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 diverse talent 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 interrupt unconscious bias and 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

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 currently serves on the board of directors of Centro Legal de la Raza, a nonprofit based in Oakland.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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Welcome to the Mofo+ Blog

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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 Wins Asylum for Cameroonian Political Refugee

MoFo Sponsors the 2024 NAPABA Convention

Navigating Justice and Disability: A Conversation with Judge David Tatel

The MoFo Foundation Supports Pro Bono Partners

MoFo Sponsors the Black Counsel Forum 2024

As part of MoFo’s <a href="https://together.mofo.com/topics/leaders-of-influence-a-spotlight-on-mofo-s-women-of-color">Leaders of Influence campaign</a>, <a href="https://www.mofo.com/people/christin-hill" target="_blank">Christin Hill</a>, partner in Morrison Foerster’s San Francisco office, discusses her leadership style, how she supports diverse women associates who are starting their careers, and surprises she has faced after becoming a leader at the firm.Christin is a member of the Securities Litigation, Securities Enforcement, and Investigations + White-Collar Defense practice groups. She has extensive experience representing clients in securities class actions, derivative actions, and other complex civil litigation in both federal and state courts, as well as in government and internal investigations.In what ways do you support diverse women associates who are beginning their careers?I consider it my duty and my honor to lift others – and particularly diverse women associates – as I climb. I do this by actively mentoring diverse women at all levels, including high school students, college students, law students, and certainly our associates. For me, active mentoring means taking a vested interest in my mentees’ career progression, understanding what they want to achieve and doing everything in my power to guide them to that outcome, even if that outcome is not being a Big Law partner. What skills do you use most often in your leadership role?One of my greatest strengths as a leader is empathy. I genuinely care about each member of my team. I care about them as a worker, and I care about them as a person. So, I ask them a lot of questions: What other matters are the working on that may create competing deadlines? What personal events are coming up that we could celebrate? What are their career goals? By leaning more about my team members, I’m better equipped to mentor and support them as individuals and create an environment where they are better equipped to meet client needs.What leadership skills are you continuing to work on?Delegation. Delegation is essential to accomplishing more as a leader. But delegation also takes time. When I delegate, I must make sure that I provide meaningful instructions, check in along the way, and provide feedback. I recognize the huge reward of this investment. Not only do I get more done in the short term, I develop stronger associates who can accomplish more in the long term.Were there any surprises you faced after becoming a leader at the firm?I’m continually surprised and impressed by the hard work of our staff. Even as a summer associate, I recall being amazed at the hard work of our recruiting team. They went above and beyond to give the summer associates an exceptional experience. Now that I’m a partner and a leader at the firm, I appreciate the hard work of various groups: from marketing to attorney development, to the DEI team. It takes a lot more than lawyers to help a firm run smoothly. If you participate in firm or office initiatives, please mention the initiatives you are working on as well as the impact you hope to achieve?I have several leadership roles at MoFo: I’m the SF hiring partner; I’m on the board of directors; and I’m a member of our Partnership Review Committee. Being the SF hiring partner is the most work, but also the most rewarding of my leadership roles. I love getting that first look into the associate pipeline. Our summer associate program is critical to our ability to meet client needs in the future, and to a foster a culture that allows everyone to thrive. It is a privilege to play a role in recruiting the next generation of MoFo lawyers.

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Christin is a member of the Securities Litigation, Securities Enforcement, and Investigations + White-Collar Defense practice groups. She has extensive experience representing clients in securities class actions, derivative actions, and other complex civil litigation in both federal and state courts, as well as in government and internal investigations.

Leaders of Influence: A Spotlight on MoFo’s Women of Color – Christin Hill

As part of MoFo’s <a href="https://together.mofo.com/topics/leaders-of-influence-a-spotlight-on-mofo-s-women-of-color">Leaders of Influence campaign</a>, <a href="https://www.mofo.com/people/christine-wong" target="_blank">Christine Wong</a>, Global Co-Chair of Morrison Foerster’s Litigation Department, discusses being a woman attorney of color in a leadership role, what motivated her to become a leader, and how she supports diverse women associates beginning their legal careers.Christine focuses her practice on investigations, white-collar criminal defense, and cross-border compliance matters. She draws on her unique background as an internal advisor and as a federal prosecutor when advising companies, boards, and executives on a variety of matters that present significant legal and reputational risk – including regulatory enforcement, internal investigations, and related civil litigation. She also provides ongoing compliance advice (for example, on antitrust, anti-bribery and corruption, and conflicts of interest) to corporate clients.Describe your leadership style how you lead others. Is it different from your male counterparts?I think it’s really important to listen to the team and work together to formulate a plan. Not only do other people improve my ideas (and hopefully vice versa!) but I also want to make sure that each team member feels that their contributions are important and valued. What motivated you to step up and become a leader at the firm?I have been fortunate enough to be offered a series of leadership opportunities with increasing responsibilities. While I have felt a bit out of my comfort zone with each new leadership role, the personal growth opportunities have been too important to turn down and each leadership experience has prepared me for the next challenge.     What do you think is the most significant barrier to female leadership? What have you seen hinder a women leaders’ career?Being afraid of new challenges. Thinking that you really have to be 100% in your comfort zone before taking on additional responsibilities. As a leader, how do you stay mindful of who’s at the table and who’s missing?One of the most important tasks I have is answering questions about who would be best to handle specific types of matters or who would be best suited for particular clients. I make sure that I scroll through all potential candidates before offering names, and I make a conscious effort to not go back to the same people over and over. In what ways do you support diverse women associates who are beginning their careers?I make sure that my matters are staffed with diverse women associates and provide enough support to them so that they can succeed. My door is open and I’m happy to discuss anything—substantive work questions, work/life balance, book recommendations, hobbies, etc.!

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Christine focuses her practice on investigations, white-collar criminal defense, and cross-border compliance matters. She draws on her unique background as an internal advisor and as a federal prosecutor when advising companies, boards, and executives on a variety of matters that present significant legal and reputational risk – including regulatory enforcement, internal investigations, and related civil litigation. 

Leaders of Influence: A Spotlight on MoFo’s Women of Color – Christine Wong

As part of MoFo’s <a href="https://together.mofo.com/topics/leaders-of-influence-a-spotlight-on-mofo-s-women-of-color">Leaders of Influence campaign</a>, <a href="https://www.mofo.com/people/serena-tan" target="_blank">Serena Tan</a>, Deputy Chair of Morrison Foerster’s Global Private Funds Group and Chair of Greater China Private Funds practice based in Hong Kong, shares her reflections on being a woman attorney of color in a leadership role. She discusses topics such as the challenges she’s faced and the benefits of having women in leadership today.Serena represents global and regional fund managers and institutional investors in the formation of private equity, private credit, and real estate funds. Her practice focuses on both offshore funds (including in the Cayman Islands, BVI, Delaware, Luxembourg, Singapore, and Hong Kong) and RMB funds (including QFLP and QDLP funds). Describe your leadership style how you lead others. Is it different from your male counterparts?Action! I like to lead by taking proactive actions – whenever I see value in any initiative, I actively put forward an action plan and sketch out initial drafts as soon as possible for other partners to review. I believe this approach not only speeds up the process, but also encourages more participation from others as abstract ideas have been converted into concrete action plans and concrete drafts for others to chime in on. Some of my male counterparts have also adopted a similar leadership style, as we all see its benefits.What motivated you to step up and become a leader at the firm?My fellow women leaders at the firm are great role models for me, which inspired me to step up as a leader so that I could make greater contributions and bring positive changes to the firm. As I progressed in my career, I realized that assuming a leadership role would provide me with the chance to define my own working model based on my values and priorities. Additionally, it allows me to develop and maintain relationships with clients who share my values and visions.What are the benefits of having women in leadership?As women generally have a more practicable working style and egos are less likely to stand in the way, having women in leadership positions can foster greater equality in discussions, thus bringing more well-balanced, creative standpoints to our clients and the firm. Women leaders who are passionate and nurturing can also serve as great mentors to junior professionals guiding them through their careers.What is the biggest challenge facing leaders today?One challenge is adapting to the post-pandemic world. Internally, leaders will need to navigate through new and emerging norms in the workplace – ensuring workplace flexibility while maintaining productivity, collaboration, and training to juniors. Externally, leaders will have to explore ways to best capture new business opportunities presented by the post-pandemic economic recovery. Were there any surprises you faced after becoming a leader at the firm?The extent of my responsibilities after taking up a leadership role at the firm has expanded more extensively than I anticipated. As a leader, I work with other leaders to make strategic decisions that impact our practice group and the firm, managing people at different levels, overseeing implementation of various policies and initiatives, and setting budgets. There is also a stronger need for a global perspective as a leader, as I need to ensure that we can capture opportunities in different markets and regions by leveraging our global expertise and resources.

Leaders of Influence: A Spotlight on MoFo’s Women of Color – Serena Tan

A China-focused private equity firm’s US$2 billion fund formation

A U.S. private equity firm’s RMB¥2 billion fund formation

A China-focused private equity firm’s fund formation

An Asia-focused private equity firm’s fund formation

A China-focused private equity firm’s US$500 million fund formation

An Asia-focused private equity firm’s US$600 million fund formation

An Asia-focused private equity firm’s $1.5 billion fund formation

An India-focused private equity firm’s fund formation

Top Chinese insurance companies’ investments

Top Chinese banks’ investments

Top Chinese asset management firms’ investments

A U.S.-listed company’s investments

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Deputy Chair of Global Private Funds Group

Serena  focuses on the private equity investment funds practice in Asia. She represents  a wide range of sponsors and investors in the formation, structuring and  related activities of buyout funds, g

Serena Tan

Serena focuses on the private equity investment funds practice in Asia. She represents a wide range of sponsors and investors in the formation, structuring and related activities of buyout funds, growth capital funds, venture capital funds, co-investment vehicles, and other alternative investment funds. Serena also advises fund sponsors regarding carried interest plans, joint venture arrangements, and related internal governance matters. She has nearly10 years of experience advising on fund and corporate matters in China and the United States.

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Leaders of Influence: A Spotlight on MoFo’s Women of Color – Serena Tan

As part of MoFo’s Leaders of Influence campaign, Serena Tan, Deputy Chair of Morrison Foerster’s Global Private Funds Group in Hong Kong, shares her reflections on being a woman attorney of color in a leadership role. 

As part of MoFo’s <a href="https://together.mofo.com/topics/leaders-of-influence-a-spotlight-on-mofo-s-women-of-color">Leaders of Influence campaign</a>, <a href="https://www.mofo.com/people/bita-rahebi">Bita Rahebi</a>, co-chair of the firm’s global IP Litigation group and cross-disciplinary Intellectual Property group, discusses her leadership style, how to stay mindful of who’s at the table and who’s missing, how she supports diverse women associates beginning their careers, and her current initiatives. Bita has also served on various committees of the firm over the years and is currently a member of the firm’s Points committee. The world’s largest and most innovative technology companies turn to Bita for her trial skills and her strategic direction leading complex, high-stakes litigation matters. She litigates before state and federal trial courts, the Federal Circuit, and the International Trade Commission on a wide range of matters involving semiconductors, software, consumer electronics, and medical devices.As a trial lawyer, Bita is known for zealously representing her clients’ interests. She brings an ability to explain complicated issues to juries and judges, a skill honed through years of experience working with cutting-edge technologies. She has obtained a complete defense victory as lead trial lawyer, invalidated numerous patents, and obtained winning results for plaintiffs.As a leader, how do you stay mindful of who’s at the table and who’s missing?I think the easy part is making sure you have the right people at the table. The more critical task is making sure that those at the table have a voice and they feel comfortable speaking. I make it a point in our meetings to make sure everyone speaks, especially our most junior colleagues. For instance, if we have a client proposal, we have clear roles for each of our attorneys, so that every single member of the team is contributing to the discussion.If you participate in firm or office initiatives, please mention the initiatives you are working on, as well as the impact you hope to achieve?I want to make sure talented lawyers coming into the profession have a clear path to success, whatever that looks like for them, and that they know both how to get there and are given chances to do so. I currently participate in the firm’s Pathway Mentoring Program, which supports the growth and development of new associates, and I served on the Women’s Strategy Committee for nearly a decade.Describe your leadership style and how you “lead” others. I balance building consensus with moving forward decisively with initiatives. It is important to build consensus because teams that are united in an objective perform at a higher level.  In what ways do you support diverse women associates who are beginning their careers?I think it is important for all associates to find mentors early in their career. I devote a fair amount of time mentoring our newest colleagues and facilitating connections, and this is time well spent. In addition, I try to carve out substantive responsibilities for new attorneys on matters and provide frequent feedback. That is how we all learn.

Leaders of Influence: A Spotlight on MoFo’s Women of Color – Bita Rahebi

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Leaders of Influence: A Spotlight on MoFo’s Women of Color – Bita Rahebi

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As part of MoFo’s Leaders of Influence campaign, Bita Rahebi, co-chair of the firm’s global IP Litigation group and cross-disciplinary Intellectual Property group, discusses her leadership style, how to stay 

As part of MoFo's <a href="https://together.mofo.com/topics/leaders-of-influence-a-spotlight-on-mofo-s-women-of-color">Leaders of Influence campaign</a>, <a href="https://www.mofo.com/people/purvi-patel" target="_blank">Purvi G. Patel</a>, Managing Partner of the firm's Los Angeles Office, discusses her leadership style, her motivation for becoming a leader, and how she supports diverse women associates who are starting their careers.Purvi G. Patel represents retail, e-commerce, and other consumer-oriented businesses in significant advertising, unfair competition, consumer fraud, and privacy matters. She has built a robust practice advising household names on various compliance issues and defending them in complex and class action litigation in federal and state courts across the country, winning motions to dismiss, defeating class certification, and securing summary disposition in several multimillion dollar lawsuits.  Purvi is a strategic and practical thinker who is in tune with her clients’ priorities, which leads to successful outcomes both inside and outside the courthouse.Describe your leadership style how you “lead” others. Is it different from your male counterparts?It is very important to me that people know they have a voice and that they can and should use it. I am a consensus builder by nature, but I am also decisive when I need to be. I look for and value input, including, most importantly, from those I know think differently than I do and have different priorities. In the end, I want to make sure that people feel like the decision I made is fair, even if it was not what each of them preferred or would have chosen. I can’t say if this style is different from my male counterparts, as fairness is something I believe MoFo values, but perhaps my process and mindset may differ simply because of who I am.What motivated you to step up and become a leader at the firm?I’ve been fortunate to hold both firmwide and office-specific leadership roles, and I was motivated for a number of reasons to take on those roles. Part of it was the stretch opportunity for me personally. Part of it was being able to have some role in making change. And part of it was for the pipeline—it’s important for younger and aspiring lawyers to see a diverse woman in those roles.In what ways do you support diverse women associates who are beginning their careers?I believe in the value of honest, authentic relationships that run both ways. I try to be generous not just with my time, but also myself. For example, I speak candidly about the challenges I faced as my career progressed in the hope of helping younger lawyers feel like they are not alone or that what they may be experiencing is not insurmountable. It’s important to me to create “safe spaces” and I treat what I learn through mentoring as sacrosanct, keeping what is shared with me confidential.What leadership skills are you continuing to work on?All of them! I am constantly evolving as my work (and the environment where I work) evolves. That means my skills must evolve too, and different challenges require honing different skills. I can’t be a strong leader if I am not continually assessing and working on the skills necessary for effective leadership.Were there any surprises you faced after becoming a leader at the firm?I hadn’t realized that I was making a difference simply by being myself in my leadership roles. It’s been so rewarding to hear from staff and attorneys at the firm how much a decision I made meant to them personally or that they simply felt comfortable bringing their challenges to me. Knowing that my colleagues trust me and trust my judgment is incredibly rewarding.

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Purvi G. Patel represents retail, e-commerce, and other consumer-oriented businesses in significant advertising, unfair competition, consumer fraud, and privacy matters. She has built a robust practice advising household names on various compliance issues and defending them in complex and class action litigation in federal and state courts across the country, winning motions to dismiss, defeating class certification, and securing summary disposition in several multimillion dollar lawsuits. 

Leaders of Influence: A Spotlight on MoFo’s Women of Color – Purvi G. Patel

Morrison Foerster is dedicated to supporting and promoting the advancement of women of color within the firm and in the legal profession. At the heart of our shared values is a commitment to fostering an inclusive culture that supports the development of talented women lawyers in both their professional and personal lives. At MoFo, we are proud to say our women of color play a vital role in the leadership of the firm. The success of our women attorneys is integral to our success as a firm.Throughout the month, we will be sharing reflections from some of our women attorneys of color who hold top leadership roles at our firm. They will discuss topics such as the benefits of having women in leadership, skills needed to be an effective leader, and barriers they may have encountered. We are proud to feature the below attorneys:<ul><li><a href="https://together.mofo.com/topics/leaders-of-influence-a-spotlight-on-mofo-s-women-of-color-christin-hill" target="_self">Christin Hill</a>, Partner, Board of Directors, Partnership Review Committee</li><li><a href="https://together.mofo.com/topics/leaders-of-influence-a-spotlight-on-mofo-s-women-of-color-crystal-kaldjob" target="_self">Crystal Kaldjob</a>, Partner, Co-lead of Fintech Group, Women’s Strategy Committee, Diversity Strategy Committee</li><li><a href="https://together.mofo.com/topics/leaders-of-influence-a-spotlight-on-mofo-s-women-of-color-purvi-g-patel" target="_blank">Purvi G. Patel</a>, Managing Partner of Los Angeles office, Diversity Strategy Committee, Women’s Strategy Committee</li><li><a href="https://together.mofo.com/topics/leaders-of-influence-a-spotlight-on-mofo-s-women-of-color-bita-rahebi" target="_self">Bita Rahebi</a>, Partner, Co-chair of IP Litigation Group, Partner Compensation Committee</li><li><a href="https://together.mofo.com/topics/leaders-of-influence-a-spotlight-on-mofo-s-women-of-color-ruti-smithline" target="_self">Ruti Smithline</a>, Partner, Co-chair of Investigations + White Collar Defense Group, Co-head of New York Litigation Department, Board of Directors, Partnership Review Committee</li><li><a href="https://together.mofo.com/topics/leaders-of-influence-a-spotlight-on-mofo-s-women-of-color-serena-tan" target="_blank">Serena Tan</a>, Partner, Deputy Chair of Global Private Funds Group, Chair of Greater China Private Funds Practice</li><li><a href="https://together.mofo.com/topics/leaders-of-influence-a-spotlight-on-mofo-s-women-of-color-christine-wong" target="_self">Christine Wong</a>, Partner, Global Co-chair of Litigation Department, Board of Directors</li></ul>Learn more about <a href="https://www.mofo.com/culture/diversity">Diversity at MoFo</a>.

Pearlstein v. BlackBerry Ltd.

Broadscale OC Investors v. Clayton

Murphy v. Precision Castparts Corp.

Klein v. Ellison et al.

Rosenow v. Facebook.

In re Ocera Therapeutics, Inc.

Technology Storage Company

Energy Company

AI Computing Company

Financial Services Company

Global Venture Investor

Former CFO of Pharmaceutical Company

Private Technology Company

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Partner

Christin Hill is a partner in Morrison & Foerster’s San Francisco office and a member of the Securities Litigation, Securities Enforcement, and Investigations + White Collar Defense practice groups.

Christin Hill

Christin Hill is a partner in Morrison & Foerster’s San Francisco office and a member of the Securities Litigation, Securities Enforcement, and Investigations + White Collar Defense practice groups.

Christin J. Hill

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Purvi G. Patel is the former managing partner of the Los Angeles Office. She represents retail, e-commerce, and other businesses in significant advertising, unfair competition, consumer fraud, and privacy 

Purvi G. Patel

Purvi G. Patel defends retail, e-commerce, and other businesses in significant advertising, unfair competition, consumer fraud, and privacy matters. She has built a robust practice defending household names in complex and class action litigation in federal and state courts across the country, winning motions to dismiss, defeating class certification, and securing summary disposition in several multi-million dollar lawsuits. Purvi is a strategic and practical thinker who is in tune with her clients’ priorities, which leads to successful outcomes both inside and outside the courthouse.

Purvi Patel

Nevro Corp. v. Stimwave Technologies Inc.

Lamar v. Beats, Dr. Dre, and Jimmy Iovine

Analog Devices v. Xilinx Inc.

Farstone Technology, Inc. v. Apple Inc.

AirWatch, LLC v. Good Technology Corp.

Digital Empire v. Compal Electronics

eTool Development, Inc. v. National Semiconductor Corporation

Cypress Semiconductor v. Altera Corporation 

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Bita Rahebi serves as co-chair of Morrison Foerster’s global IP Litigation Group and cross-disciplinary Intellectual Property Group and is a co-leader of its Semiconductor Industry Group. 

Bita Rahebi

Bita Rahebi is a partner in the firm’s Intellectual Property Group. Clients turn to Bita for her proactive approach and efficient management of the most complex intellectual property litigation matters, especially patent litigation. She has litigated a wide variety of high-technology matters since joining the firm in 2000, and manages technology cases for global clients in U.S. district courts and before the International Trade Commission.What do you love about your work? I love working with clients and delving into their business needs to help them find solutions and achieve great results.What’s been the key to your success? Amazing mentorship. Favorite book? Divan-e Shams by Rumi.