Our deeds and shared values define our culture. As a firm, we are equally passionate about delivering legal excellence and making a difference in the world. MoFo+ shares news and thought leadership from our lawyers and their teams who are proud to contribute to the legal profession and the communities we call home.<h2>About Morrison Foerster</h2>Morrison Foerster is a leading global law firm that transforms complexity into advantage for its clients. Our clients include some of the largest financial institutions, banks, consulting and accounting firms, and Fortune 100, technology, and life sciences companies. Highlighting the firm’s commitment to client service, leadership in market-changing deals and impact litigation, and values-based culture, Morrison Foerster has been repeatedly recognized as one of the top 10 firms on The American Lawyer’s A-List. Year after year, the firm receives significant recognition from Chambers and The Legal 500 across their various guides, including Global, USA, Asia‑Pacific, Europe, UK, Latin America, and FinTech Legal. Our lawyers passionately care about delivering legal excellence while living our values. Morrison Foerster has a long-standing commitment to creating a culture that respects and celebrates differences, while providing an inclusive environment. The firm has achieved Mansfield Certification Plus since 2018 as a result of successfully reaching at least 30 percent women, communities of color, and LGBTQ+ lawyer representation in a notable number of current leadership roles and committees. The firm also has a long history of commitment to the community and society through providing pro bono legal services, including litigating for civil rights and civil liberties, improving public education and fostering the wellbeing of children, advocating for veterans, promoting international human rights, enforcing the right to asylum, and safeguarding the environment.

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Jennifer K. Brown is Senior Pro Bono Counsel at Morrison & Foerster LLP, with responsibility for the overall direction of the firm’s pro bono program. Ms. Brown also develops pro bono opportunities and promotes lawyers’ participation in the firm’s offices on the east coast of the U.S. as well as in China, Hong Kong, and Singapore.Before joining Morrison Foerster, Ms. Brown was vice president and legal director of Legal Momentum, the nation's first women’s rights legal organization, originally known as the NOW Legal Defense and Education Fund. There, she directed cutting-edge litigation and policy advocacy focused on employment discrimination, domestic violence victims' rights, and sexuality and family rights. Previously, she served as the reproductive rights director with the Civil Rights Bureau of the Office of the New York Attorney General and as an Assistant U.S. Attorney with the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York.Ms. Brown brings to the firm her deep knowledge of public interest legal organizations and the most pressing civil rights issues of the day. She has, as well, a rich array of litigation experience, having represented individuals as well as federal agencies and the public, from both the plaintiff and defense positions, in trial and appellate courts. As Senior Pro Bono Counsel, she applies this knowledge and experience to multiple goals: encouraging the firm's attorneys from all practice areas to bring pro bono projects to the firm; easing the way for attorneys to undertake meaningful pro bono service; and working with legal service and public interest organizations to identify creative ways to tap the passion and intellect of the firm's lawyers to pursue the public good. Recent achievements include collaborating with a legal services organization to represent individuals whose claims for unemployment insurance benefits are challenged, and forming a project to represent disabled individuals who are seeking federal disability benefits.Ms. Brown received her J.D. from Yale Law School in 1993, where she was essays editor of the Yale Law Journal (1992-1993) and was awarded the Benjamin Scharps and Israel H. Peres prizes for outstanding writing. Ms. Brown’s publications include, "The Nineteenth Amendment and Women's Equality," 102 Yale Law Journal 2175 (1993) (student note), and "Life and Death with Joan," in AIDS: The Women, Cleis Press, 1988.

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Senior Pro Bono Counsel

Staff

As senior pro bono counsel, Jennifer manages and promotes the pro bono participation of lawyers on the East Coast.

Jennifer K. Brown

Natalie Kernisant is Morrison Foerster’s Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer.Natalie provides strategic leadership to advance recruiting and retention of talent with a wide range of experiences and perspectives at the firm, as well as providing client development support in the area of diversity and inclusion. She works closely with the firm’s Diversity Strategy Committee co-chairs Alexis Amezcua, Purvi Patel, and Mark Whitaker, and Women’s Strategy Committee co-chairs Carrie Cohen, Julie Park, and Stacey Sprenkel.Natalie joined Morrison Foerster in November 2013. She was appointed to the newly created role of Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer in December 2020, having previously served as the firm’s Global Director of Diversity and Inclusion.Prior to joining Morrison Foerster, Natalie served as Human Resources Manager for Risk Management within Global Banking and Markets at Bank of America Merrill Lynch. Before that, she practiced trademark and copyright law and then served as the Special Projects Manager in the Office of Institutional Policy & Planning at Harvard Medical School overseeing the school’s 2011 accreditation process.In 2021, Natalie was named by Crain’s New York Business to its list of Notable Black Leaders & Executives 2021. The special section recognizes black men and women who have impacted New York City in major ways and sets out to honor their professional, civic, and philanthropic achievements. In 2023, Natalie was recognized as one of Savoy Magazine’s 2023 Most Influential Executives in Diversity & Inclusion. She was also selected to Law360’s Diversity & Inclusion Editorial Advisory Board, whose goal is to provide feedback on Law360’s coverage as well as expert insight on how to shape future coverage. Additionally, she was recognized in the Financial Times 2023 North America Innovative Lawyers report as one of seven individual “Change Makers” in the legal industry for her strategic leadership of the firm’s efforts to advance diversity and inclusion in the workplace. In 2024, Natalie was named as a Change Driver in the Annual Diversity Awards of World IP Review (WIPR). The annual Diversity Awards recognize those who have made exceptional contributions to diversity and inclusion in the field of intellectual property.During Natalie’s tenure at MoFo, the firm has received multiple <a href="/culture/diversity#page-section-4" target="_self">diversity and inclusion awards and recognitions</a>.

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Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer

Partner

Natalie Kernisant is Morrison Foerster’s Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer.

Natalie Kernisant provides strategic leadership to advance recruiting and retention of diverse talent at Morrison Foerster, as well as providing client development support in the area of diversity and inclusion.

Natalie Kernisant

Dorothy L. Fernandez is Pro Bono Counsel based in the Denver office of Morrison & Foerster LLP. She is responsible for managing and promoting the participation of lawyers in the firm’s extensive pro bono program which includes, among other things, providing free legal services to low-income individuals, advising nonprofit organizations and assisting in other matters that serve the public interest. Dorothy’s primary focus is on working with lawyers in the firm’s Austin, Los Angeles, San Diego, Denver and Tokyo offices.In 1999, Dorothy joined Morrison & Foerster as an associate in the Securities Litigation, Enforcement and White-Collar Criminal Defense Group. She was elected a partner of the firm in 2004. Dorothy handled complex litigation at the state, federal and appellate levels and was responsible for drafting key dispositive motions in some of the firm’s largest securities litigation matters. In addition, she had an active pro bono practice and represented clients in individual matters, as well as cases addressing the treatment of children in foster care and the rights of LGBT individuals.A dedicated advocate for the LGBT community, Dorothy has served as co-chair of the board of directors of the National Center for Lesbian Rights, and she also served on the board of the Pride Law Fund, a nonprofit organization that provides scholarships to law students working on issues related to the equal rights of LGBT citizens and people living with HIV/AIDS.Dorothy graduated from Stanford University in 1992 with a B.A. in psychology. She earned a J.D. in 1996 from Harvard Law School, where she was a member of the Harvard Civil Rights-Civil Liberties Law Review and co-chair of HLS Lambda. She has taught as an adjunct instructor at both Golden Gate University Law School and Santa Clara University Law School.

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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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Morrison Foerster has a long-standing commitment to diversity, inclusion, and pro bono work. MoFo+ shares news and thought leadership from our lawyers and their teams who are proud to contribute to the legal profession and the communities we call home.

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MoFo Celebrates Earth Day

Celebrating Black History Month with Maya Wiley, President and CEO of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights

Faces of MoFo: Dominick Divine III

MoFo's Women of Color Collective: A Conversation with CCWC’s Laurie Robinson Haden

MoFo Wins Asylum for Cameroonian Political Refugee

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MoFo recently concluded its 2023 Summer Associate Program, where summer associates were integrated into the firm’s daily operations in all our U.S. offices and Tokyo. The program provided comprehensive trainings, mentorship from partners and associates, meaningful and challenging client and pro bono assignments, constructive evaluation sessions, and social and networking opportunities so that summer associates could experience MoFo’s culture and team environment firsthand.Firmwide learning and development programs, designed to familiarize summer associates with MoFo’s policies, practices, and tools, included a fireside chat with MoFo’s chair and vice chairs, practice area spotlights and best practices, a writing skills workshop, and sessions on contract drafting.Under the guidance of MoFo lawyers, summer associates completed a variety of client and pro bono projects, exposing them to litigation and transactions work and allowing them to demonstrate and develop legal writing, research, and analytical skills. Each summer associate was paired with a mentor and a work coordinator to ensure that they were connecting with lawyers across offices and departments and gaining insights into the type of law they want to practice and what it’s like to be a MoFo lawyer.Summer associates got to know each other and our attorneys through many social outings this summer, including partner-hosted dinners, sporting events, concerts, outdoor activities, museum tours, cooking classes and competitions, paint nights, and community service projects.Multiple summer associates were invited to write about their experiences from the program on topics such as mentorship, pro bono, learning and development, and diversity and inclusion. Read their MoFo Stories here:·  <a href="https://together.mofo.com/topics/doing-meaningful-work-pro-bono-at-mofo-rodrigo-bermudez" target="_self">Doing Meaningful Work: Pro Bono at MoFo – Rodrigo Bermudez, Boston</a>·  <a href="https://together.mofo.com/topics/mofo-s-commitment-to-diversity-in-its-pro-bono-practice-meelissa-tapia-cortez" target="_self">MoFo’s Commitment to Diversity in Its Pro Bono Practice – Meelissa Tapia Cortez, San Francisco</a>·  <a href="https://together.mofo.com/topics/celebrating-diverse-trial-lawyers-at-mofo-sydney-gaskins" target="_self">Celebrating Diverse Trial Lawyers at MoFo – Sydney Gaskins, Los Angeles</a> ·  <a href="https://together.mofo.com/topics/diversity-and-inclusion-at-mofo-masha-miura" target="_self">Diversity and Inclusion at MoFo – Masha Miura, New York</a>·  <a href="https://together.mofo.com/topics/mentorship-at-mofo-a-commitment-in-both-promise-and-practice-nina-worth" target="_self">Mentorship at MoFo: A Commitment in Both Promise and Practice – Nina Worth, Washington, D.C.</a>

MoFo’s 2023 Summer Associate Program Fosters Personal Connections and Professional Growth

MoFo’s 2023 Summer Associate Program Fosters Personal Connections and Professional Growth

MoFo recently concluded its 2023 Summer Associate Program, where summer associates were integrated into the firm’s daily operations in all our U.S. offices and Tokyo. 

Editor's note: Read about Meelissa Tapia Cortez, who participated in <a href="https://together.mofo.com/topics/mofo-s-2023-summer-associate-program-fosters-personal-connections-and-professional-growth" target="_self">MoFo’s 2023 Summer Associate Program in our San Francisco office</a>, in this installment of our MoFo Stories series.As part of MoFo’s Sponsors for Educational Opportunity program, I felt eager to learn everything I could before the summer of my 1L year. I was lucky enough to be placed at MoFo during the summer of ’22, and I have never looked back. While I had done research on the firms I was interested in working for, nothing prepared me for the warm welcome of MoFo’s associates, partners, and business professionals. Aside from having well respected queer employees and a robust Latinx presence on every level, MoFo excels in its commitment to pro bono work. Coming from a nontraditional background, I worked at immigration nonprofits for many years prior to law school, specializing in legal aid for survivors of violence. Due to this prior experience, my expectations for a firm’s pro bono practice were high and, I’m proud to say, MoFo has exceeded them.This summer, I participated in amazing projects—all close to my heart. I had the privilege of working with Root and Rebound, an organization whose mission is reentry advocacy and harm reduction for individuals impacted by mass incarceration. As part of its record expungement clinic, I was able to work directly with a client in need of legal services. The result of the process is imperative, but hearing each client’s story is the most humbling and impactful part for me. As I was perennially reminded in my years of client-facing work, the individuals on the receiving end of criminal justice systems are often victims of systemic injustices in the first place, meaning they need and deserve care and resources rather than punishment. In this way, MoFo’s alliance with Root and Rebound’s mission and practice speaks volumes. As if all that were not enough, I received thorough feedback from Pro Bono Counsel Dorothy Fernandez, whose interest in my development as a persuasive writer was evident, not just for my personal progress but also for our client to receive the best advocacy.I also contributed to an asylum clinic with our partnering organization, Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto (CLSEPA). I’ve worked on many asylum cases in the past; they are time-consuming and resource-demanding. The supervising attorneys at CLSEPA provided excellent training, exemplifying devotion to their clients and cause. Even though I was the most junior member of my team, the associate I was partnered with, Rafael Alberto Grillo Avila, allowed me to take the lead in the process. The trust of and respect for my experience were very meaningful and exemplary of MoFo’s respect for its employees with nontraditional backgrounds.In sum, my experience with MoFo’s pro bono practice continues to convince me that MoFo sets the bar for commitment to partnering with progressive organizations, honoring system-impacted clients, and helping develop the skills of its employees to shape us into the best advocates we can be.

MoFo’s Commitment to Diversity in Its Pro Bono Practice – Meelissa Tapia Cortez

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MoFo’s Commitment to Diversity in Its Pro Bono Practice – Meelissa Tapia Cortez

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As part of MoFo’s Sponsors for Educational Opportunity program, I felt eager to learn everything I could before the summer of my 1L year. I was lucky enough to be placed at MoFo during the summer of ’22, and I have never looked back. 

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

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

Krista S. deBoer

Krista deBoer

Associate

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

Cedar Hobbs

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

Climate Week 2023: MoFo Highlights Environmental Sustainability Issues

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

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

Joseph R. Palmore

Joseph R. Palmore is co-chair of the firm's Appellate and Supreme Court Practice Group and Managing Partner for the Washington, D.C. office. Before joining Morrison Foerster, Joe was an Assistant to the Solicitor General at the United States Department of Justice and the Deputy General Counsel of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

Joseph Palmore

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

Summer Associate Book Talk: A Conversation with Professor Stephen Vladeck

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

MoFo Celebrates Earth Month

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MoFo Celebrates Earth Month

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

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

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Building Professional Relationships: A Conversation with Michael Melcher

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

Building Professional Relationships: A Conversation with Michael Melcher

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

MoFo Boot Camp Sets Associates Up for Success

Marrone Bio Innovations' Acquisition by Bioceres Crop Solutions Corp

Temasek’s Joint Venture with Bayer

SoftBank Group and SoftBank Vision Fund’s Investment Transactions

Temasek's Investment in Verily Life Sciences and Agtech Space

Intel's Investment in Cloudera

Visa's Strategic Investments in the Fintech Space

Marrone Bio Innovations’ Public Offerings

Ekso Bionics Holdings, Inc.’s Stock and Warrant Financings

Temasek's Investment in Coherus, Inc.

Catalyst Biosciences, Inc. IPO/Reverse Merger and Public Offerings

RH's Public Offerings

InvenSense's Public Offerings

At-the-Market Programs

Marrone Bio Innovation’s Acquisition of Pro Farm and Jet-Ag

SoftBank's Acquisition of Sprint

Novellus' Merger with Lam Research

Shutterfly's Acquisition of Tiny Prints

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Alfredo Silva is a partner in the Transactions Department, co-chair of the firm's Social Enterprise and Impact Investing Group, and a member of the ESG Strategy Committee.

Alfredo B. D. Silva

Alfredo Silva is co-chair of the firms Social Enterprise + Impact Investing practice and member of the firm’s Pro Bono Committee. He represents public and private companies and investors in a broad range of corporate and securities law matters, as well as nonprofit organizations on entity formation, fiduciary issues, and structuring.

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

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

Katie Viggiani

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

Katie L. Viggiani

Finjan, Inc. v. Palo Alto Networks

Mobile Active Defense, Inc. v. Los Angeles Unified School District, Palo Alto Networks, Inc. and Digital Scepter Corporation 

Certain Toner Cartridges and Components Thereof 

Certain Marine Sonar Imaging Devices, Products Containing the Same, and Components Thereof 

C. R. Bard, Inc. v. AngioDynamics, Inc.

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Rose Lee counsels clients on a broad range of complex disputes, with a particular focus on patent, copyright, and trade secret matters. She has litigated a wide range of high-technology cases for U.S.

Rose S. Lee

Rose Lee

MoFo Boot Camp Sets Associates Up for Success

Morrison & Foerster Partners With Equal Justice Works to Support Recent Law School Graduates With A Passion For Public Service

Building a strong legal foundation is essential to an attorney’s success. 

The first year of practice is an important milestone in any lawyer’s career. To support our associates, MoFo has developed MoFoundations—a tailored learning and development path designed specifically for first-year associates. MoFo’s Excellence in Practice (EIP), part of MoFoundations’ curriculum, took place October 26-28, 2022, in Washington, D.C.Over 100 participants and 23 presenters—mainly comprised of MoFo partners and business professionals—attended the three-day program. Developed by MoFo’s Attorney Learning & Development team, the program fosters legal development and presents fundamental concepts that are essential for day-to-day success.“Excellence in Practice is the jumping off point for first-year associates to begin developing the foundational skills they need to succeed in their first year of practice,” explains Christie Mizer, MoFo’s Associate Director of Attorney Coaching & Career Development. “EIP accomplished two primary goals. First, because most of these associates participated in a virtual Summer Associate Program, it was an opportunity for them to meet, connect with, and/or deepen relationships with their peers from around the globe. Second, associates participated in programming that introduced them to the professional skills considered critical to their success as a first-year associate at MoFo, including creating workday routines, project management, and unconscious bias, pro bono, and SMART goals.”   According to feedback, participants enjoyed the variety of topics covered during the program and the opportunity to connect with their peers and new colleagues.“I appreciated the blend of practical advice and general career development advice—such that we got guidance on how to succeed both at MoFo specifically and in our careers more generally,” says Washington, D.C. participant Michaela Thornton.Aside from building professional and practical skills, the program provided associates with a clearer understanding of what to expect during their first year of practice. “Thursday’s sessions really got me excited to be an associate,” proclaims Los Angeles participant C.B. Rome. “I also felt less nervous about starting billable work after hearing from other associates.”Attendees also appreciated MoFo’s commitment to diversity and inclusion. “The unconscious bias training was outstanding,” according to San Diego participant Will Baker. “I felt a real connection and comfort with my colleagues because of this training.”A core value at MoFo is that, by collaborating across departments and regions, we succeed as one firm. With this value in mind, associates concluded the program with insights into how to start strong in their careers as attorneys with accountability and support. As Washington, D.C. participant Richelle Gernan states, “What stood out the most about the Excellence in Practice sessions was the intentionality around building genuine and strong connections with one another.”To learn more about the Excellence in Practice program and the broader MoFoundations Curriculum, please contact <a href="mailto:cmizer@mofo.com">Christie Mizer</a>, Associate Director of Attorney Coaching & Career Development.<div data-reactroot=""><img src="https://media2.mofo.com/v3/images/blt5775cc69c999c255/blt1b5a13971071f719/6398d6d07c26334c009190f3/Excellence_in_Practice_PSP-175_(1).jpg?format=auto&amp;quality=60" alt="Excellence in Practice Program Helps Associates Build a Strong Legal Foundation"/></div>

Excellence in Practice Program Helps Associates Build a Strong Legal Foundation

The first year of practice is an important milestone in any lawyer’s career. To support our associates, MoFo has developed MoFoundations—a tailored learning and development path designed specifically for first-year associates. MoFo’s Excellence in Practice (EIP), part of MoFoundations’ curriculum, took place October 26-28, 2022, in Washington, D.C.

Excellence in Practice Program Helps Associates Build a Strong Legal Foundation

While conducting research on law firm pro bono programs, I found one firm that clearly stood out: Morrison Foerster. Not only are the attorneys at MoFo incredibly brilliant and collegial, they also place a profound emphasis on pro bono work. This summer, I’ve been able to experience first-hand the seriousness with which MoFo handles life-changing matters.It was incredibly important for me, as the son of Guatemalan immigrants, to find a firm that values the different communities that make us special. MoFo provided an opportunity to work on an important asylum matter for an Afghan citizen who worked for international nongovernmental organizations that conducted human rights work. Our client spent much of his life in Afghanistan providing crucial services, advocating for women’s rights, and promoting protections for children. Unfortunately, the Taliban’s resurgence in Afghanistan placed his life in immediate danger. After being evacuated to the United States, our client sought to apply for asylum, and a dedicated MoFo team took on the case. I contributed to the Statement of Facts section of our asylum brief and researched case law that could be helpful for the case. With incredible guidance from the MoFo team, I learned about brief writing and asylum law, while making a difference in someone’s life.MoFo also gave me the opportunity to help an Afghan family of four seek legal permanent residency in the United States. My assignment was part of a larger initiative by MoFo to host an Adjustment of Status clinic, where MoFo attorneys and summer associates assisted refugees that were evacuated from Afghanistan under “Operation Refugees Welcome.” I, and several other summer associates, worked diligently with MoFo attorneys and translators to complete lengthy applications and begin many families’ processes to establish a stable, permanent home.The MoFo attorney helping me with the matter, Joseph Gillman, gave me tremendous agency to handle the case and provided important oversight and tips along the way. From working with the clients, I learned more about the substance of immigration law, and, from working with Joseph, I learned the skills I’d need to excel in the legal profession. His support on the assignment, and throughout the summer, was representative of the support I received from everyone at the Los Angeles office.Being able to learn from MoFo attorneys, while giving back to immigrant communities, led to an overall amazing summer at the firm. As an attorney, I hope to continue employing my legal skills to advocate for important causes and improve people’s lives.