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

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

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Senior Pro Bono Counsel

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

Jennifer K. Brown

Natalie Kernisant is Morrison Foerster’s Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer.Natalie provides strategic leadership to advance recruiting and retention of 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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Welcome to the Mofo+ Blog

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

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MoFo 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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When selecting firms to apply to for the summer, my principal consideration was a firm’s commitment to its pro bono practice. MoFo stood out in that regard—both on paper and while speaking with different attorneys during the interview process. I was glad to find this commitment echoed throughout my experience in MoFo’s summer program. Even as a summer associate, I found a wealth of opportunities to serve pro bono clients and engage with important social causes.One pro bono assignment I had the opportunity to work on was a research project for FreeFrom, a national organization whose mission is to dismantle the nexus between intimate partner violence and financial insecurity. Working with the organization, I learned that the number one obstacle to a survivor’s long-term safety is financial insecurity (the CDC estimates that the lifetime cost per female survivor in the United States is $103,767). FreeFrom aims to create pathways to financial security and long-term safety for survivors of intimate partner violence, in part through promoting the passage of policies across the United States that support survivors’ financial security.During my summer with MoFo, I helped by researching state-level policies for FreeFrom’s National Survivor Financial Security Policy Map and Scorecard, an interactive online map that both outlines each state’s existing laws impacting a survivor’s ability to build and maintain financial security and provides state-specific policy recommendations.Through this work, I was able to leverage the legal research skills I’d developed in law school to assess existing state policies in various areas, such as reproductive justice, support for immigrant and undocumented survivors, and rental protections for survivors. It was a great experience—not only because I got to use my skill set to support an organization whose work I truly believe in, but also because I was supported and guided by passionate MoFo lawyers while doing so.In addition to the research project for FreeFrom, I participated in two Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) clinics, where I helped DACA recipients complete and file their applications to renew their protection. I also had the opportunity to work with my partner mentor, Jennifer Taylor, on a pro bono trademark matter for a scholarship fund aimed at advancing equity and diversity within the legal profession—I even got to help file the response we drafted with the Patent and Trademark Office.My summer at MoFo was full of experiences I will not forget—like getting absolutely soaked as waves splashed onto the catamaran that took us around the San Francisco Bay; finding thoughtful and inspiring mentors in Lara McDonough (my associate mentor), Julie Nicholson (my work coordinator), and Jennifer Taylor (my partner mentor); and working every day in an office where I could look out the window and see a beautiful view of the Bay Bridge.But the experience that sticks most was the opportunity to engage with important pro bono work that felt meaningful to me. That is the experience that makes me most excited to return to MoFo and to begin my career as a lawyer.

Serving Pro Bono Clients and Engaging with Important Social Causes – Holly Petersen

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Associate

Holly Petersen is an associate in the Litigation Department of Morrison Foerster’s San Francisco office.

Holly M. Petersen

Holly Petersen

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Serving Pro Bono Clients and Engaging with Important Social Causes – Holly Petersen

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When selecting firms to apply to for the summer, my principal consideration was a firm’s commitment to its pro bono practice. 

Any lawyer-in-training knows that mentorship is essential to the development and success of young lawyers. Yet, good mentorship is hard to come by. Not at Morrison Foerster, where the opportunities to find mentors are endless.First are the mentorship circles where all summers are paired with a group of mentors. I was fortunate to have Christin Hill as my partner mentor and Bryan Osorio as my associate mentor, plus Mike Burshteyn as my work coordinator (turned mentor). The four of us met at lunch on my first day of work, and I learned about their careers, their practice areas and interests, and how they have balanced work with their personal lives. But that was only the beginning. Those lunch conversations laid the foundation to scooter rides in the city with Mike, where we discussed our crypto cases, hikes in Oakland with Christin, and tennis Sundays with Bryan (dream team).Of course, finding mentorship is not limited to the formal pairings of the summer program. In fact, my mentee relationship with Christin started serendipitously at my favorite summer event, Sailing on the Bay, back when I was a 1L Wetmore Fellow. The annual sailing event is optional, but I could not tell given the turnout of associates and partners that wanted to meet the summer class. Even if showing up meant getting splashed and soaked by towering waves (which is as good of an icebreaker as one can get).I have not taken the bar or even graduated law school yet, so it is safe to say that I owe any success that I have had in my early career at MoFo to the mentoring relationships that I have formed during the summer program. My mentors ensured that I was set up for success. They provided guidance and in‑depth feedback on assignments, and advice for how to approach various workplace scenarios that are not intuitive. While the expectations are high, these relationships helped me overcome the intimidation of seeking out new and challenging tasks. This meant drafting motions and memos for clients, trying out new areas of law like securities and crypto litigation, and perhaps finding my legal passion for litigating Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) claims. I promise, the TCPA is more interesting than it sounds, and I only know that because of the mentorship I received from Melody Wong.There is still plenty more for me to learn, but the support system I cultivated because of MoFo’s mentorship culture has given me the confidence to excel. I’m leaving this summer feeling lucky and excited to rejoin the firm next year.

Why Mentorship Makes a Difference – Afi Blackshear

Why Mentorship Makes a Difference – Afi Blackshear

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Any lawyer-in-training knows that mentorship is essential to the development and success of young lawyers. Yet, good mentorship is hard to come by. Not at Morrison Foerster, where the opportunities to find mentors are endless.

June 23, 2022 marks the 50th anniversary of the enactment of Title IX, the federal civil rights law that prohibits sex discrimination in any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance. The law applies to schools in pre-K through 12th grade as well as post-secondary schools.Title IX is widely celebrated for its enormous impact in creating opportunities for female students to participate and compete in sports. It has also proved to be a potent tool in addressing sexual harassment and sexual assault in schools. Over the years, the U.S. Department of Education and the Supreme Court have come to recognize that students who are subject to sexual harassment or assault in school are denied equal access to education. Accordingly, Title IX places an affirmative responsibility on schools to prevent sexual harassment and assault, and to investigate and respond when these offenses occur.MoFo’s lawyers have played an active role in pro bono cases to protect individuals’ rights under Title IX in order to ensure gender equality and equal access to education.In celebration of Title IX’s 50th anniversary, here are a few of those cases.Challenging Title IX RulesMoFo, in concert with the National Women’s Law Center, brought a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Education to challenge new Title IX regulations that went into effect in 2020. The new rules significantly narrowed the definition of sexual harassment under Title IX, relaxed schools’ obligations to respond to claims of sexual harassment, and imposed significant burdens on victims of harassment or assault who file complaints under Title IX. In bringing this suit, we represented advocacy organizations as well as individual victims of sexual harassment and assault. The MoFo team was led by Washington, D.C. litigation partner Natalie Fleming Nolen. The case resulted in a partial victory—the only success among several court challenges to these rules—with a court’s determination that procedures created by the rules rendered the hearing on a victim’s complaint “a remarkably hollow gesture.” The Biden administration marked Title IX’s 50th anniversary on June 23rd by releasing its proposal to replace the 2020 rules, beginning the process for new and fairer rules to be adopted.Fighting to End Stereotypes Against Women AthletesIn December 2020, MoFo attorneys led by San Francisco partner Christine Wong filed an amicus brief on behalf of a University of Connecticut (“UConn”) female soccer player whose scholarship was revoked after the university deemed her game-winning celebration to be inappropriate conduct. The brief argued that female athletes are not only offered fewer opportunities than male athletes, but also that perpetuating stereotypes of how women should act means that women athletes are often held to a stricter standard of conduct than their male counterparts. As a result, the UConn female soccer player was disciplined more severely than male athletes who had previously committed far more serious offenses.Letting Girls Wear Pants to SchoolJust last week, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Title IX applies to school dress codes and also held that a public charter school’s policy that bars girls from wearing shorts or pants is unconstitutional sex discrimination. The school’s founder had justified the policy as part of the school’s effort to inculcate “traditional values,” including that girls are fragile vessels who need to be protected by boys. MoFo appellate attorneys Brian Matsui and Aaron Rauh filed an amicus brief in the case representing the Society for Research in Child Development and several other professional groups that focused on the harm of imposing gender stereotypes on children. The court resoundingly endorsed that concern by ruling that “the skirts requirement blatantly perpetuates harmful gender stereotypes” with “potentially devastating consequences for young girls.”  Listen to the MoFo Perspectives podcast, “<a target="_blank" href="https://www.mofo.com/resources/video-audio/210525-keeping-title-ix-protections-play.html">Keeping Title IX Protections in Play</a>,” a special pro bono episode moderated by MoFo’s Caitlin Crujido, featuring partners Natalie Fleming Nolen and Christine Wong, and Equal Rights Advocates senior counsel, Brenda Adams.Learn more about <a href="https://www.mofo.com/culture/pro-bono/" target="_blank">MoFo’s pro bono program</a>.

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50th Anniversary of Title IX

MoFo Assists CASE Force with Implementation of US$1 billion California Rebuilding Fund; includes 778 funded loans totaling US$50 million given to small businesses

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June 23, 2022 marks the 50th anniversary of the enactment of Title IX, the federal civil rights law that prohibits sex discrimination in any education program o

50th Anniversary of Title IX

MoFo has a long-standing commitment to pro bono work on behalf of underserved communities, including providing free legal services to immigrants and refugees. Following the U.S. military’s abrupt withdrawal from Afghanistan last summer, individuals across MoFo began asking what they could do. The firm responded by creating a partnership with Human Rights First to assist with screenings of Afghan refugees to determine their eligibility for immigration relief in the United States. Since its beginnings in the fall of 2021, the initiative has gained the support of more than 150 MoFo volunteers—partners, associates, and staff—making it one of the largest pro bono undertakings in MoFo’s history.The Taliban’s swift resumption of power following the withdrawal of the U.S. and its allies left many Afghans frantically attempting to evacuate the country due to fear for their safety under Taliban rule. That was especially the case for many individuals who worked and supported the U.S. military during its time in Afghanistan. The U.S. and other governments helped tens of thousands flee, with over 80,000 refugees arriving in the United States alone. Prior to this influx, the U.S. immigration system was already strained, and the arrival of tens of thousands of individuals who needed legal assistance created an additional weight on the shoulders of nonprofit immigration organizations.Compelled by stories of those fleeing Afghanistan, MoFo’s Veterans Affinity Group invited representatives of several organizations to speak to the firm about the needs of Afghan refugees. The director of refugee representation from Human Rights First (HRF) was one of the panelists. She explained how the group had helped launch Project Afghan Legal Assistance (PALA) to address the needs of Afghan refugees requiring immigration help. The firm has partnered with HRF on many asylum cases, so the pro bono team followed up to see how we could support this new effort. HRF explained that its most immediate need was assistance in conducting initial interviews with Afghans seeking its help—more than 4,000 to date since the summer 2021 evacuation.There has been a huge outpouring of support for this screening project at the firm. Over 150 attorneys and staff have participated, with some completing multiple screening interviews. Attorneys from nearly all of the firm’s U.S. offices and practice groups have pitched in, ranging from new associates to senior partners. And three of the firm’s corporate clients also have joined in the effort.HRF uses the information gained in screenings to place clients with pro bono attorneys. Morrison Foerster is currently representing some of these clients in seeking asylum and hopes to continue to support this effort through additional full-scope cases as well as clinics that HRF is launching to address the huge demand for services.According to Pro Bono Counsel <a href="https://www.mofo.com/people/dorothy-fernandez.html" target="_blank">Dorothy Fernandez</a>, who has led this mobilization of the firm’s people and resources, “The project has provided an outlet for our attorneys and staff who felt compelled to try to find a way to help, after seeing the tragic events unfold in Afghanistan last summer.” HRF has described MoFo’s assistance as a real “life saver.”MoFo’s work with HRF embodies the values that define our firm, not only our commitment to service, but also the value we place on coming together, across offices and practice groups, to “succeed as one.” This collaboration is a powerful example of how, by working together, we can make a meaningful difference in people’s lives.

Project Afghan Legal Assistance: Succeeding as One to Support Many

MoFo has a long-standing commitment to pro bono work on behalf of underserved communities, including providing free legal services to immigrants and refugees. F

Project Afghan Legal Assistance: Succeeding as One to Support Many

National Small Business Week celebrates the many entrepreneurs and small businesses that have exuded resilience and strength, especially over the last two years, and who continue to do their part to power our economy with innovative solutions.Participant Assistive Products (“Participant”) is no exception. Registered as a Benefit Corporation, Participant designs and constructs affordable assistive products for kids using advances in technology—starting with wheelchairs and strollers—while keeping its commitments to social impact.According to the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.who.int/">World Health Organization</a>, an estimated 70 million people need a wheelchair and don’t have one. This translates to eight million children who lack the basic resources needed to fully participate in school, play, and social activities. Participant’s mission is to overcome that barrier to participation with its products so that no one is left behind.For nearly three years, MoFo has been working with Participant to advance and protect its technology by preparing and prosecuting both utility and design patent applications primarily for its first product, the Cub wheelchair. The Cub is designed to be affordable and collapsible, and to improve user accessibility as compared to a conventional wheelchair. Among its many features, the Cub is widely adjustable to suit users’ various needs.MoFo’s patent team has also counseled Participant on various intellectual property issues raised throughout the patenting process. Working with a small business such as Participant presents many opportunities to the team that do not necessarily arise with larger companies, especially since many small businesses have limited background knowledge of the patenting process.Washington, D.C. patent associate Meredith Stradley explains what’s special about working with a small business: “We often get to work directly with the leaders of these small businesses and counsel them through the patenting process to develop their patent portfolio from the ground up. Not only do we get to watch the evolution of the particular products directly involved in our work, but we also get to witness the transformation of the small business as it develops, tests, and successfully markets its products. For example, when I first started working with Participant, its wheelchair product was merely conceptual. Today, Participant has built a successful wheelchair that is improving children’s lives, and has several additional products in the works. As a small business, Participant has steadily grown and developed a larger presence in the mobility device space within just the last few years.”As part of its commitment to social impact, Participant has created an Impact Dashboard, displayed on its website, to help keep itself on track by beginning to collect the following data:<ul><li>Participation rate increase – after users receive products</li><li>Participants – number of people serviced</li><li>Devices – number of devices developed</li><li>Acceptance rate – percentage of users still using product after six months</li><li>Countries – number of countries where products are provided</li><li>Satisfaction – score of user’s satisfaction with the products</li></ul>In addition to this dashboard, Participant meets other social impact commitments such as evaluations that ensure its products pass international quality standards, evaluation of the board and management using environmental and social metrics, product lifecycle impact assessments, and 5% donation of profits to nonprofit partners.“As an infant B-Corp with good intentions, no patent portfolio, and a long medical device R&D roadmap, we were fortunate to find Morrison Foerster. Now we have a foundational patent portfolio, award-winning products, energetic investors, and shipments of wheelchairs on the way to children in Ukraine; we couldn’t be happier. MoFo’s timely advice, precise writing, and masterful handling of our patent affairs have been a godsend. MoFo has been an integral part of our success,” said Participant Assistive Product’s co-founder and CEO, Keoke King.To learn more about Participant Assistive Products, visit <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.participant.life/">https://www.participant.life/</a>.

Patenting with a Purpose: Participant Assistive Products

National Small Business Week celebrates the many entrepreneurs and small businesses that have exuded resilience and strength, especially over the last two years

Patenting with a Purpose: Participant Assistive Products

At MoFo, our lawyers have long been committed to pro bono efforts worldwide to combat climate change through the development and implementation of sustainable business practices. To continue these efforts, MoFo is supporting the <a target="_blank" href="https://smartsurfacescoalition.org/">Smart Surfaces Coalition</a> by researching state and local regulations that will aid the development of policies to support <a target="_blank" href="https://smartsurfacescoalition.org/smart-surfaces">Smart Surfaces</a> in cities across the world. Smart Surfaces—including reflective roofs and pavements, porous pavements, green roofs, rooftop solar panels, and trees—help to lower air and surface temperatures in urban areas and offer other benefits like decreasing energy use and storm water runoff. The initiative is led and supervised by New York partner David Kaufman and Los Angeles partner Elizabeth Sluder, with over 20 MoFo lawyers participating in the research efforts.Climate change and the perilous effects of global warming are already impacting communities and the long-term health of residents. Perhaps less known is the impact felt among low-income urban areas due to “urban heat islands”: areas that have a high concentration of heat due to a preponderance of dark, impervious surfaces and the lack of greenery, which in turn can cause or exacerbate health issues for residents in these underserved communities. Even more alarming is the fact that Black and brown neighborhoods are disproportionately affected by these extreme temperatures and poor air quality as a result of years of city application of lowest-cost, dark, impervious surfaces and failure to invest in trees and green surfaces in low-income areas.Smart Surfaces Coalition recognizes this growing disparity and the need for tools to slow climate change. Its mission involves “committing to the rapid, cost-effective global adoption of Smart Surfaces to enable cities to thrive despite climate threats, save cities billions of dollars, create jobs, decrease heat, reduce flood risk, slow global warming, and improve city livability, health, and equity.” To achieve its mission, Smart Surfaces Coalition has partnered with the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia University, which is coordinating the work of several leading firms, including MoFo, on the project.MoFo got involved in this research through its membership in the Law Firm Antiracism Alliance (LFAA). The LFAA was formed in the wake of the murder of George Floyd and the burgeoning fight against racial injustice in the United States. LFAA facilitates pro bono work to promote racial equity in collaboration with more than 300 law firms.MoFo’s pro bono team discovered the Smart Surfaces project on LFAA’s Bulletin Board. “We were excited by this opportunity to undertake intersectional work that addresses the combined impacts of climate change and structural racism,” said Jennifer Brown, senior pro bono counsel at MoFo. “Associates around the firm have jumped at this chance to contribute to the movement for environmental justice.” MoFo is the largest participant in the project, with our pro bono footprint spanning from Alaska to Georgia and from Maine to New Mexico as our lawyers research relevant laws and regulations in 23 states. The firm’s Research Department has contributed a comprehensive resources guide to help MoFo lawyers find local laws, regulations, and policies that serve as examples of how to support adoption of smart surfaces.“It has been heartening to see in many of the cities I have researched the initiatives that they are taking on to build green infrastructure and improve the resilience of cities,” states San Francisco associate Daniel Irvin.Participating lawyers’ research, once complete, will be used by the Smart Surfaces Coalition to build out a publicly available tool that legislators and advocates can use to model, evaluate, advocate for and implement Smart Surfaces around the country. What can be done to encourage adoption of Smart Surfaces as a strategy for creating healthier, livable, and equitable cities? Part of the answer lies in recognizing the risks of doing nothing. According to a <a target="_blank" href="https://riskandinsurance.com/how-cities-reduce-climate-change-risk/">three-part article in Risk & Insurance magazine</a>, climate change imposes costs and risks to cities, including a decline in real estate value and increased cost of capital. Concerned too are credit rating agencies, as they are looking for cities to combat climate change. A failure to act on climate through the adoption of Smart Surfaces risks lowering cities’ credit ratings and increasing cities’ cost of capital. Cities that want to keep their cost of capital low and maintain healthy credit ratings have a strong rationale for investing in Smart Surfaces to mitigate climate risks.“The work that MoFo is doing in conjunction with us will prove to be an invaluable tool to ensure cities make prudent decisions to adopt Smart Surfaces to cut energy costs, to reduce excess heat citywide—but especially in low-income neighborhoods—and to also strengthen city economies and protect long-term livability, as well as to maintain strong credit ratings and more effectively manage and reduce climate risk,” states Smart Surfaces Coalition Founder & CEO Greg Kats.

MoFo Partners with Smart Surfaces Coalition to Cool Cities and Advance Equity

At MoFo, our lawyers have long been committed to pro bono efforts worldwide to combat climate change through the development and implementation of sustainable b

MoFo Partners with Smart Surfaces Coalition to Cool Cities and Advance Equity

A MoFo pro bono case settled in early 2020 is proving its value, as children in California are gaining basic literacy skills as a direct result of new funding made possible by the settlement.An <a target="_blank" href="https://edsource.org/2022/how-one-california-elementary-school-sees-success-after-overhauling-its-reading-program/668351">article</a> published by EdSource, a California nonprofit that provides education news, research, and other materials to educators and the public, focuses on reading gains made at Nystrom Elementary in Richmond, one of the 75 schools targeted by the settlement to receive $50 million in new literacy funding. (Recipient schools were those with the lowest average reading scores for third graders.) The settlement funds literacy coaches, teacher’s aides, training for teachers and reading material that reflects the cultural makeup of the student population.According to the literacy coach at Nystrom Elementary, a fall 2021 assessment showed that 61% of its students lacked reading skills expected for their grade level. The settlement funds have enabled the school to implement a new reading curriculum, and already by mid-year, “oral reading fluency has shot up,” the coach reports. “[The students] are much more accurate and fluent in their reading, and that allows them to have the brain space to comprehend what they’re reading.” The literacy coach, who works with teachers to implement the new curriculum, emphasized the lasting impact of the teachers’ work: “These teachers [have] actually shifted their [students’] trajectory of achievement by getting them caught up” in reading.MoFo filed Ella T. v. the State of California in late 2017, working with the public interest organization Public Counsel. The theory of the case was that the state constitution’s guarantee of a basic education establishes a right to literacy that was being violated by failing to equip children in low-performing schools with basic literacy skills. After surviving a motion to dismiss, the case was resolved with a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.mofo.com/resources/news/200220-settlement-california-literacy-lawsuit.html">settlement</a> creating $50 million in literacy block grants for the lowest-performing schools, as well as funds for a statewide literacy office and related programs.Michael Jacobs, the San Francisco partner who led MoFo’s case team along with Palo Alto partners <a target="_blank" href="https://www.mofo.com/people/erik-olson.html">Erik Olson</a> and <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.mofo.com/people/roman-swoopes.html">Roman Swoopes</a>, said, “Results like those being seen at Nystrom school are exactly what we hoped to achieve by bringing the Ella T. case. It is gratifying to learn about the impact of our lawsuit in bringing critical literacy education to children who might otherwise be left behind because their schools lacked the resources to meet their most fundamental educational needs.”

Smartphone Litigation

Amgen  Inc., et al. v. Sandoz Inc., et al. 

In re Sprint Merger Litigation

In re Clearwire Merger and Appraisal  Litigation (ACP v. Sprint Corp.)

In re Crocs, Inc. Securities Litigation;  Wheeler v. Snyder, et al.

In re Crocs Inc. Securities Litigation

In re Cogent Merger Litigation 

In re Ameristar Merger Litigation

In re Global Cash Access Securities  Litigation

Hattan v. RH, Inc.

Ned  v. Titan Pharm. Inc., et al.

In re Telik Inc. Securities Litigation 

Baht v. Global Defense Technology &amp;  Systems, Inc.

Elan v. Abraxis 

SEC  Investigations.

Stock-Options  Investigations.

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Erik Olson’s practice focuses on the litigation of securities, corporate governance, and intellectual property disputes, with particular emphasis on clients in the biotechnology, medical device, telec

Erik Olson

Erik J. Olson

MoFo Case Sparks Advances in Literacy

A MoFo pro bono case settled in early 2020 is proving its value, as children in California are gaining basic literacy skills as a direct result of new funding m

MoFo Case Sparks Advances in Literacy

Each February, here at MoFo, we honor the generations of Black individuals and communities who have made a significant impact throughout history and those who will shape our future. We do this while also acknowledging and advocating against the inequalities and injustices Black people have faced and still continue to face today. This year, our recognition of Black History Month centers on a theme of Black Health and Wellness. One important aspect of the firm’s broader efforts to promote health and wellness within the Black community can be seen in the many pro bono initiatives MoFo has undertaken in recent years to assist organizations whose missions promote Black health and wellness not only in the United States, but around the globe. Listed below are just a few examples of how MoFo’s pro bono program furthers this vital mission.Promoting education and recreation in Black and brown communitiesSince 2019, MoFo has devoted over 500 hours of pro bono services to Stephen and Ayesha Curry’s <a href="https://www.eatlearnplay.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Eat.Learn.Play.</a> Foundation. The foundation funds community organizations in Oakland and the Bay Area that support children in three crucial ways: “fighting to end childhood hunger, ensuring students have access to a quality education, and providing safe places for all children to play and be active.” Along with the firm’s many hours of pro bono service, San Francisco corporate partner Fredo Silva also serves as a member of the foundation’s board.MoFo has contributed approximately 1,500 hours of pro bono services to <a href="https://concretesafaris.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Concrete Safaris</a> since the firm began working with the group in 2008. By providing safe outdoor play and learning experiences, Concrete Safaris prepares children in East Harlem and beyond to build leadership skills that will help them lead healthy lives and shape their communities. Recently, MoFo attorneys have been advising the group on the possible acquisition of a vacant building that one day could house a community center.Advocating for food justice in Washington, D.C.<a href="https://www.dcgreens.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DC Greens</a> has benefited from MoFo’s services since it was founded in 2009. DC Greens began as a farmers’ market created to directly support the local farm economy, and has evolved into a leader in the food justice movement in Washington, D.C. The organization’s extensive food access programs serve largely low-income communities by providing locally grown produce to D.C. residents with limited access to fresh foods, advocating for equitable food policies, and sponsoring school gardens and food education in D.C. public schools.Furthering critical counseling effortsMoFo is also advising a new San Francisco-based nonprofit that will provide traumatic grief counseling to predominantly Black communities suffering from homicides, suicides, and other traumatic experiences. Our attorneys are preparing a Memorandum of Understanding for the group’s planned partnerships with healthcare and governmental agencies.Advocating for healthy outcomes in AfricaAlong with MoFo’s U.S.-focused pro bono services, the firm has also worked with a number of groups that have substantial programs focused on health in Africa. These include the White Ribbon Alliance, which promotes reproductive, maternal, and newborn health and rights globally; Jacaranda Health, which focuses on improving maternal health and healthy births in Kenya; and Doctors for Madagascar, which our Berlin office has assisted in developing a “mobile health wallet,” a mobile app to help individuals save for healthcare expenses.Visit our <a href="https://www.mofo.com/culture/pro-bono/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pro bono page</a> to learn more about our global pro bono program.

MoFo’s Pro Bono Efforts Support Black Health and Wellness

MoFo’s Pro Bono Efforts Support Black Health and Wellness

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Each February, here at MoFo, we honor the generations of Black individuals and communities who have made a significant impact throughout history and those who will shape our future. We do this while also acknowledging and advocating against the inequalities and injustices Black people

Editors’ Note: As part of our ongoing Faces of MoFo series and in celebration of Black History Month, Christina Golden Ademola, an associate in the firm’s Litigation Practice, discusses how her childhood affected her desire to practice law and how it served as the foundation for her career at MoFo.Like so many others, my paternal grandparents fled the Jim Crow South, leaving East Texas behind in search of opportunities and a better life for themselves and their three young sons. They established themselves in Xenia, Ohio—not too far from Wilberforce, Ohio, home to not one but two prestigious historically Black colleges and universities, Wilberforce University and Central State University. Early in his career, W.E.B. Du Bois taught at the former. My great-grandfather served as dean at the latter. My dad’s father became the principal of the local junior high school and coached varsity football and track at the local high school. Meanwhile, my maternal grandparents also felt Xenia calling them and their seven children from further north in Ohio. My mom’s father became a professor at Central State University, while my mom’s mother finished her post-graduate studies at Ohio State University. Both sides of my family descended upon this little-known small town because of the nearby educational opportunities.With so much emphasis on education, my grandparents consistently rewarded me for my strong academic performance, encouraging me to continue to push myself, handing me crisp $20 bills and $50 checks for each report card. My mom’s parents—the professor and the librarian—fed me endless books from varied genres from history to mystery to fantasy. I marveled at the tales of Black excellence from far-off places in West Africa to local African American heroes. In my early life, I was certain I would follow my mom’s father into academia, serving as a professor of African American studies. I quickly understood that education could be the great equalizer, opening up a world of opportunities that might otherwise be beyond my grasp in my small town.Somewhere between learning to drive my first car and my high school choir trip to New York, my passion for the law deepened. In high school, I participated in mock trial under the leadership of Mr. Duff, a retired police detective, who encouraged my curiosity to understand how the most precise legal argument might overcome whatever evidence we faced. Working through opening and closing statements in my mock trial course, I marveled at the model jury box and relished the opportunity to sit at the counsel table.When I left home to attend college in New York, my dad’s father called to give me an encouraging word, pushing me forward as he always did. In college, my dad’s mother—the undeniable leader of my personal hype squad—called me each Sunday afternoon to remind me to take care of myself, to eat well, and to get sufficient rest. We continue this tradition to this day. When I graduated from Columbia University with my bachelor’s degree, three of my grandparents were there cheering me on, radiating pure joy. And when I enrolled in Columbia University again for my law degree, my mom’s mother could hardly contain her enthusiasm, reminding me that my grandfather had wanted to be an attorney too but “couldn’t hack it.” Seeing her granddaughter achieve the goal that had somehow evaded my grandfather, gave her a great sense of pride. My grandparents have always been there to celebrate my career milestones, lifting me up, and reminding me of all that I have accomplished.Each and every day that I practice in my profession, I know it is a gift and I remember the sacrifices from my grandparents that made it all possible. Much has been written of late about Black women attorneys and our stories about “proving” that we in fact belong in this profession. Many of us have faced strangers’ confused looks as they question our credentials, befuddled that we somehow “do not look like attorneys.” I confess that I, too, have my own tales that could easily fill this column. But those moments do not define who I am as an attorney and they do not rob me of the joy that I feel working in the profession that I love. And I take solace in knowing that I am quite literally the manifestation of the dreams my grandparents had all those decades ago, and for this, I am truly grateful.Outside the office, you can find me doing my best impression of my dad’s mother in the kitchen recreating treasured family recipes and mastering new ones, and planning my next great adventure with my husband, Bayo.<img src="https://media2.mofo.com/v3/images/blt5775cc69c999c255/bltbf34807d0c97f600/6287fff130bc9653db3ac47f/220214-mofotogether-facesofmofo-christina-ademola-2.jpg?format=auto&quality=60" width="1165" height="1431" type="asset" sys-style-type="download">

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Faces of MoFo: Christina Golden Ademola

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Editors’ Note: As part of our ongoing Faces of MoFo series and in celebration of Black History Month, Christina Golden Ademola, an associate in the firm’s Litigation Practice, discusses how her childhood affected her desire to practice law and how it served as the

Faces of MoFo: Christina Golden Ademola

To help small businesses in California navigate the long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the California Small Business Enterprise Task Force (“CASE Force”), a public-private consortium of legal, financial, and nonprofit professionals, created the US$1 billion California Rebuilding Fund (the “Fund”).  A team from MoFo led the development and implementation of the Fund, a public-private partnership loan program to support California’s small businesses, especially those located in economically disadvantaged and historically under-banked areas of the state.Since its inception, the Fund has raised over US$106 million and CASE Force members continue to fundraise additional capital from philanthropists and lending institutions. The Fund has provided vital financial resources to California’s most vulnerable small businesses. As of October 18, 2021, MoFo attorneys have donated over 5000 pro bono hours to CASE Force and the Fund. To date, nearly 800 small businesses in California have received funded loans through the Fund totaling US$50 million, including:<ul><li>40% of funded loans given to women-owned businesses;</li><li>46% of the loans given to entrepreneurs of color; and</li><li>62% of the loans given to businesses owned by either women or people of color.</li></ul>Co-founded by MoFo partner <a rel="noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.mofo.com/people/susan-mac-cormac.html">Suz Mac Cormac</a> in partnership with <a rel="noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.allhomeca.org/">All Home</a>, <a rel="noopener" target="_blank" href="https://case.law.berkeley.edu/">CASE Force</a> was a collaboration formed at the start of the pandemic to support the needs of the state’s smallest businesses. CASE Force’s initial efforts included the development of a comprehensive COVID-19 resource guide and weekly live office hours led by MoFo attorneys and business advisors of the Northern California Small Business Development Center (“SBDC”) Network to address legal issues for California businesses with 50 or fewer employees, as well as nonprofits.  During the early stages of the pandemic, the office hours primarily addressed questions about Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loans and the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”). By summer 2020, concerns during office hours shifted to tax, unemployment, and bankruptcy issues, and it became clear that small businesses needed financial support to endure the pandemic. This led to the formation of the Fund.Launched in November 2020, the Fund drives capital from private, philanthropic, and public sector resources—including a US$25 million anchor commitment and US$50 million guarantee allocation from the California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank (“IBank”)—to California’s smallest businesses through community development financial institutions (“CDFIs”). The Fund provides low-interest loans to businesses with no more than 50 employees and those who earned up to US$2.5 million in gross revenue in 2019.Visit <a rel="noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.connect2capital.com/partners/california-rebuilding-fund/">The California Rebuilding Fund</a> and <a rel="noopener" target="_blank" href="https://case.law.berkeley.edu/">CASE Force</a> to learn more.

MoFo Assists CASE Force with Implementation of US$1 billion California Rebuilding Fund; includes 778 funded loans totaling US$50 million given to small businesses

To help small businesses in California navigate the long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the California Small Business Enterprise Task Force (“CASE Force”