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 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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Matters That Matter: February Pro Bono Roundup In this edition of Matters That Matter, we honor the many lawyers who have dedicated their time to important pro 

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Matters That Matter: February Pro Bono Roundup

Matters That Matter: February Pro Bono Roundup | MoFo+

Matters That Matter: February Pro Bono RoundupIn this edition of Matters That Matter, we honor the many lawyers who have dedicated their time to important pro bono causes. This month, we highlight a variety of worthy projects, such as ensuring medical supplies make it to the epicenter of the Coronavirus outbreak, turning two wrongful arrests into a justifiable settlement, and securing a landmark settlement to improve literacy rates in California schools. These are just a few examples of the many ways our lawyers are living out our proud pro bono tradition every day. Responding to the Coronavirus CrisisNew York attorneys <a href="https://www.mofo.com/people/jiang-liu.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Jiang Liu</a>, <a href="https://www.mofo.com/people/anthony-carbone.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Tony Carbone</a>, Katherine Erbeznik, and <a href="https://www.mofo.com/people/malka-levitin.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Malka Levitin</a> are providing legal advice as needed to the <a href="http://nywhu.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Wuhan University Alumni Association of Greater New York, Inc. </a> The Association is raising funds in the U.S. to purchase medical necessities for doctors and patients in the Hubei province of China, which includes Wuhan, the epicenter of the current outbreak of the new coronavirus.The Association is also accepting medical donations and shipping them from New York to Wuhan. While support continues to grow, the Association has reported that it has raised more than $1.3 million for this effort thus far, allocating around $775,000 to purchase and ship over 2.2 million pieces of consumable medical supplies, such as surgical masks, protective gowns, gloves, shoe covers, and respirators to hospitals in the most affected areas.Ensuring Justice After Wrongful ArrestsOn February 11, 2020, the San Diego City Council approved a $1.475 million settlement on behalf pro bono clients Brandon Duncan and Aaron Harvey. The civil rights law suit was filed in 2017 by a MoFo legal team, led by litigators Mark Zebrowski and <a href="https://www.mofo.com/people/john-lanham.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">John Lanham</a>, against the City of San Diego and two police officers over the 2014 arrest under Penal Code Section 182.5 that were based in part on their social media postings and Duncan’s rap lyrics.The charges were ultimately dismissed by a judge who found there was no evidence that Duncan or Harvey committed any crimes after they spent seven months in county jail. The civil rights lawsuit claimed that they were wrongfully arrested and incarcerated and the federal court found there was no probable cause for the arrests. Read more about the case <a href="https://www.mofo.com/resources/news/200212-san-diego-settlement-wrongful-arrest.html">here</a>. Fighting for the Safety of an Immigrant Child Northern Virginia litigation partner <a href="https://www.mofo.com/people/tina-reynolds.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Tina Reynolds</a> and corporate of counsel Shouvik Biswas are representing a 6-year-old boy from Honduras who is seeking Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) or asylum. The boy, abandoned by his parents, was raised by his maternal grandmother. In mid-2019 the boy and his grandmother began to receive threats to hurt the child, and they ultimately fled to the United States.At the border, U.S. officials forcibly separated the boy from his grandmother, and she remains in detention. The boy lives with a maternal aunt in Springfield, Virginia and now needs an attorney to help his aunt file a petition for custody in the Fairfax County Juvenile & Domestic Relations District Court, where SIJS findings will be sought based on his parents’ abandonment and neglect. Attorneys will also explore a potential asylum claim. <a href="https://supportkind.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Kids in Need of Defense</a> (KIND) referred this matter to the firm and continues to provide mentoring services for this case.Reaching a Landmark Settlement in California Literacy LawsuitOn February 20, 2020, MoFo and Public Counsel announced that a $53 million settlement was reached in Ella T. v. State of California, the first civil rights action brought under any state constitution to protect students’ right to access to literacy. Under the settlement, the California Department of Education, the State Board of Education, and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond have agreed to provide resources to improve literacy outcomes for the state’s lowest performing schools and provide extra support to the Stockton Unified School District.The settlement provides multiple remedies to improve literacy, including $50 million in block grants for 75 low-performing elementary schools to develop and implement customized three-year literacy action plans allowing schools to invest in evidenced-based practices to improve student literacy, the adoption of a holistic approach to literacy, a shift away from punitive school discipline practices, and $3 million for the creation of a statewide “expert lead on literacy” who will work to strengthen the state’s literacy infrastructure and training opportunities, and assist grant recipients.The MoFo team—led by partners Michael Jacobs and <a href="https://www.mofo.com/people/erik-olson.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Erik Olson</a> and—included partners <a href="https://www.mofo.com/people/gregory-koltun.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Greg Koltun</a>, and <a href="https://www.mofo.com/people/jack-londen.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Jack Londen</a>, of counsel Robin Stafford, and associates <a href="https://www.mofo.com/people/roman-swoopes.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Roman Swoopes</a>, Dan Hubin, Alessa Yin-Chen Hwang, and Janet Lee.  Building a Movement with iamtheCODELondon litigation partner <a href="https://www.mofo.com/people/chiraag-shah.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Chiraag Shah</a> and corporate attorney William Akman are helping <a href="https://www.iamthecode.org/about/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">iamtheCODE</a> to incorporate the organization as a charity in the UK. iamtheCODE describes itself as “the first African-led global movement to mobilize government, private sector, and investors to advance STEAMED (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics, Entrepreneurship, and Design) Education.” The organization’s mission is to build a generation of 1 million women and girl coders by 2030. It focuses on marginalized communities, in part by running programs in places like the Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya and libraries in Africa, Asia, and the UK.xxxMatters That Matter looks at some of the most significant, recently opened matters and developments in our global pro bono efforts, from staffing legal clinics and advising nonprofits on their legal needs to advocating for individuals who would otherwise be denied equal access to justice. For more examples of MoFo’s global pro bono efforts, <a href="https://www.mofo.com/culture/pro-bono/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">visit our website</a>.