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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The MoFo+ blog shares news and insights from lawyers who are adding value to the legal profession and making a difference in 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

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On April 30, 2024, MoFo partner and global co-chair of the Investigations + White Collar Defense practice group <a href="https://www.mofo.com/people/carrie-cohen">Carrie H. Cohen</a> and associate <a href="https://www.mofo.com/people/sabreena-khalid">Sabreena Khalid</a> in MoFo’s Finance Group spoke with <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/lesley-rosenthal-3b334412/">Lesley Rosenthal</a>, president of the Friends of Afghanistan National Institute of Music (“ANIM”) and Chief Operating Officer and Corporate Secretary at Juilliard, as part of an event sponsored by MoFo’s Women’s Strategy Committee and the Middle Eastern North African (MENA) network in our New York office.ANIM was founded in 2010 by Dr. Ahmad Sarmast. It was the first and only school of music in Afghanistan where talented Afghan children of all backgrounds were trained in a co-ed program in traditional and western classical music. They also obtained high-quality academic education and there was a special focus on supporting disadvantaged children, including orphans and child laborers. Boys and girls, from all ethnic backgrounds and communities, were welcome.Event attendees had the opportunity to watch Symphony of Courage, a 30-minute documentary about ANIM. Challenging the Taliban’s ban on secular music and women’s and girls’ education, Dr. Sarmast joined forces with famed cellist Yo-Yo Ma to evacuate students of the music school, including Afghanistan’s first all-female orchestra, Zohra. ANIM successfully airlifted its 273 students, faculty, and staff and has since reconstituted in Braga, Portugal.  After the film screening, Lesley shared her first-hand experience with supporting this humanitarian effort.The event had special significance as MoFo’s assistance to helping Afghan refugees obtain United States citizenship is among the largest pro bono undertakings in firm history. Sparked by an in-house webinar about Afghan refugees in 2021, nearly 200 lawyers and staff volunteered to conduct detailed intake interviews for Afghans, whose urgent calls to the refugee assistance agency Human Rights First had overwhelmed the organization’s resources—assistance the group called “a literal lifesaver.” These MoFo volunteers conducted 150 screening interviews. Nearly 50 firm lawyers were so moved by the stories they heard that they began representing Afghan refugees seeking asylum or other routes to permanent resettlement. Summer associates joined in by filing 50 green card applications for additional clients referred by Human Rights First. Lawyers in our London and Berlin offices began helping Afghan refugees as well. To date, the firm is representing 14 Afghans and their many family members in their quest for legal status in the United States. While some applications are still pending, most of these clients have been granted asylum.MoFo has also assisted these refugees through shorter-term clinics sponsored by Project Afghan Legal Assistance. With our help, a number of refugees have been able to file robust asylum applications even without being fully represented by an attorney. We have also begun full representation of several families in this second wave of Afghan asylum-seekers. To learn more about MoFo Women, please visit our <a href="https://www.mofo.com/culture/women-of-mofo">MoFo Women’s</a> page. <a href="https://www.mofo.com/sign-up">Sign up</a> to receive MoFo News, Events, and Publications.

Empowering Voices: The Story of the Afghanistan National Institute of Music

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Partner

Carrie H. Cohen, partner, has deep experience in white collar defense, FCPA compliance, federal prosecutions, workplace misconduct  and securities enforcement.

Carrie H. Cohen

Carrie H. Cohen | White Collar Crime + FCPA Lawyer

Carrie H. Cohen has a distinguished record of success in the courtroom handling high‑stakes litigation, with a particular focus on white-collar and securities cases. She is the co-chair of the Women’s Strategy Committee.

Carrie Cohen

Associate

Sabreena Khalid is a member of Morrison Foerster’s Finance Group.

Sabreena Khalid

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Empowering Voices: The Story of the Afghanistan National Institute of Music

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ANIM was founded in 2010 by Dr. Ahmad Sarmast. It was the first and only school of music in Afghanistan where talented Afghan children of all backgrounds were trained in a co-ed program in traditional and western classical music.

May marks the celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month. AAPI Heritage Month provides the continued opportunity to recognize and honor the depth and richness of that which makes MoFo truly unique: our people. Throughout the month, we will highlight the instrumental role of, and significant contributions made by, our AAPI community at MoFo.In addition, we are hosting a conversation with MoFo Partner <a href="https://www.mofo.com/people/nicholas-fung" target="_blank">Nick Fung</a> and author and journalist <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffcyang/" target="_blank">Jeff Yang</a> as they discuss Jeff’s New York Times bestselling book, RISE: A Pop History of Asian America from the Nineties to Now. RISE is a love letter to and for Asian Americans—a vivid scrapbook of voices, emotions, and memories from an era when AAPI culture was forged and transformed, and a way to preserve both the headlines and the intimate conversations that have shaped the community into what it is today. You may <a href="https://www.mofo.com/sign-up" target="_blank">sign up</a> for MoFo News, Events, & Publications.In honor of AAPI Heritage Month, the Morrison & Foerster Foundation is donating $20,000 across several nonprofit organizations serving the AAPI community, including:<ul class="li-text-orange"><li class="li-text-orange"><a href="https://www.advancingjustice-aajc.org/">Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAJC)</a> – AAJC works to advance the civil and human rights of Asian Americans and to build and promote a fair and equitable society for all by fighting for civil rights through education, litigation, and public policy advocacy.</li><li class="li-text-orange"><a href="https://www.atask.org/about-us/what-we-do/">Asian Task Force Against Domestic Violence (ATASK)</a> – ATASK addresses the gaps in services for Asian domestic violence survivors, including low-income immigrants with limited English-language capabilities, in the Greater Boston and Lowell Areas. Its mission is to prevent domestic violence in Asian families and communities and to provide hope to survivors.</li><li class="li-text-orange"><a href="https://stopaapihate.org/our-mission/">Stop AAPI Hate</a> – Stop AAPI Hate is a coalition dedicated to ending racism and discrimination against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Stop APPI Hate works to advance the multiracial movement for equity and justice by building power for AAPI communities, working in solidarity with other communities of color, and advocating for comprehensive solutions that tackle the root causes of race-based hate.</li></ul>To learn more about diversity at MoFo, please visit our <a href="https://www.mofo.com/culture/diversity" target="_blank">Diversity page</a>.

Celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

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Celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

The MoFo Summit for Women In-House Counsel held in February 2024 in Brooklyn, NY brought together over 200 women leaders in the legal industry for a day filled with substantive panels and breakouts, professional development sessions, networking opportunities, and an inspirational keynote discussion.We are thankful to our co-chairs, Carrie H. Cohen and Crystal Kaldjob, for their work and unwavering dedication in spearheading the event. We are also appreciative of our MoFo panelists and guests who made this year’s event an enormous success.<a href="https://media2.mofo.com/v3/assets/blt5775cc69c999c255/blt3b3fb4b54bb65e7c/240321-2024-mofo-womens-summit-agenda.pdf" target="_blank">View the agenda for a full list of speakers and panels</a>. Our panelists explored a variety of relevant topics, such as:<ul><li>Artificial Intelligence Compliance Challenges – A Double-Edged Sword</li><li>Navigating the Evolving Regulatory Landscape: Digital Assets and FinTech in Today’s Climate</li><li>Understanding and Preparing for Emerging Global Anti-Money Laundering & Sanctions Risks</li><li>Parallel Government Enforcement Actions and Class Actions: 2023 Trends and Best Practices</li><li>The SEC’s Cyber Disclosure Regime – Best Practices for Disclosures and Enforcement Risk Mitigation</li><li>Hot Topics in the Life Sciences Industry</li></ul>We were also honored to welcome Jill Ellis, renowned soccer coach and two-time FIFA Women’s World Cup champion, as our keynote speaker. Her inspirational discussion with MoFo partner Carrie H. Cohen, global co-chair of the Investigations + White Collar Defense Practice Group, resonated with attendees as she shared her personal journey of leadership, perseverance, and how she defined success in her career.As part of MoFo’s commitment to making a meaningful impact in our communities and for our clients, charitable donations were made by MoFo on behalf of the Women’s Summit to the organizations listed below. During the Summit, attendees had the opportunity to help decide how funds were distributed among these entities, which not only enriched our event, but also ensured a lasting impact on the lives of women and girls. This year’s selection of charitable organizations that received donations from MoFo are as follows:  <ul><li><a href="https://reproductiverights.org/" target="_blank">Center for Reproductive Rights</a>: Advocating for reproductive rights worldwide; </li><li><a href="https://www.federalbarcouncil.org/foundation/when-there-are-nine/" target="_blank">When There Are Nine Scholarship Project</a>: Empowering women through education, mentorship, and opportunity;</li><li><a href="https://www.tahirih.org/" target="_blank">Tahirih Justice Center</a>: Protecting immigrant women and girls fleeing violence; and</li><li><a href="https://volsprobono.org/projects/incarcerated-mothers/" target="_blank">Volunteers of Legal Services Incarcerated Mothers Project</a>: Providing free legal advice and advocacy to mothers in prison.</li></ul><div data-reactroot=""><span class="rich-text-component-embed" data-component-info="{&quot;_version&quot;:3,&quot;locale&quot;:&quot;en-us&quot;,&quot;uid&quot;:&quot;blt563c08ffd590936e&quot;,&quot;card_information&quot;:{&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;2024 MoFo Summit for Women In-House Counsel &lt;/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;_trace&quot;:&quot;array_node;blog_global_fields;card_information&quot;,&quot;_key&quot;:&quot;card_information&quot;},&quot;description&quot;:{&quot;_trace&quot;:&quot;array_node;blog_global_fields;description&quot;,&quot;_key&quot;:&quot;description&quot;},&quot;display_title&quot;:{&quot;description&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;2024 MoFo Summit for Women In-House Counsel &lt;/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;_trace&quot;:&quot;array_node;blog_global_fields;display_title&quot;,&quot;_key&quot;:&quot;display_title&quot;},&quot;page_meta&quot;:{&quot;open_graph_meta&quot;:{&quot;og_type&quot;:&quot;website&quot;,&quot;og_site_name&quot;:&quot;Morrison &amp; Foerster&quot;,&quot;_trace&quot;:&quot;array_node;blog_global_fields;page_meta;open_graph_meta&quot;,&quot;_key&quot;:&quot;open_graph_meta&quot;},&quot;twitter_card&quot;:&quot;summary_large_image&quot;,&quot;social_share&quot;:{&quot;hashtags&quot;:[&quot;MoFo&quot;],&quot;related_accounts&quot;:[&quot;MoFoLLP&quot;],&quot;_trace&quot;:&quot;array_node;blog_global_fields;page_meta;social_share&quot;,&quot;_key&quot;:&quot;social_share&quot;},&quot;_trace&quot;:&quot;array_node;blog_global_fields;page_meta&quot;,&quot;_key&quot;:&quot;page_meta&quot;},&quot;title&quot;:&quot;2024 MoFo Summit for Women In-House Counsel&quot;,&quot;url&quot;:&quot;/video/230321-2024-mofo-summit-for-women-in-house-counsel&quot;,&quot;video_id&quot;:&quot;2024-mofo-summit-for-women-in-house-counsel&quot;,&quot;youtube&quot;:&quot;https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/L3_8TRZzoCU&quot;,&quot;publish_details&quot;:{&quot;environment&quot;:&quot;bltf4674cd9142c5020&quot;,&quot;locale&quot;:&quot;en-us&quot;,&quot;time&quot;:&quot;2024-03-21T13:15:09.884Z&quot;,&quot;user&quot;:&quot;bltb8dfc2c109d32f0d&quot;,&quot;_trace&quot;:&quot;array_node;blog_global_fields;publish_details&quot;,&quot;_key&quot;:&quot;publish_details&quot;},&quot;_fetched&quot;:true,&quot;_content_type_uid&quot;:&quot;video_content&quot;,&quot;_trace&quot;:&quot;array_node;blog_global_fields&quot;,&quot;_key&quot;:&quot;key&quot;}" data-component-type="video_content" data-component-inline="false"></div>

2024 MoFo Summit for Women In-House Counsel 

2024 MoFo Summit for Women In-House Counsel

The MoFo Summit for Women In-House Counsel held in February 2024 in Brooklyn, NY brought together over 200 women leaders in the legal industry for a day filled with substantive panels and breakouts, professional development sessions, networking opportunities, and an inspirational keynote discussion.

2024 MoFo Summit for Women In-House Counsel

International Women’s Day is a global holiday celebrated annually on March 8 as a focal point in the collective efforts to drive women’s equality. It marks a day to celebrate women’s achievements, raise awareness about discrimination, and work towards creating a more diverse and inclusive world. The 2024 theme is Inspire Inclusion—inspiring others to understand and value women’s inclusion, thus forging a better world.World-renowned feminist, journalist, and activist Gloria Steinem explained that “The story of women’s struggle for equality belongs to no single feminist nor to any one organization, but to the collective efforts of all who care about human rights.” MoFo has a longstanding commitment to supporting and promoting the advancement of women, which is at the heart of our shared values. Our commitment embodies Steinem’s sentiment of creating an inclusive culture that requires the united effort and dedication of many. We believe that when our women succeed, we all succeed.In recognition of International Women’s Day, we honor our newest women partner class, women who inspire others to understand and value inclusion.<ul><li><a href="https://www.mofo.com/people/kate-driscoll" target="_blank">Kate Driscoll</a></li><li><a href="https://www.mofo.com/people/rachel-fiorill" target="_blank">Rachel Fiorill</a></li><li><a href="https://www.mofo.com/people/tushna-gamadia" target="_blank">Tushna Gamadia</a></li><li><a href="https://www.mofo.com/people/rose-lee" target="_blank">Rose Lee</a></li><li><a href="https://www.mofo.com/people/meghan-poon" target="_blank">Meghan Poon</a></li><li><a href="https://www.mofo.com/people/shiri-shenhav" target="_blank">Shiri Shenhav</a></li><li><a href="https://www.mofo.com/people/alexandra-barlow" target="_blank">Alex Barlow</a></li><li><a href="https://www.mofo.com/people/krista-deboer" target="_blank">Krista deBoer</a></li><li><a href="https://www.mofo.com/people/chere-see" target="_blank">Chere See</a></li></ul>

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International Women’s Day is a global holiday celebrated annually on March 8 as a focal point in the collective efforts to drive women’s equality. It marks a day to celebrate women’s achievements, raise awareness about discrimination, and work towards creating a more diverse and inclusive world. The 2024 theme is Inspire Inclusion—inspiring others to understand and value women’s inclusion, thus forging a better world.

Celebrating International Women’s Day 2024

MoFo continued its celebration of Black History Month by hosting a fireside chat with Washington, D.C. partner Val Dahiya and guest speaker Anita Hill. A Brandeis University Professor of Law, Social Policy & Women’s and Gender Studies and advocate for equality and civil rights, Anita is perhaps best-known for her 1991 testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee, accusing then-U.S. Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas of sexual harassment.Anita’s testimony left millions of Americans who viewed it on television uncertain about the outcome and many doubtful of Anita’s accusations; what remained was the notion that it was nothing more than an “obscene spectacle.” Yet, more than 30 years later, as we reflect on the positive legal and cultural changes around the issue of gender-based violence and racial equality, Anita’s 1991 testimony was the beginning of a diverse effort that changed the way individuals view not only various forms of gender abuse, but diversity and inclusion efforts as a whole.Anita opened with a discussion of the movement against DEI efforts since Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed into law SB 17, banning DEI offices and programs in public universities and colleges, as well as the Supreme Court’s landmark decision nearly two weeks later ending race-based admissions policies in higher education.Anita explained that, since the Supreme Court’s ruling, its reach appears to be broader than race in admissions, with messaging that signals the end of DEI in workplaces. Whether it is fear of lawsuits or DEI fatigue, companies have been using the Court’s recent ruling as an opportunity to uproot their DEI programs. Yet, as Anita stated, companies should take a more nuanced approach, and they have a fiduciary duty to shareholders to do so for several reasons: many shareholders have called for greater DEI efforts within corporations; boards should consider their commitments already made to DEI; and boards should assess financial consequences of abandoning DEI, including the value proposition showing there is value that comes from diverse workforces. Boards need to treat DEI like any other business commitment.DEI goes beyond the economic impact it has on corporations; it supports the cultural change we are experiencing, a movement that has had impact over time. Looking back since her testimony years ago, Anita acknowledged the progress that has been made. “I know we haven’t solved the problem, but we are more aware and engaged in solving it now than ever before in our country.”She added that people have been given more of a voice to enact legal and cultural change. Since 1991, there has come greater awareness and an understanding that systemic change is needed. Public discourse about harassment, gender, and racial equity and diverse political representation has revealed how systems have failed to ensure that victims receive the protections afforded to them under the law. Anita’s testimony also fueled an increase in women’s political participation, up significantly since 1991, when only two women were represented in the U.S. Senate. These conversations, and several others, have served as a catalyst to drive increased civil rights legislation between 1991 and now.“The point is that the faces of the conversations that brought us here were diverse. As we celebrate Black History Month, let’s not forget that the struggle for social justice has been a common theme,” stated Anita. “The inclusion of diverse perspectives and experiences is what makes human progress possible.”

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Val Dahiya is a partner in the firm’s Capital Markets and Broker-Dealer Compliance + Regulation practice groups.

Val Dahiya

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MoFo continued its celebration of Black History Month by hosting a fireside chat with Washington, D.C. partner Val Dahiya and guest speaker Anita Hill. A Brandeis University Professor of Law, Social Policy & Women’s and Gender Studies and advocate for equality and civil rights, Anita is perhaps best-known for her 1991 testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee, accusing then-U.S. Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas of sexual harassment.

Celebrating Black History Month: A Conversation with Anita Hill

Morrison Foerster is pleased to announce our 2024 Leadership Council on Legal Diversity Fellow nominee is New York Transactions partner Tushna Gamadia and our Pathfinder nominees are Whitney Lee, Washington D.C. Litigation associate, and Yuan Xia, Palo Alto Transactions associate.Founded in 2009, the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD) is an organization of more than 400 members, who serve as either general counsel of major corporations or managing partners of the nation’s leading law firms. Morrison Foerster has been a proud member for more than a decade and is committed to leading by example, taking action, and preparing future generations of talented attorneys for the highest positions of leadership.Each year, Morrison Foerster nominates one outstanding partner and two high-performing associates to be considered for the LCLD Fellows and Pathfinder Programs. These programs provide invaluable networking opportunities and curated professional development experiences designed to help develop practical strategies and critical skills around leadership and business development.Tushna Gamadia, our nominee for partner Fellow, has been with MoFo since 2013. She is a partner in the New York office and a member of the Real Estate Group in the Transactions Department. Tushna has over two decades of experience representing clients in complex commercial real estate transactions, with a particular emphasis on joint ventures, acquisitions and dispositions of properties, and real estate finance. Tushna regularly represents domestic and overseas investors and developers in joint venture projects and in the acquisition, financing, management, development, and sale of these projects. Tushna is also actively engaged in pro bono matters, including corporate and real estate matters, and advising community members in connection with family law and immigration matters. She is the 2020 recipient of Morrison Foerster’s Kathi Pugh Award for Pro Bono Service. In 2022 and 2023, The Legal 500 US named Tushna a Rising Star for Real Estate Finance. Tushna earned her J.D. from Cornell Law School, where she was a symposium editor of the Cornell Law Review, and her B.A., magna cum laude, from Middlebury College. Tushna is a participant in MoFo’s Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Mentoring Program. She is also a member of the firm’s Middle Eastern North African (MENA) and Veterans Affinity Networks.Whitney Lee, one of our Pathfinder nominees, has been with MoFo since 2019. She is an associate in the Washington, D.C. office and a member of the firm’s Privacy + Data Security and Global Risk + Crisis Management Groups. Whitney’s practice focuses on advising clients on significant cybersecurity incidents and other sensitive matters relating to U.S. domestic and international cybercrime, national security, risk, and crisis management, including matters that involve multijurisdictional investigations, congressional oversight, and significant media attention. Whitney also has considerable experience advising clients on the Foreign Agents Registration Act and the Lobbying Disclosure Act. In 2021, Whitney was featured in Bloomberg Law’s “They’ve Got Next” series as a Rising Star in the area of Privacy and Cybersecurity. In 2022 and 2023, Whitney was named to the National Black Lawyers' "Top 40 Under 40" list and received the ABA’s “On the Rise – Top 40 Young Lawyers" Award. Whitney is the founder of CYREIN, a pro bono consulting service addressing the rise of cyberstalking and cyber harassment. During law school, Whitney worked at the New York State Office of the Attorney General in the Public Integrity Bureau, and before law school, she worked at the Center for American Progress. Whitney holds a J.D. from Columbia Law School; an LL.M. in international criminal law with a focus on cybercrime from the University of Amsterdam, where she was an Amsterdam Merit Scholar, and a B.A. in government from Harvard University. Whitney co-chairs the Washington, D.C. Black Affinity Group and is a member of the D.C. Associate Committee.Yuan Xia, our other Pathfinder nominee, has been with MoFo since 2020. She is an associate in the Palo Alto office and a member of the firm’s Executive Compensation Group. Yuan’s practice focuses on the transactional aspects of executive compensation matters in the context of domestic and cross-border mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, public offerings, and restructurings. She regularly counsels companies on the design and implementation of equity, incentive and non-qualified deferred compensation, change in control, retention and severance, and executive employment agreements. She also has extensive experience advising public companies on executive compensation disclosures. Yuan was recognized by The Legal 500 US as a Rising Star in Employee Benefits, Executive Compensation, and Retirement Plans for 2023. Prior to joining the firm, she was an associate at another international law firm headquartered in New York. Yuan holds a J.D. from University of Michigan Law School, an LL.M. from UCLA School of Law, and an LL.B. from China University of Political Science and Law. Yuan is an active member of the firmwide AAPI Affinity Network as well as the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association, the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Silicon Valley, and Chinese American Lawyers of the Bay Area.

Development Joint Venture Project

Residential Condo Development Joint Venture

Development Joint Venture

D.C. Multi-Family Property

Joint Venture Projects

Sale of Malls and Shopping Centers

Development Financing Projects

Sale of Hotel Portfolio

Office Lease

Multi-Family Portfolio Financing

Programmatic Joint Ventures

Multi-Family Joint Venture

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Tushna Gamadia has over two decades of experience representing clients in complex commercial real estate transactions, with a particular emphasis on joint ventures, acquisitions and dispositions of pr

Tushna Gamadia

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Whitney Lee is an associate in the firm’s Privacy + Data Security and Crisis Management practice groups. She is based in the firm’s Washington D.C. office.

Whitney Lee

Whitney Lee is an associate in the firm’s Privacy + Data Security and Global Risk + Crisis Management practice groups. She is based in the firm’s Washington D.C. office.

Whitney A. Lee

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Yuan Xia is an associate at Morrison Foerster’s Palo Alto office. She is a member of the firm’s Executive Compensation practice group.


Yuan Xia is an associate at Morrison Foerster’s San Francisco office. She is a member of the firm’s Executive Compensation practice group.
Yuan’s practice focuses on the transactional aspects of execu

Yuan Xia

Morrison Foerster is pleased to announce our 2024 Leadership Council on Legal Diversity Fellow nominee is New York Transactions partner Tushna Gamadia and our Pathfinder nominees are Whitney Lee, Washington D.C. Litigation associate, and Yuan Xia, Palo Alto Transactions associate.

MoFo Selects LCLD Fellow and Pathfinders for 2024

Editors’ Note: Read about Tiarra Rogers Stein, a San Francisco associate in the firm’s Litigation Department, in the latest installment of our ongoing Faces of MoFo series.Every day when I was dropped off at school growing up, rather than tell me to be polite to my teachers or to study hard, my father figure always told me to speak my mind and stand up for others if I saw injustice. I come from a family of lifelong protestors and disobedients for civil rights. It was always instilled in me that each of us have a communal duty to speak up and fight for those who can’t, and I carried that with me, knowing I wanted to spend my career giving back to my community and making change in the larger world.My earliest memories are running from the wild rooster that lived in the sugarcane fields outside the old school bus where I grew up. My mom’s family had lived in Mendocino County for generations, my father had moved to the area from Los Angeles with the CCC before he passed. I had never known anyone to leave the area, but my mom saved up the little she had and took me travelling as a young child, spurring my passion to travel and see the larger world. That opportunity came when I was accepted to Vassar. I was the first one in my family to pursue college directly after high school, and the first to go to graduate school.College was one of the first times that I was able to find other queer and black community, and it opened my eyes to the shared history and larger community that I was a part of outside of the insular one that I’d had in the Yokayo valley. It was the first place that I was able to explore ideas of gender and sexuality, through drag, through queer and trans history, and within a diverse community that I’d never previously had.Through college, I worked in film, writing and directing stories about gender rights and raising awareness on gender-based violence. But somewhere between attending a film program in Prague and working on commercials in Seattle, I found that industry was probably not the right fit for what I wanted to do with my life, and I started looking into how else I could use my voice and my skill to help larger communities. I thought about my family, about how I’d seen so many of them go through the prison system without adequate representation, about the opportunity that I’d been afforded as the first one to leave the area and started looking into law school. My desire to practice law crystallized in college after watching civil rights threaten to be further stripped from already marginalized groups in the United States through the 2010s.While at Stanford, I was able to continue the advocacy work that I’d set out to do by going to law school. I served on the boards of the Black Law Students Association and First-Gen/Low Income Association and through my time in both, advocated for community policy to create equity in the school and in the legal profession I knew I wanted to enter my career doing work that would continue to support the underserved communities. But by being first gen, there was always the looming financial reality of it all. I knew that I wanted to go to a firm where I could practice robust pro bono in my community, and MoFo was the perfect firm to accomplish that.While clerking, I was able to be part of the first Pride Celebration at the Northern District of California and work on cases that deeply touched on issues of civil rights.Through my time at MoFo, I’ve seen the way that they support diversity not only in their staff and lawyers but in their local community as well. During my first litigation associate meeting, the San Francisco office highlighted the pro bono work that they’ve done with the San Francisco AIDs foundation—with a team presenting on ongoing projects with the organization. Every week, I am amazed at the number of calls for associates to work on pro bono projects from impact litigation to clinics supporting direct services. Additionally, I’ve found incredible community and mentorship here at the firm, which truly goes deeper than anywhere that I’ve ever worked before. The mentorship I’ve received from other black members of the firm like Christin Hill to pursue incredibly substantive roles on cases from the beginning of my time at MoFo has been incredible, and I feel so lucky to get to be a part of the community of lawyers that MoFo has fostered.I didn’t imagine myself here years ago, but I know that I’ve carried the message that my family told me then in everything I do today—to speak my mind and to stand up for others. When I’m not at my firm, you’ll always find me running around taking on some new sport or hobby, between rock climbing with Queer Crush, playing weekend dodgeball with other folks from MoFo at a local LGBTQ+ Dodgeball league, pouring through new fantasy novels, or hopping between local indie concerts with my partner.

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Every day when I was dropped off at school growing up, rather than tell me to be polite to my teachers or to study hard, my father figure always told me to speak my mind and stand up for others if I saw injustice. I come from a family of lifelong protestors and disobedients for civil rights.

Faces of MoFo: Tiarra Rogers Stein

February is Black History Month, and MoFo is proud to celebrate the many contributions made by members of our Black communities throughout history, while also acknowledging and raising awareness about the deep socio-economic inequities that persist for Black people in the United States today.Fostering a firm culture that respects and celebrates our differences as strengths is one of MoFo’s core values, and we believe that honoring Black History Month provides everyone with an opportunity to further embrace and appreciate the rich diversity of the communities in which we work and live, and promotes greater inclusivity for all.Throughout the month, we will share stories about influential figures who have played pivotal roles in shaping history and experiences of our Black lawyers across various social media accounts and on our <a href="https://together.mofo.com/" target="_self" dir="ltr">MoFo+ Blog</a>, including:<ul><li>Events, both in-person and virtual, including educational events and celebrations</li><li>Profiles highlighting MoFo’s Black partners and associates, on our MoFo+ Blog and in the firm’s social media posts</li></ul>On Tuesday, February 20, 2024, we are thrilled to welcome Anita Hill, Brandeis University Professor of Law, Social Policy & Women’s and Gender Studies, and advocate for equality and civil rights. MoFo partner <a href="https://www.mofo.com/people/val-dahiya" target="_blank" dir="ltr">Val Dahiya</a> will moderate a discussion about pivotal issues at the intersection of law, equity, and civil rights.<a href="https://www2.mofo.com/l/323401/2023-04-14/8vvqc" target="_blank" dir="ltr">Join</a> our mailing list and receive the latest on diversity and inclusion at MoFo, including news and invitations to our virtual and in-person events.In honor of Black History Month this year, the MoFo Foundation is donating to a variety of non-profit organizations dedicated to supporting Black communities, including:<ul class="li-text-orange"><li class="li-text-orange" dir="ltr">$5,000 <a href="https://www.naacpldf.org/" target="_blank" dir="ltr">Legal Defense Fund</a></li><li class="li-text-orange" dir="ltr">$5,000 <a href="https://uncf.org/local-offices" target="_blank" dir="ltr">UNCF</a></li><li class="li-text-orange" dir="ltr">$5,000 <a href="https://www.wearebgc.org/" target="_blank" dir="ltr">Black Girls Code</a></li><li class="li-text-orange" dir="ltr">$5,000 <a href="https://blackmamasmatter.org/" target="_blank" dir="ltr">Black Mamas Matter Alliance</a></li></ul>Please join us in celebrating Black History Month as we continue to advance diversity and inclusion at MoFo. To learn more about diversity at MoFo, please visit our <a href="https://www.mofo.com/culture/diversity" target="_blank">diversity page</a> on MoFo.com.

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February is Black History Month, and MoFo is proud to celebrate the many contributions made by members of our Black communities throughout history, while also acknowledging and raising awareness about the deep socio-economic inequities that persist for Black people in the United States today.

MoFo Celebrates Black History Month

During February, we celebrate Black History Month and honor the many contributions made by members of our Black communities throughout history, while also acknowledging and raising awareness about the deeply inequitable treatment of Black people in the United States. The theme this year is African Americans and the Arts, which celebrates the many impacts Black Americans have had on visual arts, music, cultural movements, and more.In recognition of Black History Month, we honor Val Dahiya, a partner in our Washington, D.C. office and member of the Capital Markets and Broker-Dealer Compliance + Regulation Practice Groups.Val has nearly two decades of experience across securities and financial services regulation and compliance of broker-dealers, clearing agencies, securities exchanges, and transfer agents, both in private practice and prominent government agency roles. She is a member of the Nasdaq Exchange Review Council for each of Nasdaq’s six exchanges.Prior to joining Morrison Foerster, Val chaired the securities trading and markets practice and served as office managing partner at another international law firm. Before that, she served as the Washington, D.C. branch chief in the Office of Trading Practices in the Division of Trading and Markets at the United States Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC), where she provided analysis and recommendations on complex legal and policy issues related to the securities industry, including the application of Exchange Act rules and regulations to emerging areas such as cryptocurrencies and digital assets. Val’s counsel was essential in shaping SEC policies and ensuring their consistent application across the evolving financial landscape.Prior to her tenure at the SEC, Val worked at the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) (formerly NASD), where she conducted reviews of broker-dealer activities, identified violations of relevant regulations, and made disciplinary recommendations. Her work at FINRA involved analyzing trading activity for irregularities and patterns indicating violative conduct.Val has received numerous industry recognitions, including being named by DCA Live! as one of the Emerging Women Leaders in Law and receiving the SEC’s Shannon D. Ayers Examination Award of Excellence, as well as the SEC’s Law and Policy Award and the Chairman’s Award for Excellence.<a href="https://www.mofo.com/culture/diversity" target="_blank">Learn more</a> about MoFo’s Diversity Strategy Committee and our commitment to advancing diverse lawyers.

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During February, we celebrate Black History Month and honor the many contributions made by members of our Black communities throughout history, while also acknowledging and raising awareness about the deeply inequitable treatment of Black people in the United States. 

Partner Spotlight: Val Dahiya

We continue our celebration of National Mentoring Month by focusing on MoFo’s sponsorship efforts. Sponsorship is a step beyond mentorship, occurring when a partner takes on the responsibility of promoting the career advancement of a high-performing associate (i.e., their protégé). Sponsors leverage their own influence, power, relationships, and reputation to support the advancement of their protégé.We invite you to learn about <a href="https://www.mofo.com/mofo-navigate" target="_blank">MoFo Navigate</a>, a global initiative that unified the firm’s formal mentoring sponsorship programs. Through MoFo Navigate, we aim to provide attorneys with the right kind of support at the right points in their careers and to promote greater inclusion. Overseen by the firm’s Diversity and Inclusion (D+I) Group, MoFo Navigate helps participants develop more effective mentoring and sponsoring relationships across difference.