladeck to discuss his New York Times Bestseller book The Shadow Docket: How the Supreme Court Uses Stealth Rulings to Amass Power and Undermine the Republic. Joe Palmore, MoFo’s Appellate and Supreme Court practice co-chair and managing partner of the Washington, D.C., office, hosted a fireside chat with Professor Vladeck, followed by a book signing.Professor Vladeck holds the Charles Alan Wright Chair in Federal Courts at the University of Texas School of Law and clerked for court of appeals judges on the Ninth and Eleventh Circuits. He has argued multiple cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, as well as other federal courts, both civilian and military. He is also a co-host of the award-winning National Security Law Podcast and is CNN’s Supreme Court analyst.During the discussion, Vladeck explained that he uses the term “shadow docket” in his book in the same context as legal scholar William Baude, who coined the term in a 2015 article for the New York University Journal of Law & Liberty. In summary, the term refers to everything the Supreme Court does other than rulings it hands down in argued cases on the merits docket. “By volume, those rulings are well less than one percent of what the Supreme Court actually does,” Stephen said. “The Supreme Court does most of its work through unsigned, unexplained orders. And although many of those orders are completely banal, a number of those orders can be important and can have really significant, real world, and sometimes even doctrinal, effects.”Vladeck’s argument mirrors the subtitle of his book: How the Supreme Court Uses Stealth Rulings to Amass Power and Undermine the Republic. While the phrase “amass power” refers to the Court’s discretion over its docket through certiorari, “undermine the republic” refers to how it has overseen election and other significant disputes outside its merits docket. Vladeck described a number of the Court’s shadow docket actions in election cases as inconsistent and seemingly explicable based only on their partisan valence. “That’s where I think we get to the harshest criticism,” he said. “When there’s no throughline, when there’s no pure and substantive principle that explains why the court is ruling the way it does, now it looks like the justices are playing political favorites.” These behaviors, Vladeck explained, have undermined public perception of the Court’s neutrality.Throughout his book, Vladeck argues that everyone, regardless of partisan alignment, should care about the Court’s actions. “We need a Supreme Court that is at least widely perceived to be legitimate,” he explained. “Not because it’s going to do things we agree with, but because a court that is perceived as legitimate has the ability to serve its role in our constitutional democracy, which is standing up to tyrannies of the majority.”Though Vladeck feels that the best solution is to amplify criticism of the Court’s behavior, he did add that there are other ways to address the issue. “The lowest hanging fruit would be if the Court would just commit to providing a modicum of explanation at least when it grants emergency relief,” he said. “When the Court is taking the affirmative step of upsetting the status quo, of doing something to suspend the effect of a lower court ruling or to enjoin action that lower courts refuse to—the full Court could take it upon itself to commit to writing.”Along with potential remedies, Vladeck added that lawyers have a special obligation to defend the importance of process. “If we’re trying to think about what separates judicial power from other forms of political power, I think it’s the notion that the courts are acting judicially that we have to be dying on the hill to defend,” he said.“I’m thrilled that Professor Vladeck was able to join us for this fascinating discussion, and I’m grateful to our summer associates for asking such terrific questions,” Palmore said.<div data-reactroot=""><img src="https://media2.mofo.com/v3/images/blt5775cc69c999c255/blt6271518e7783fc52/649b29b47e68bba259abce96/230626-books.jpg?format=auto&amp;quality=60" alt="Books"/></div><div data-reactroot=""><img src="https://media2.mofo.com/v3/images/blt5775cc69c999c255/bltbb42a997520981e7/649b2a0705ac384818aebad6/230626-joseph-palmore.jpg?format=auto&amp;quality=60" alt="Joseph Palmore and Stephen Vladeck"/></div>

Joe Palmore co-chairs Morrison Foerster’s Appellate and Supreme Court practice and is resident in the firm’s Washington, D.C. and New York offices. Chambers USA describes him as “an outstanding oral advocate,” who is “calm, focused, effective and doesn’t back down,” and has “complete command of the facts.” Joe “writes great briefs” (Chambers USA), with one client recounting that “the Court mirrored the language he thoughtfully chose in its ultimate order” (Legal 500).

Joseph R. Palmore

Joe Palmore co-chairs Morrison Foerster’s Appellate and Supreme Court practice and is resident in the firm’s Washington, D.C. and New York offices. Before joining Morrison Foerster, Joe was an Assistant to the Solicitor General at the United States Department of Justice and the Deputy General Counsel of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

Joseph Palmore

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As part of MoFo’s summer associate programming, MoFo recently welcomed Professor Stephen Vladeck to discuss his New York Times Bestseller book The Shadow Docket: How the Supreme Court Uses Stealth Rulings to Amass Power and Undermine the Republic. Joe Palmore, MoFo’s Appellate and Supreme Court practice co-chair and managing partner of the Washington, D.C., office, hosted a fireside chat with Professor Vladeck, followed by a book signing.

Summer Associate Book Talk: A Conversation with Professor Stephen Vladeck

This year, attorneys and business professionals across MoFo’s offices came together to celebrate Earth Month in April.Leading up to Earth Month, we collected 523 “MoFoEco Pledges” firmwide. These pledges cover topics such as waste diversion, energy efficiency, and alternative commuting practices, both at home and at work, and were customized by each office. They also served as an awareness-building opportunity with helpful “how-to” resources at the end of the pledge forms. In addition, we hosted our longtime pro bono partner, <a href="https://www.nature.org/en-us/" target="_blank">The Nature Conservancy</a>, for a firmwide Earth Month webinar featuring examples of how we have worked together on projects to “Invest in Our Planet” as a reflection of this year’s Earth Day theme. Learn more about examples of these projects on the firm’s <a href="https://www.mofo.com/culture/pro-bono/sustainability-focus" target="_blank">Pro Bono page</a>.MoFo’s Environmental Sustainability Committees also hosted events and volunteered in their offices and communities. Some highlights included:<ul><li>Reusable mug ice cream socials</li><li>Beach cleanups</li><li>A bike tune-up event</li><li>A soap recycling workshop</li></ul>Although Earth Month concluded at the end of April, environmental sustainability remains an important part of MoFo’s culture year-round.Learn more about MoFo’s <a href="https://www.mofo.com/capabilities/environmental-social-governance" target="_blank">Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) practice</a>.<div data-reactroot=""><img src="https://media2.mofo.com/v3/images/blt5775cc69c999c255/bltcafef18521d6cf3d/645d60f3f96478160358884e/230511-ice-cream.jpg?format=auto&amp;quality=60" alt="ice cream"/></div><div data-reactroot=""><img src="https://media2.mofo.com/v3/images/blt5775cc69c999c255/blt2d625aefb775d5ef/645d607ddba83e557dea7f32/230511-earth-day.jpg?format=auto&amp;quality=60" alt="earth day"/></div><div data-reactroot=""><img src="https://media2.mofo.com/v3/images/blt5775cc69c999c255/blte556465d024e38cf/645d61159c40aa83ee07421f/230511-recycle.jpg?format=auto&amp;quality=60" alt="recycle"/></div><div data-reactroot=""><img src="https://media2.mofo.com/v3/images/blt5775cc69c999c255/blt76472724ea764731/645d613d6ff7c064792bbbe7/230511-singapore.png?format=auto&amp;quality=60" alt="Singapore"/></div>

MoFo Celebrates Earth Month

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MoFo Celebrates Earth Month

This year, attorneys and business professionals across MoFo’s offices came together to celebrate Earth Month in April.

MoFo Litigation partner Alexis Amezcua recently conducted a fireside chat in our San Francisco office with author and executive coach <a href="https://michaelmelcher.com/" target="_blank">Michael Urtuzuástegui Melcher</a> titled “Your Invisible Network: Achieving Your Professional Potential by Investing in Relationships – and How to Do This in 20 Minutes a Day.”A lawyer by training, Michael practiced law for several years before starting an executive coaching and leadership development company. Over the past 20 years, he has worked with business and legal professionals, from people at the beginning of their careers to senior executives.During the session, Michael shared insights and practical tools from his recently published book, Your Invisible Network, and from his years coaching leaders of all backgrounds. “In my experience coaching, about 70 percent of what I do relates to communications and relationship-building,” he said. Relationship-building and networking are practices that most people are somewhat familiar with, but often don’t know how to successfully navigate. Michael knew he had the ability to write about these topics with greater nuance.In his book, he singularly focuses on the importance of relationships and how they can transform a person’s career. During his conversation with Alexis, Michael noted that while merit and skill are necessary components of success, “Relationships are what connect your value to the world.” Networking is often viewed as something done to get a job; however, he explained that it is also something we must continue to do to add richness and depth to our jobs every day.To start building relationships, Michael advised first assessing the health of your existing relationships to determine where you would like to see growth. From there, compartmentalize your goals into manageable actions that can be achieved in 20 minutes a day. Ultimately, smaller, consistent actions over time are more effective than one grand gesture.“It’s actually very human,” Michael explained. Professional relationships are just like any other relationship. “It’s based on learning about somebody and sharing about yourself and finding opportunities to do things together and talking about things of mutual interest.”To those eager to see immediate results, Michael encouraged an attitude of perseverance. “You are going to put time in before you will see results,” he explained. He acknowledged that investing in relationships may detract from other goals or obligations. “The flipside is that relationships can be a little bit magical,” he said. “You don’t know what you will discover.”

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Building Professional Relationships: A Conversation with Michael Melcher

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MoFo Litigation partner Alexis Amezcua recently conducted a fireside chat in our San Francisco office with author and executive coach Michael Urtuzuástegui Melcher titled “Your Invisible Network: Achieving Your Professional Potential by Investing in Relationships – and How to Do This in 20 Minutes a Day.”

Building Professional Relationships: A Conversation with Michael Melcher

After a decade-long fight for justice, MoFo recently secured a $15.5 million verdict, including $11 million in punitive damages, for our Haitian clients in the 2017 lawsuit <a href="https://cja.org/what-we-do/litigation/boniface-v-viliena/" target="_blank">Boniface v. Viliena</a>. The <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/01/world/americas/haiti-politics-violence.html?_r=1" target="_blank">high-profile</a> human rights case holds former Haitian mayor and defendant Jean Morose Viliena responsible for extrajudicial killing and torture committed against David Boniface, Nissandère Martyr, and Juders Ysemé, and their families. The MoFo pro bono team was led by partner <a href="https://www.mofo.com/people/bonnie-lau.html" target="_blank">Bonnie Lau</a> and included associates Christina Ademola, Sarah Vandervalk, Emani Oakley, and Jack Haisman.In 2013, Bonnie first partnered with the <a href="https://cja.org/what-we-do/litigation/boniface-v-viliena/" target="_blank">Center for Justice and Accountability</a> (CJA) to investigate Viliena’s brutality and human rights violations. Since then, a team of lawyers from MoFo, CJA, and Dentons US LLP have served as co-counsel for the victims, with assistance from the Bureau des Avocats Internationaux (BAI), a Haitian human rights organization.In July 2007, David Boniface’s brother, Eclesiaste Boniface, was lured out into the street by Viliena’s armed militia, shot, and his head smashed with a cinder block in reprisal for David Boniface speaking out against Viliena’s abuses of power. A year later, Viliena and his militia destroyed the first local radio station in Les Irois in order to silence dissent and political opposition, and beat, pistol-whipped, shot, and nearly killed Nissage Martyr and Juders Ysemé during the radio station attack.The verdict was a major victory for MoFo and our clients, and one that is especially meaningful to Bonnie Lau, who has devoted considerable time to the case for nearly a decade.“It is one of the most emotionally impactful cases that I have had the privilege of working on,” states Bonnie. “The clients have been so brave throughout the process, despite the ongoing threats, intimidation, and being forced to live in hiding. They have remained hopeful and committed in their belief that they would ultimately hold the defendant accountable for his abuses and obtain justice for what they have suffered.”A human rights activist and natural leader, David Boniface has always been a bright light, so it was sobering to witness him retreat into himself as a result of his years-long suffering and isolation. “But after he finally testified at trial and had the opportunity to tell his story, a huge weight was lifted off of his shoulders,” says Bonnie, “and we saw him smile and joke around for the first time in years. He never lost faith, and when the verdict was finally read, everyone in the courtroom cried.”The team’s dedication to this case also exemplifies the power of volunteering and collaborating for an important cause. April is Volunteer Month, and volunteering and mentoring go hand-in-hand. For Bonnie, the opportunity to be in the trenches with our talented associates was one of the most meaningful parts of the experience.“I was fortunate to work with and offer mentorship to Christina and Sarah and hope that the skills that they developed through this pro bono trial serve as a catalyst for their own careers,” says Bonnie. “We had the opportunity to strategize together about all aspects of trial preparation, including hours of practice developing the testimony of our fact and expert witnesses, direct and cross-examination strategy, and framing our closing arguments and demonstratives. And the hours of practice in the hotel war room paid off, as Christina and Sarah each skillfully presented their respective witnesses at trial.”Volunteering time through pro bono work often presents lawyers with some of the most gratifying experiences in their careers. “What we are able to accomplish for a person of little to no means is very impactful and can truly change someone’s life, which is amazing,” Bonnie stresses. “It also offers lawyers an opportunity to learn skill sets that will further their abilities as a lawyer for their billable clients.”To learn more about volunteering time through pro bono work, visit MoFo’s <a href="https://www.mofo.com/culture/pro-bono" target="_blank">Pro Bono</a> page.

MoFo Team Unites as One to Win Decade-Long Case Against Human Rights Abuses in Haiti

After a decade-long fight for justice, MoFo recently secured a $15.5 million verdict, including $11 million in punitive damages, for our Haitian clients in the 2017 lawsuit Boniface v. Viliena. The high-profile human rights case holds former Haitian mayor and defendant Jean Morose Viliena responsible for extrajudicial killing and torture committed against David Boniface, Nissandère Martyr, and Juders Ysemé, and their families. The MoFo pro bono team was led by partner Bonnie Lau and included associates Christina Ademola, Sarah Vandervalk, Emani Oakley, and Jack Haisman.

MoFo Team Unites as One to Win Decade-Long Case Against Human Rights Abuses in Haiti

Miami attorneys Giselle Sardinas and Leonela Vaccaro Padron, two volunteers of one of largest pro bono projects in the firm's recent history, successfully aided an Afghan refugee family of six in obtaining their green cards under the special immigrant visa (SIV) program for Afghan allies.  The Afghan Allies Protection Act of 2009, enacted by Congress, aims to provide permanent status to Afghan individuals who aided the United States armed forces during the war in Afghanistan. (This relief also extends to a spouse and their children.) Moved by other members of his immediate family who proudly assisted the United States government at the commencement of the war, and tired of the country-wide oppression under Taliban rule, Sardinas' and Vaccaro Padron's client served as an interpreter for the United States for twelve years. As part of his service, he participated in numerous life-threatening missions alongside the United States Army to patrol and protect the region from Taliban insurgents, which included intercepting planned terrorist attacks. The Taliban violently retaliated against interpreters and their immediate families, including issuing a "dead on sight" declaration for anyone connected our own client’s military unit. During times of leave, he had to move in silence, mainly at night, and was unable to attend social gatherings for fear of ambush. He said that “[i]t was hard to tell who were the good guys and who were the bad guys.”With the fall of Kabul following US de-occupation in 2021, threats against Afghan allies of the United States armed forces increased. This client, his wife, and their four children safely evacuated Afghanistan with the assistance of the United States Marine Corp. All six members of the client's family received approval of their permanent resident application in March 2023. When asked if he has any regrets for his time assisting the United States government, Sardinas' and Vaccaro Padron's client says that sacrificing his life to save the lives of others and working to end the ignorance of terrorists in his home country will never be a regret for him. In fact, it is the thing he is the proudest of in his life and hopes to continue to work for the United States government in some capacity now that he is state-side.

Giselle C. Sardiñas is an associate Morrison Foerster's Real Estate Group.

Giselle Caridad Sardiñas

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MoFo Miami Lawyers Secure Green Cards for Afghan Refugee Family

Miami attorneys Giselle Sardinas and Leonela Vaccaro Padron, two volunteers of one of largest pro bono projects in the firm's recent history, successfully aided an Afghan refugee family of six in obtaining their green cards under the special immigrant visa (SIV) program for Afghan allies.  

MoFo Miami Lawyers Secure Green Cards for Afghan Refugee Family 

Building a strong legal foundation is essential to an attorney’s success. That is why MoFo developed MoFoundations, a tailored learning and development path that provides first-year associates with professional and practice skills, practical knowledge, and opportunities to integrate and engage with the MoFo community. MoFo Boot Camp, a virtual program that is part of the MoFoundations curriculum, took place a week after the latest group of first-year associates arrived at the firm.MoFo Boot Camp was designed by MoFo’s Attorney Learning & Development team and provided first-year associates with an introduction to the skills needed to become effective members of a team. The program, which included sessions for litigation, patent, and transactions associates, integrated three modes of learning: lecture-based presentations, experiential learning, and collaborative team exercises.“Starting as a first-year transactional associate, it’s all too easy to feel like a cog in the machine, where it’s not at all clear why what you’re doing matters, and what matters when it comes to what you’re doing,” explains partner—and MoFo Boot Camp presenter—Fredo Silva. “Boot Camp is about empowering junior associates not necessarily to understand the deals they’re doing, but to ask the questions that will get them to that understanding, so they can grow their skill set while delivering excellent client service.”All first-year associates attended the five-day Boot Camp, which was presented by more than 50 senior associates, of counsel, and partners. During the program, the first-year associates had the opportunity to attend a wide array of practice-specific training sessions. The skills and practice knowledge sessions included mock oral arguments, fact-finding tips and resources, and strategies for compelling legal writing for Litigation associates; an overview of patent concepts, principles, and practices for Patent associates, patent agents, and scientific analysts; and contract drafting, review techniques, and due diligence for Transactions associates.“Presenting at MoFo’s Boot Camp provides an extremely important opportunity to help usher in our next generation of lawyers,” says partner Katie Viggiani. “My goal is to help provide our first years with a broad overview of the types of cases they might work on, as well as a strong understanding that teamwork, collaboration, and mentorship are part of the fabric of the firm.”Supporting attorneys throughout every stage of their careers is a top priority at MoFo, and this attitude is exemplified through the programming developed for MoFo Boot Camp. As senior associate Rose Lee says, “I remember how daunting it was to start at the firm. What helped me the most was knowing there were more experienced attorneys willing to serve as resources to me.”To learn more about the MoFo Boot Camp, please contact <a href="mailto:cmizer@mofo.com">Christie Mizer</a>, Associate Director of Attorney Coaching & Career Development.