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

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

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Senior Pro Bono Counsel

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

Jennifer K. Brown

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

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Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer

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

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

Natalie Kernisant

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

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Pro Bono Counsel

Dorothy works with lawyers in our Denver, Los Angeles, and San Diego offices on various pro bono initiatives.

Dorothy L. Fernandez

Rachel Williams is pro bono counsel based in Morrison & Foerster’s San Francisco office. She is responsible for managing and promoting the participation of lawyers in the firm’s extensive program of providing free legal services to low-income individuals, to nonprofit organizations, and in matters that serve the public interest. Rachel works primarily with lawyers in the firm’s San Francisco, Palo Alto, London, Berlin, and Brussels offices. She is an active member of the Disaster Legal Assistance Collaborative and the board of directors of OneJustice. Rachel joined the firm in 1999. Prior to becoming a pro bono counsel, Rachel was a litigation associate in the firm’s Palo Alto office and worked on attorney training and development initiatives. Before law school, Rachel worked for various nonprofit organizations, was an investigator for the public defender’s office in Seattle, and served as a Coro Public Affairs Fellow in New York City.

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Rachel is responsible for managing and promoting the participation of lawyers in the firm’s extensive program of providing free legal services to low-income individuals, to nonprofit organizations, and in matters that serve the public interest.

Rachel P. Williams

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MoFo Wins Asylum for Cameroonian Political Refugee

MoFo Sponsors the 2024 NAPABA Convention

Navigating Justice and Disability: A Conversation with Judge David Tatel

The MoFo Foundation Supports Pro Bono Partners

MoFo Sponsors the Black Counsel Forum 2024

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MoFo has earned recognition as a <a href="https://www.bikeleague.org/bfa" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bicycle Friendly Business</a>℠ (BFB) from the <a href="https://www.bikeleague.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">League of American Bicyclists</a>, with our San Francisco office receiving Silver status. The New York and Palo Alto offices received Bronze recognitions and the remaining six U.S. offices received honorable mention.The initiative was spearheaded at MoFo by the firm’s San Francisco Internal Sustainability Committee (ISC), which is dedicated to promoting sustainable, eco-conscious practices at all levels of the firm’s operations, and supported by all nine U.S. offices.The League of American Bicyclists started the BFB initiative—a movement of over 1,400 local businesses, government agencies, and Fortune 500 companies across the United States—in the hopes of transforming the American workplace to be more welcoming to customers and employees who bike.As we progress through 2021, we see the impact of thinking increasingly on a local scale when it comes to global health. More employees are biking to work, more people are continuing to look for ways to get outside and be more active, and BFBs play a crucial role in connecting their community with better biking. Being honored with this recognition signifies that the firm isn’t just along for the ride, we are working in tandem with local advocates and the League to promote and encourage bicycling as a means of transportation, fun, and fitness.“We would like to increase morale and quality of life for employees, enhance health and wellness benefits, reduce healthcare costs, and support and expand reliable transportation in the area,” said Hilary O’Brien, MoFo’s Director of Administration in San Francisco. “We believe that ensuring safe and sustainable transportation options will be key in a post-COVID-19 world.”Other sustainability goals for the firm’s ISC include reducing the use of paper and printing resources; enhancing programs for recycling, water conservation, composting, reduction of plastic use, and paper goods conservation; reducing carbon impacts associated with commuting and business-related transportation; following sustainable design and planning solutions for major office renovation projects; and taking action to reduce energy consumption in the firm’s offices.With this recognition, MoFo joins 33 total new and renewing BFBs in the League’s latest round of BFB awards and 1,425 total current BFBs across the country, all united in a commitment to transform American workplaces to be more welcoming to customers and employees who bike. The BFB award recognizes an organization’s contributions over months and years to the movement to build a Bicycle Friendly America for everyone.“We are pleased to celebrate new and renewing Bicycle Friendly Businesses, as these awards are a reminder that our vision of an America where every person can safely and easily choose to bike is shared by every part of a community, including business leaders,” said Bill Nesper, executive director of the League of American Bicyclists.”Learn more about the League’s BFB program <a href="https://bikeleague.org/business" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

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MoFo is Certified a Bike Friendly Business by the League of American Bicyclists

MoFo is Certified a Bike Friendly Business by the League of American Bicyclists 

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MoFo has earned recognition as a Bicycle Friendly Business℠ (BFB) from the League of American Bicyclists, with our San Francisco office receiving Silver status.

MoFo is Certified a Bike Friendly Business by the League of American Bicyclists

On June 24, 2021, nonprofit legal partner <a rel="noopener" target="_blank" href="https://onejustice.org/">OneJustice</a> honored MoFo with its Champions of Justice award during its annual “Opening Doors to Justice” event. Held virtually this year, the program is a celebration of the organizations and individuals whose partnership with OneJustice has helped increase access to justice throughout the state of California.  MoFo shared this honor with Lawyaw and the Social Justice Collaborative.MoFo has worked with this statewide organization on a number of important initiatives, including the Justice Bus Project® and the Bay Area Rural Justice Collaborative program, which bring much-needed legal services to underserved areas of California; the IMPACT LA clinic, a collaborative effort that provides additional legal services to domestic violence survivors in Greater Los Angeles; and the Inland Empire small business clinic. MoFo also has partnered with OneJustice to coordinate disaster legal services in California to help those adversely impacted by natural disasters, including multiple, devastating wildfires.For over 40 years, OneJustice has been committed to building a network of social justice champions, comprised of law schools and students, bar associations, the private sector, and legal services nonprofits, to reach more Californians with much-needed free legal services.Learn more about our partnership with OneJustice in the video below:<iframe src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/yyIjlr1XOiA?rel=0" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" title="MoFo and OneJustice partnership" title="iframe"></iframe>

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MoFo Named Champions of Justice by OneJustice

MoFo Named Champions of Justice by OneJustice

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On June 24, 2021, nonprofit legal partner OneJustice honored MoFo with its Champions of Justice award during its annual “Opening Doors to Justice” event. Held v

As we approach <a href="https://www.unhcr.org/en-us/world-refugee-day.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">World Refugee Day</a> and commemorate <a href="https://nationaltoday.com/pride-month/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pride Month</a> in the United States, it is important to acknowledge the rising number of asylum seekers from the global LGBTQIA+ community. MoFo has a long history of advocating for LGBTQIA+ immigrants and is always looking for ways to continue expanding that work. A new pro bono initiative, led by San Francisco partner Mark Foster, Palo Alto associate <a href="https://www.mofo.com/people/mary-race.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mary Race</a>, senior paralegal Gary Stenger, pro bono counsel <a href="https://www.mofo.com/people/dorothy-fernandez.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dorothy Fernandez</a> and <a href="https://www.mofo.com/people/rachel-williams.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rachel Williams</a>, has set out to do just that. Through this initiative, MoFo is partnering with <a href="https://www.oasislegalservices.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Oasis Legal Services</a> and the in-house legal team at long-time firm client VMware to expand the number of pro bono volunteers, providing much needed support to this vulnerable immigrant community.Oasis Legal Services is a San Francisco Bay Area-based nonprofit whose primary focus is serving LGBTQIA+ immigrants. Oasis services include initial screenings for immigration relief, filing affirmative asylum applications, and assisting with residency, citizenship, and family petitions. With just a handful of attorneys, Oasis has served individuals from over 35 countries around the world. And the need for help has never been more urgent than it is today.While in recent years, some countries have advanced the rights of LGBTQIA+ people, that’s not the case in large parts of the world. Many countries still criminalize same-sex relationships and gender nonconforming behavior. In fact, in some countries having a same-sex relationship can result in the death penalty. Even in countries without <a href="http://internap.hrw.org/features/features/lgbt_laws/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">these punitive laws</a>, some governments turn a blind eye to violence against the LGBTQIA+ community and, in fact, are often involved in perpetrating violence against its members.“The need to help LGBTQIA+ individuals successfully navigate the asylum process is greater than ever, given the disheartening rise in violence and discrimination against the LGBTQIA+ community in a number of countries.  It’s uplifting, however, to be involved in this worthwhile project with Oasis and VMware.”  For nearly thirty years, many of those who have experienced such atrocities have looked to the U.S. as a land where they could live openly and safely.According to <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/trump-proposals-threaten-lgbtq-asylum-seekers-hopes-refuge-u-s-n1236736" target="_blank" rel="noopener">an NBC News report</a>, citing data from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS), nearly 4,400 people who were persecuted because of their sexual orientation or gender identity sought asylum in the U.S. between 2007 and 2017. With recent changes to U.S. immigration law and an enormous backlog in the immigration system, helping individuals navigate the asylum process is more important than ever.“Our clients face unique roadblocks and systems of oppression due to their intersectional identities of being LGBTQIA+ and undocumented immigrants. We have worked hard to build a holistic service model that supports our clients through the difficult process of applying for asylum and connects them to the social, emotional, and legal support they need throughout their case,” states senior staff attorney and pro bono coordinator for Oasis Kusia Hreshchyshyn. “Our goal at Oasis is to ensure every eligible LGBTQIA+ asylum seeker receives high quality and culturally competent legal representation and related support services.”The basic human rights of these individuals are at risk. By gaining legal status here in the U.S., Oasis Legal Service’s clients are not only able to qualify for citizenship and to find pathways to educational and occupational opportunities, but they are also able to get the necessary healthcare and support they need to fully heal. And, most importantly, they can express their true selves without fear.The project we launched with VMware in May is to help Oasis keep its collection of “country conditions” information up to date. LGBTQIA+ people seeking asylum must provide evidence about the conditions in their home country to support the claim that they have faced persecution on account of their sexual orientation or gender identity. This includes evidence that their government either supports such persecution or will not do anything to stop it. The evidence must also be current. For example, when an individual is interviewed by immigration officials, they must be able to show that the dangerous conditions still exist in their home countries and that, as a result, they cannot return.The volunteers in the new MoFo-VMware initiative will research and collect reports from human rights organizations, the U.S. government, and reputable news sources, to create compilations of material to submit in support of asylum cases. The submissions will highlight the most compelling facts and data for the asylum officer or immigration judge. The teams will research not only in English, but also in the countries’ primary languages. The work will sometimes involve looking beyond a country’s own reporting on its progress in protecting the LGBTQIA+ community to ascertain the day-to-day reality for its citizens.MoFo and VMware, have started out the project by tackling research for five countries and hope to expand the work as this project gets off the ground. Oasis plans to use this work for its own clients and to share it with other organizations serving the LGBTQIA+ community, in hopes of having an impact far beyond the San Francisco Bay Area.“I have had the privilege of representing LGBTQIA+ immigrants who experienced significant trauma and persecution in their home countries,” states Mark Foster in a recent announcement by Oasis on the partnership. “I derived great satisfaction from seeing how zealous and compassionate advocacy can transform lives—creating a space for healing, new opportunity, and the security that comes with obtaining asylum relief. I am excited to do more of this life-saving work with Oasis.”Watch the below video to learn more about how Oasis Legal Services is making a difference:<div data-reactroot=""><iframe width="651" height="385" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/8wq_bG6Vi70" title="Mi Tierra" Oasis="" Legal="" frameBorder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

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MoFo Partners with Oasis Legal Services to Help LGBTQIA+ Asylum Seekers Find a Safe Haven

MoFo Partners with Oasis Legal Services to Help LGBTQIA+ Asylum Seekers Find a Safe Haven

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As we approach World Refugee Day and commemorate Pride Month in the United States, it is important to acknowledge the rising number of asylum seekers from the g

Hurricanes. Earthquakes. Civil unrest. Government corruption. Global pandemic. These are just some of the challenges MoFo’s pro bono team, led by partner <a rel="noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.mofo.com/people/bonnie-lau.html">Bonnie Lau</a>, have had to face in our quest for justice for our Haitian clients, who have been violently persecuted for speaking out against human rights violations and challenging corruption and brutality by the former mayor of Les Irois, Haiti.MoFo and co-counsel Dentons US LLP have been honored by the <a rel="noopener" target="_blank" href="https://cja.org/what-we-do/">Center for Justice and Accountability</a> (CJA) with the Partner in Justice Award, which will be presented during CJA’s virtual Un-Gala event on May 24-28, 2021. “This award recognizes the extraordinary partnerships that make justice possible,” said Carmen Cheung, Executive Director of CJA. “Litigating transnational human rights cases requires expert lawyering and a deep commitment to our clients. Bonnie Lau and her team have all that and more – going above and beyond at every step of the way in this complex case. It is our privilege to have them as our co-counsel.”Bonnie and CJA have partnered to investigate this case since 2013, and filed the <a rel="noopener" target="_blank" href="https://cja.org/what-we-do/litigation/boniface-v-viliena/">Boniface v. Viliena</a> lawsuit in Massachusetts federal court in 2017. The <a rel="noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/01/world/americas/haiti-politics-violence.html?_r=1">high-profile</a> human rights case seeks to hold Jean Morose Viliena, a former Haitian mayor living outside Boston, accountable for crimes committed against our clients and other residents of Les Irois. Over the years, a number of lawyers from CJA, Dentons, and MoFo have joined the effort, each making significant contributions. Today, the MoFo team includes Bonnie and associates Sarah Vandervalk and Ben Kagel. The Dentons team currently includes associates Connor Scott and Tony Lu. The CJA team is led by Daniel McLaughlin and Ela Matthews, and the entire team also works closely with Nicole Phillips of the Haitian Bridge Alliance.In July 2007, David Boniface, a human rights activist, denounced the defendant in court for assaulting a neighbor. Later that night, the defendant and his militia, armed with machetes, clubs, picks, and guns, went to Boniface’s home in reprisal. David was not home, so they dragged Boniface’s younger brother Eclesiaste out into the street and brutally beat and murdered him. In 2008, the first-ever community radio station was established in Les Irois and hosted in the home of Nissage Martyr. Fearing political opposition speech, the defendant threatened to shut down the radio station. Shortly thereafter, the defendant and his militia invaded Martyr’s home, surrounded and beat Martyr, and shot him and Juders Yseme, a young associate of the radio station, when they tried to escape the attack. Their gunshot wounds were so severe that Yseme was blinded in one eye, and Martyr’s leg had to be amputated above the knee. In October 2009, the defendant’s campaign to silence dissent culminated in an arson rampage where his militia set fire to 36 homes of perceived political opponents in a single night. The defendant fled to the suburbs of Boston in 2009 to avoid criminal charges in Haiti.<img sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" height="223" width="300" src="https://media2.mofo.com/v3/images/blt5775cc69c999c255/blt68528e3444a09e12/6287fcd130bc9653db3ac38d/haitigroup-300x223.jpg?format=auto&quality=60" class="alignleft wp-image-5131 size-medium" loading="lazy" type="asset" sys-style-type="download">The day after the U.S. lawsuit was served on the defendant in March 2017, Martyr suddenly became violently ill and died under suspicious circumstances. Undaunted, our legal team has pressed forward and secured a number of significant litigation victories, including defeating the defendant’s motion to dismiss certain claims under the Alien Tort Statute, defeating a related petition for interlocutory appeal to the First Circuit, and winning a recent motion to compel further discovery. The team has also persevered through fact discovery and depositions, despite their Haiti travel plans being repeatedly thwarted by hurricanes, political instability and violence, and the global COVID-19 pandemic. The team secured an emergency protective order to protect our clients and witnesses from the defendant’s ongoing threats and intimidation, and successfully pivoted to complete investigation interviews and depositions remotely.“It has been a great privilege to work with our remarkable clients, whose courage and determination to hold the defendant accountable in the face of tremendous personal risk, inspires our team every day,” remarked Bonnie. “We look forward to taking this case to trial and securing the justice and redress that has eluded our clients for over a decade.”In this video clip, Bonnie discusses the high-profile Boniface v. Viliena case and accepts the Partner in Justice Award on behalf of the MoFo and Dentons legal team:<iframe src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/wNDTS-qdWL8?rel=0" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" title="Bonnie Lau accepts CJA Partner in Justice award" title="iframe"></iframe>

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Kudos to Bonnie Lau and the MoFo Pro Bono Team Seeking Justice Against Human Rights Abuses in Haiti

Kudos to Bonnie Lau and the MoFo Pro Bono Team Seeking Justice Against Human Rights Abuses in Haiti

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Hurricanes. Earthquakes. Civil unrest. Government corruption. Global pandemic. These are just some of the challenges MoFo’s pro bono team, led by partner Bonnie

MoFo’s Diversity Strategy Committee recently hosted a special panel presentation to round out our celebration of Black History Month, featuring NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund (LDF) Assistant Counsel <a href="https://www.naacpldf.org/about-us/staff/cara-mcclellan/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cara McClellan</a>. Prior to joining LDF, Cara’s career path included teaching middle school with Teach America, and clerking in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.In her current role, Cara has been representing Black students and parents in a number of ongoing school desegregation cases, including <a href="https://www.naacpldf.org/case-issue/thomas-v-school-board-st-martin-parish/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Thomas v. St. Martin Parish, La. School Board</a> and the landmark Connecticut <a href="https://www.naacpldf.org/case-issue/sheff-v-oneill/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sheff v. O’Neill</a> case, and in the Maryland school finance lawsuit, Bradford v. Maryland State Board of Education. San Francisco Litigation partner Josh Hill moderated the conversation which centered on the headline-grabbing<a href="https://www.naacpldf.org/press-release/lawsuit-filed-school-district-illegally-strip-searched-12-year-old-black-latina-students/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> I.S. v. Binghamton School District </a>case, which is challenging the discriminatory strip search of four middle school girls with MoFo as pro bono co-counsel. In addition to Josh, other members of the MoFo team working on the matter include Litigation partner <a href="https://www.mofo.com/people/jamie-levitt.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jamie Levitt</a> and associates Chanwoo Park and Amanda Gayer.Filed on April 29, 2019, <a href="https://www.naacpldf.org/wp-content/uploads/Binghamton-Complaint.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the complaint</a> alleges that the intrusive strip search of four 12-year-old Black and Latina girls was racially motivated. The incident occurred at a middle school in Binghamton, New York, after the girls were seen talking and laughing in the hallway during their lunch period by the school principle and assistant principle, who described them as being “hyper and giddy.”The school officials then escorted the girls to the health office where they directed the school nurse to conduct intrusive and demeaning searches of the girls, even instructing some of them to remove layers of clothing and physically touching their bodies. Furthermore, these searches were allowed by the school officials without ever notifying or obtaining consent from the girls’ parents. After the parent’s initial complaints, the Binghamton school district failed to rectify the situation and refused to issue an apology for the girls’ mistreatment at the hands of the school’s principal, assistant principal, and school nurse.When speaking about why LDF took on this case, Cara noted that “it embodied a lot of patterns that we’re seeing nationally in terms of how Black and Brown students are singled out for treatment as if they are engaged in suspicious or illegal behavior, simply because they are doing things that children, or teenagers, or adolescents often do.”According to a study, Black girls are often viewed by educators as “more suspicious, mature, provocative, and aggressive than their white peers,” and girls “as young as five were viewed by adults as less innocent than white girls,” which creates an “adultification bias” that leads to Black girls being disproportionately disciplined in schools, something the Binghamton lawsuit hopes to highlight and change.Case Update, as of 5/13/2021:While the race discrimination charge was initially dismissed because the court believed more recent data was needed to support it, <a href="https://media2.mofo.com/v3/assets/blt5775cc69c999c255/blt7841a1775dcbd356/6287fcebb4fa6b61ed70b3d5/210513-binghamton-amended-complaint.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> a revised complaint, </a>filed in January 2021, supplied current statistics demonstrating vastly disproportionate discipline of Black and Latina girls and boys when compared with white students in the Binghamton school district, and the charge of discrimination is now back in the lawsuit. The legal action, while far from complete, has already accomplished one goal: bringing attention to the often ignored issue of how girls of color are treated in public schools. It was featured in a New York Times article, “<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/01/us/politics/black-girls-school-discipline.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A Battle for the Souls of Black Girls</a>,” and on an <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/families-incidents-show-pattern-unfair-punishment-girls-color/story?id=73882125" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ABC News segment</a> that aired in October 2020.See more from Josh and Cara’s conversation in the clips below:<iframe src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/Q57gwYhLzhc?rel=0" title="Video: Building the Case" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="1" title="iframe"></iframe> <iframe src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/2_OlKDlWwzw?rel=0" title="Video: Dealing with Microaggressions and Systematic Bias" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="1" title="iframe"></iframe> <iframe src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/Fz8Dh2VwO-M?rel=0" title="Video: The History of Disparities in Disciplinary Action" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="1" title="iframe"></iframe>*Subscription may be required to read this article.

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NAACP LDF Assistant Counsel Cara McClellan on Racially Disproportionate Discipline in Our Schools

NAACP LDF Assistant Counsel Cara McClellan on Racially Disproportionate Discipline in Our Schools  

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 MoFo’s Diversity Strategy Committee recently hosted a special panel presentation to round out our celebration of Black History Month, featuring NAACP Legal Def

NAACP LDF Assistant Counsel Cara McClellan on Racially Disproportionate Discipline in Our Schools

Earlier this month, a Morrison & Foerster pro bono team led by New York IP Litigation partner Kyle Mooney and New York IP Litigation associates Eric Lin and Neal Burstyn, filed a federal  lawsuit against the Connecticut Department of Correction (DOC) for the alleged physical and psychological abuse of prisoners with mental illness who are currently incarcerated at, or at risk of transfer to,  Northern Correctional Institution (“Northern”), the state’s only supermax prison.  Our client in the suit is <a href="https://www.disrightsct.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Disability Rights Connecticut, Inc. (DRCT)</a>, a non-profit organization established pursuant to federal law and designated to represent the legal interests of people with disabilities in the state.  The <a href="https://www.acluct.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Foundation of Connecticut</a> and the <a href="https://law.yale.edu/schell/lowenstein-international-human-rights-clinic" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lowenstein International Human Rights Law Clinic</a> at Yale Law School, along with DRCT, are our co-counsel.DRCT alleges that the DOC’s use of prolonged isolation and in-cell shackling of people with mental illness constitutes cruel and unusual punishment in violation of the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution.  The lawsuit alleges that prisoners with mental illness are subjected to “prolonged isolation” where they spend 22-24 hours per day in concrete cells with near-total social and sensory deprivation.  The lawsuit also alleges that prisoners with mental illness are routinely and repeatedly subject to in-cell shackling, where prisoners are left with their arms and legs shackled together in “strip cells” for 24 or even 72 hours at a time. DRCT alleges that DOC’s failure to make modifications to its policies and practices surrounding prolonged isolation and in-cell shackling for people with mental illness is a violation of disability discrimination laws.In a statement, Tyrone Spence, who has been in DOC custody since 2010, gave a harrowing first-hand account of the mental and physical abuses he sustained while at the prison. “Northern staff chained me up more than 50 times, often with the chain so short I had to bend or crouch the whole time,” he said. Additionally, he survived multiple suicide crises while at Northern. “Now, just the sight of handcuffs can give me debilitating anxiety,” he added. “Those years at Northern made me feel like I’d lost my humanity. I don’t want anyone else to have to experience what I’ve been through.”According to Kyle Mooney, lead MoFo attorney on the case, “Northern’s extreme conditions are disturbing in several respects, but two particularly egregious aspects are the population of mentally ill prisoners that are subjected to those inhuman conditions and the barbaric and repeated in-cell shackling of those prisoners.”The lawsuit seeks a court order barring DOC from subjecting people with mental illness to prolonged isolation or in-cell shackling.  Captioned Disability Rights Connecticut, Inc. v Connecticut Department of Correction, the suit was filed on February 4, 2021 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut.The joint press release and the complaint are available on the <a href="https://www.acluct.org/en/press-releases/lawsuit-seeks-end-physical-and-psychological-abuse-people-mental-illness-incarcerated" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ACLU of Connecticut website</a>. or at <a href="http://www.disrightsct.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">www.disrightsct.com</a>

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MoFo Represents Disability Rights Connecticut in Lawsuit Alleging Cruel and Unusual Punishment of Prisoners with Mental Illness

MoFo Represents Disability Rights Connecticut in Lawsuit Alleging Cruel and Unusual Punishment of Prisoners with Mental Illness

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Earlier this month, a Morrison & Foerster pro bono team led by New York IP Litigation partner Kyle Mooney and New York IP Litigation associates Eric Lin and Nea

The inequality of men and women under the Constitution has been a hot-button issue for decades, and doesn’t appear to be going away fast enough. Shifting legal standards have made defining, reporting, and prosecuting gender discrimination or sexual misconduct even more problematic. This gender inequity is all too prevalent in our educational institutions, particularly where women are involved in traditionally male-dominated groups or activities.Female student-athletes and service academy cadets experience some of the most pervasive discriminatory treatment by their peers, coaches, professors, and superiors. Furthermore, our current laws, intended to protect victims of sexual mistreatment and gender bias, are still full of legal loopholes, which educational institutions and aggressors consistently take advantage of. MoFo lawyers in San Francisco and Washington, D.C. are taking action to overturn a number of court rulings where the law has failed the individuals it should be protecting.Leveling the Playing Field for Female Student-AthletesOn December 8, 2020, San Francisco litigation attorneys Christine Wong, Randy Zack, and Rachel Dolphin and Tokyo litigation attorney Lily Smith filed an amicus brief in the Second Circuit Court of Appeals on behalf of a female soccer player from the University of Connecticut (“UConn”) whose goal-scoring celebration, which included briefly showing her middle finger during a nationally televised championship game, was classified as inappropriate conduct and resulted in the revocation of her scholarship.As noted in the brief, “This was an unprecedented disciplinary decision. Never before had a student-athlete lost his or her scholarship based on a first-time sportsmanship issue. And never before had a student-athlete lost his or her scholarship halfway through the year for unsportsmanlike conduct.”Additionally, the brief argues that female athletes have consistently faced two forms of discrimination: they are afforded fewer athletic opportunities than men, and they are often held to a stricter standard of conduct that requires them to conform to traditional female behavioral norms. MoFo argued that UConn did not revoke the client’s scholarship because her gesture constituted “serious misconduct,” as the school claimed, but instead revoked her scholarship because UConn found the gesture to be “serious misconduct” when committed by a woman.The student filed a Title IX lawsuit against her former university, attempting to prove the inequity of the disciplinary action by pointing to numerous incidents where male student-athletes at UConn committed even worse (sometimes criminal) infractions, and received little to no discipline.“The record is replete with examples of UConn choosing to impose limited or no discipline on male student-athletes who committed more serious infractions,” states the brief. Despite the disciplinary record, or lack thereof, against male student-athletes, MoFo’s brief makes clear that the Circuit should consider two points of contention regarding Title IX protections: firstly, whether male and female student-athletes were held to the same standards of conduct, and secondly, whether the plaintiff’s conduct was comparable or less serious than that of her male counterparts, and “if the answer to both questions is ‘yes,’ as it is here, and the plaintiff was nevertheless punished more harshly, then a jury should decide whether the defendant’s decision was, at least in part, motivated by the plaintiff’s sex.”Despite the plaintiff’s Title IX suit, her claims were dismissed due to the trial court’s interpretation of the legal standard for reporting infractions, requiring that complainants prove male student-athletes had been subjected to lesser discipline than female student-athletes imposed by the same coaching staff.If allowed to be applied more broadly, the legal standard dismissing the student-athlete’s claims would gut Title IX protections for hundreds of thousands of student-athletes because there are very few college athletic programs in which female and male student-athletes have the same coaching staff.In summary, the brief holds that this same-supervisor requirement would not only nullify Title IX protections for student athletes across the country, but “allow the imposition of discriminatory stereotyping, and subject female students to a stricter code of conduct than their male counterparts. This would result in an even greater disparity in collegiate athletic and scholarship opportunities for women than already exists.”MoFo’s brief was filed on behalf of amici Legal Momentum, the National Organization for Women Foundation, the Feminist Majority Foundation, and the Clearinghouse on Women’s Issues.Read the full brief <a href="https://media2.mofo.com/v3/assets/blt5775cc69c999c255/blt23d93819e99e749f/6287fcfabd980555189d7348/united-states-court-of-appeals.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.Supreme Court Filing on West Point Sexual Assault CaseWhile certain protections for victims of sexual misconduct have taken shape in our traditional institutions, an enormous legal loophole still exists in our Nation’s military and service academies called the Feres doctrine, a judicial invention that shields the military from tort liability for injuries that are deemed “incident to” military service.Washington, D.C. litigation attorneys Brian Matsui and Adam Sorensen filed a brief at the United States Supreme Court on November 30, 2020, in support of a certiorari petition for a woman who brought constitutional and tort claims after she was raped by a fellow cadet while attending the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. The petitioner’s tort claims were dismissed under a broad application of the Feres doctrine.We represent graduates of the service academies as amici who describe the pervasiveness of sexual harassment and assault in the service academies, the failure of the academies to address these issues despite their legal obligations to do so, and the impact of these failings on the plaintiff as well as other women students. The brief also notes that service academies are exempt from Title IX and its requirement of equal educational opportunity, which has allowed women to hold other colleges liable for similar failures.“Overbroad application of the Feres doctrine has left cadets at the service academies truly defenseless against pervasive sexual violence on campus,” notes Adam. “These young men and women are no different than other college students. They deserve a chance to seek relief in court when their schools fail to protect them. Hopefully, the Justices will recognize that this doctrine has far exceeded its original justifications.”The amici support the petitioner’s request that the Supreme Court either abolish or limit the Feres doctrine. As the brief notes, the U.S. military’s failure to curb the rampant sex discrimination that flourishes on the campuses of its service academies condemns the “brightest aspiring officers” to “an impossible choice: endure years of sexual aggression or abandon their careers.” With this brief, the amici hope to persuade the Court to “correct that manifest injustice.” The Supreme Court directed the government to respond to the petition, an indication of the Court’s possible interest in the case.Read the full brief <a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/20/20-559/162016/20201130122804057_Brief.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

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The Gender Divide: When Legal Standards Are Not “Standard”

The Gender Divide: When Legal Standards Are Not “Standard”

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The inequality of men and women under the Constitution has been a hot-button issue for decades, and doesn’t appear to be going away fast enough. Shifting legal 

In what was a generally disheartening year for the world at large, Morrison & Foerster nevertheless managed to change many lives for the better through pro bono legal services. Here are some highlights.MAJOR COURTROOM WINSBefore the COVID-19 pandemic hit the United States, MoFo pro bono teams hit several home runs in U.S. courtrooms.When Georgia’s vote tally took center stage in the drama surrounding the outcome of the 2020 Presidential Elections, state election officials were quick to cite paper ballots as a key means of validating the electronic vote count. Secretary of State Raffensperger acknowledged that the reason Georgia had those paper ballots was because a federal judge, in an injunction issued in August 2019, ordered the state to scrap its old paperless system. That critical ruling arose from a lawsuit led by MoFo on behalf of Georgia voters seeking secure, reliable elections in the state. The 2019 ruling in the long-running elections security case led by MoFo, <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.mofo.com/resources/news/200910-election-machine-trial.html">Curling v. Raffensperger</a>, made clear that Georgia had to replace its fully electronic voting system and adopt procedures for paper back-up ballots. Voters in Georgia, and across the United States, were the beneficiaries of that ruling this year.In collaboration with several public interest groups, the firm secured <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.mofo.com/resources/news/200220-border-protection-facilities.html">a landmark decision</a> in which a federal district judge in Arizona granted a permanent injunction requiring all Customs & Border Protection (CBP) facilities in the Tucson Sector to provide immigration detainees who are held for more than 48 hours with a bed, blanket, shower, potable food and water, and a medical assessment, because the conditions under which former detainees suffered violated the U.S. Constitution.In the first civil rights lawsuit brought under any state constitution to secure students’ right to achieve literacy, Morrison & Foerster and its co-counsel, Public Counsel, reached a groundbreaking settlement on behalf of school children across the State of California. The settlement, among other things, assigns $53 million in funding to advance literacy for children in California’s lowest-performing schools. MoFo and its co-counsel filed the suit, Ella T. v. State of California, alleging that, in 2016–17, the reading proficiency rates at the schools attended by plaintiffs were between 4% and 11%.Morrison & Foerster litigator Mark Zebrowski reached a $1.475 million settlement on behalf of pro bono clients Brandon Duncan and Aaron Harvey for a wrongful arrest lawsuit involving the two California men who were arrested in 2014 and spent seven months in jail before a judge dismissed all charges against them. The suit alleged that the gang-related charges brought against our clients were based solely on speech that was protected by the First Amendment.COVID-19 EFFORTSStopping the virus in its tracks—as opposed to mitigating its impact—was the focus of Technology Transactions Group partner Matt Karlyn’s efforts. Matt and several other MoFo partners have been advising Survivor Corps, an organization with its sights set on contributing to terminating the pandemic. Survivor Corps’ initiatives are taking several forms, from investing in the research associated with finding a cure and treatment options for COVID-19, to mobilizing COVID-19 survivors to donate blood and plasma that would be used in treatment options for those currently infected.SOCIAL & RACIAL JUSTICEIn collaboration with the Promise of Justice Initiative (PJI), Morrison & Foerster this year began representing five people incarcerated by non-unanimous juries in Louisiana, a practice that the U.S. Supreme Court declared unconstitutional in April 2020 in its <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/19pdf/18-5924_n6io.pdf">Ramos v. Louisiana</a> opinion. Non-unanimous jury trials are considered remnants of Jim Crow laws, which Jamila Johnson, Managing Attorney of the Jim Crow Juries Project, describes as “systemic racism defined: a law written by white supremacists that continues to deprive thousands of predominantly Black Louisianans of their liberty.”MoFo is also bringing hope to individuals serving harsh sentences for non-violent crimes in Mississippi, where, under the state’s “<a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://law.stanford.edu/stanford-justice-advocacy-project/three-strikes-basics/">Three Strikes Law</a>,” a person convicted of a third non‑violent felony can be sentenced to decades in prison, regardless of the severity of his or her crimes. Beginning in January 2020, MoFo’s Tokyo office has been assisting the <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.splcenter.org/">Southern Poverty Law Center</a> with its <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.splcenter.org/news/2020/03/17/splcs-three-strikes-project-helps-nonviolent-offenders-move-prison-parole">Three Strikes Project</a>, which affords certain prisoners who have served at least 25% of a no-parole sentence the chance for a parole hearing. Since then, at least five other MoFo offices have gotten on board, collectively filing nearly 100 petitions.ENVIRONMENTALMoFo issued a series of <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.mofo.com/culture/pro-bono/helping-handbooks.html">Helping Handbooks</a> as devastating wildfires spread across California during the summer, offering individuals, families, and small businesses affected by the fires access to county-specific information and assistance to help with recovery. The handbook contains information on subjects including housing, government benefits, insurance, FEMA assistance, replacement of lost documents, and fraud prevention.AWARDS WONThe very embodiment of MoFo’s pro bono ethos, federal tax lawyer <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.mofo.com/people/linda-arnsbarger.html">Linda Arnsbarger</a> and litigation associate Chanwoo Park received the ABA Business Law Section’s 2020 National Public Service Award and the Thurgood Marshall Award for Exceptional Pro Bono Service in the Rising Star category from the <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.federalbarcouncil.org/">Federal Bar Council</a>, respectively.A 30-year veteran of the firm, Linda has donated 3,300 hours of pro bono legal work to MoFo’s nonprofit and social enterprise clients, assisting entities at every level and as diverse as the Childhood Apraxia of Speech Association and the Nature Conservancy. The legal advice she donates spans the areas of tax, governance, contracts, and intellectual property, and spans the globe.Another area of Linda’s pro bono practice involves helping nonprofits benefit from the increasing popularity of impact investing without sacrificing the tax-exempt status that the U.S. Internal Revenue Code affords to public charities.As passionate as Linda is about her corporate work for organizational clients, she says she’s especially proud of having collaborated with members of MoFo’s appellate group in the earlier years of her career to work on special education issues, which interest her on a personal level.Chanwoo Park has provided more than 2,700 hours of pro bono service since becoming a summer associate at MoFo in 2014. Since April 2019, he has been working with the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund (LDF) on the headline-grabbing <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.naacpldf.org/press-release/lawsuit-filed-school-district-illegally-strip-searched-12-year-old-black-latina-students/">I.S. v. Binghamton City School District</a>, a lawsuit challenging school officials’ illegal, intrusive, and non-consensual searches of four 12-year-old Black and Latina middle school girls.Earlier in his career, Chanwoo represented a couple who were the lead plaintiffs in a federal RICO class action lawsuit against a landlord, who, at the time, owned approximately 15,000 apartments across New York City and was accused of intimidating and harassing tenants in rent‑regulated apartments in an attempt to empty these buildings to make way for higher‑paying tenants. While most damages awards in the case were less than $5,000, the claims administrator granted Chanwoo’s clients a six-figure damages award.Chanwoo’s other pro bono contributions include appealing a federal court decision that denied disability benefits to a woman repeatedly hospitalized because of sickle cell disease and traveling to an Albany, New York jail to help immigrant detainees prepare for their credible fear interviews as the first step in seeking asylum.Watch MoFo’s latest pro bono video to see the remarkable work our lawyers have undertaken to help make an impact during this unprecedented year. <iframe src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/vc2qB8Ewph8?rel=0" title="Video: A Year Like No Other, Coming Together to Make a Difference" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="1" title="iframe"></iframe>

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In a Year Like No Other, MoFo Made a Difference

In a Year Like No Other, MoFo Made a Difference

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In what was a generally disheartening year for the world at large, Morrison & Foerster nevertheless managed to change many lives for the better through pro bono

MoFo is pleased to congratulate litigation associate Chanwoo Park on receiving the prestigious Thurgood Marshall Award for Exceptional Pro Bono Service in the Rising Star category from the <a href="https://www.federalbarcouncil.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Federal Bar Council</a>, recognizing his tremendous dedication to achieving justice for his pro bono clients.Chanwoo has provided more than 2,700 hours of pro bono service since becoming a summer associate in 2014, with no signs of slowing down. In her recommendation, MoFo Senior Pro Bono Counsel <a href="https://www.mofo.com/people/jennifer-brown.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Jennifer Brown</a> noted that “Chanwoo combines unsurpassed diligence in representation with an unassuming and even humble style, inspiring his clients’ trust and winning them outstanding results.”The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund (LDF)—the very organization founded by Thurgood Marshall—sent a letter of support on Chanwoo’s behalf. Chanwoo has been working with LDF since April 2019 on the headline-grabbing <a href="https://www.naacpldf.org/press-release/lawsuit-filed-school-district-illegally-strip-searched-12-year-old-black-latina-students/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">I.S. v. Binghamton City School District</a>, a lawsuit challenging illegal, intrusive, non-consensual searches of four 12–year-old Black and Latina middle school girls conducted by school officials. LDF praised Chanwoo’s work on the case, describing him as “patient in breaking down complex legal issues during meetings, comprehensive in how he prepares our clients for depositions and other appearances, and thoughtful in how he listens and advises our clients around important decisions.” Chanwoo is dedicated to bringing justice to the litigants whose schooling and lives have been seriously disrupted by the incident. The case shines a light on the pervasive and racially disproportionate discipline imposed upon students of color throughout the United States education system.Earlier on in his career, Chanwoo volunteered to take a housing conditions case, in which he expected to represent a tenant who would be seeking a Housing Court order to repair unlawful conditions in his or her apartment. However, the case referral that Chanwoo actually accepted was representing a couple who were the lead plaintiffs in a federal RICO class action lawsuit against a landlord, who, at the time, owned approximately 15,000 apartments across New York City and were being accused of intimidating and harassing tenants in rent-regulated apartments in an attempt to empty its buildings to make way for higher-paying tenants.With guidance from MoFo of counsel Jayson Cohen, Chanwoo vigorously pursued the case, stepping into a minefield of complex New York City and New York State housing laws and amassing a record of thousands of incidents of harassment by the landlord. While most damages awards in the case were less than $5,000, the claims administrator awarded Chanwoo’s clients a six-figure damages award.Other cases of note that Chanwoo has dedicated his time to include appealing a federal court decision that denied disability benefits to a woman repeatedly hospitalized because of sickle cell disease, traveling to an Albany jail to help immigrant detainees prepare for their credible fear interviews as the first step in seeking asylum, and assisting with the defense of a Mexican journalist against a defamation claim brought by a former government official.The Federal Bar Council Thurgood Marshall Pro Bono Award for Exceptional Pro Bono Service recognizes and celebrates lawyers who have demonstrated an exemplary commitment to pro bono legal services, including pro bono services in federal courts or agencies within the Second Circuit. The award was announced during the Council’s Annual Thanksgiving Luncheon, held virtually on Wednesday, November 25, 2020.Chanwoo receives a special delivery from the firm in celebration of this great honor.<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-4943 size-full" src="https://media2.mofo.com/v3/images/blt5775cc69c999c255/blt26f6de9859009742/6287fcfb30bc9653db3ac39d/cpark_tmpba.jpg?format=auto&quality=60" width="491" height="654" sizes="(max-width: 491px) 100vw, 491px" type="asset" sys-style-type="download">

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Thurgood Marshall Pro Bono Award Presented to Rising Star Chanwoo Park

Thurgood Marshall Pro Bono Award Presented to Rising Star Chanwoo Park

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MoFo is pleased to congratulate litigation associate Chanwoo Park on receiving the prestigious Thurgood Marshall Award for Exceptional Pro Bono Service in the R

The MoFo Veterans Affinity Group and Diversity Strategy Committee recently co-hosted its first quarterly discussion with partner <a href="https://www.mofo.com/people/stacey-sprenkel.html#overview" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Stacey Sprenkel</a>, associate <a href="https://www.mofo.com/people/matthew-blum.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Matt Blum</a>, and National Security Analyst Reema Shocair Ali, moderated by litigation law clerk Dave Allman.Washington, D.C. partner and chair of the MoFo Vets Affinity Group <a href="https://www.mofo.com/people/mark-whitaker.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Mark Whitaker</a>, also a Navy veteran and co-chair of the firm’s Diversity Strategy Committee, kicked off the discussion by introducing the participants and handing it over to the group’s co-founder, Dave Allman, who provided an overview of the affinity group and its purpose.Comprised of partners, associates, and staff, MoFo Vets provides a platform for employees who are veterans, reservists, or military spouses—or people who just want to lend a hand towards supporting vets and their families through volunteer opportunities—to speak about their experiences and support one another. Its primary goal is to encourage the development and professional success of MoFo Vets lawyers and staff. Dave, an Air Force veteran who serves as chair for outreach and supports the firm’s Government Contracts and National Security Groups, thanked attorney career development manager, MoFo Vets member, and Navy spouse Christie Mizer for coordinating the panel discussion.Matt and Reema, who currently serve as reservists, shared their experiences in the military and how those experiences impact their careers at MoFo. Stacey, who is a champion for veterans’ rights, discussed her experiences on several high-profile impact cases on behalf of veterans, one of which garnered recognition for the firm from Swords to Plowshares as Pro Bono Partner of the Year last year.Dave: Stacey, would you mind telling us how you came to the firm, how long you’ve been here, and perhaps a brief overview of some of your veterans’ matters?Stacey: Sure. Thanks, Dave. I’m a partner in the San Francisco office. Just this Saturday I celebrated my 15-year anniversary with MoFo, which is kind of amazing and hard to believe. I lead the firm’s global ethics and compliance practice. But my passion—and sometimes I describe it as moonlighting—is to be a veterans’ advocate. Since I started at the firm, I’ve been doing a lot of pro bono work for veterans, primarily impact cases. These cases that were designed to try to change the current system by addressing systemic issues. We have taken on these cases not only with the goal of achieving a legal victory, but also to raise awareness around some of the different ways that veterans’ rights were not being protected by the system.Dave: Matt—just a quick note on Matt. As some of you know, he’s been recently promoted to major, so congratulations, Major. Matt, would you mind giving us a brief overview of your journey to MoFo and your service background?Matt: I joined Boston’s Technology Transactions Group in July 2019 as a lateral associate. Prior to my legal career, I served five years of active duty in the Army as an intelligence officer. Over the course of those five years, I had a few assignments in various locations. My first was at Fort Riley, Kansas, with the First Infantry Division, where I served as a battalion staff officer, and my primary role was advising the commander on matters regarding intelligence and security. That also included my first deployment to Afghanistan from 2013 to 2014. My next assignment was in Germany for a couple years, where I was assigned to a theater intelligence brigade and served as an intelligence operations planner and branch chief of an intelligence analysis team as part of U.S. Army Europe. I joined the U.S. Army Reserve in 2017.Dave: Matt, can you tell us about your continued service in and out of uniform?Matt: What got me started was certainly—as stereotypical as it sounds—the desire to serve, which I know is very common among most folks who are in the military these days. It’s the great thing about having a volunteer force. Everyone to your right and left typically really wants to be there, and I didn’t necessarily come from a military family, but it was something I was always interested in from a very young age. Although I left active duty in 2017 to practice law, I didn’t want to walk away from the military entirely. So, I became a reservist, and fortunately have found that I am able to balance my military and civilian commitments. I absolutely love being able to continue to serve and would recommend it to everybody.Dave: How does MoFo distinguish itself from other firms when dealing with your service obligation and time away from the firm?Matt: At first I wasn’t sure how it all would work out being a reservist and also trying to practice law at the same time, but I can say that I’ve been extremely fortunate to have experienced fantastic support from my employers, who, for the most part, don’t have much direct experience or knowledge of the military. However, it was absolutely crystal clear from the beginning that I had the full support of the firm and all of my colleagues. I recognize my military obligations certainly cause uncertainty and extra work for others, but nevertheless there have been so many people here who have supported me, asking, “What can we do for you?”, and “How can we make this easy?” I’d say that’s really where MoFo as an organization distinguishes itself—it’s the people I work with. I don’t think you can quantify it, but there’s a significant weight that comes off your shoulders when you know you can focus on your military mission when you need to, and you can focus on your fellow Soldiers or Seamen or Airmen, while not having to worry about your regular full-time job at the same time.Reema: Most of my career has been in government prior to MoFo, and in government it’s actually pretty easy to be a reservist because there’s just a ton of overlap. It’s definitely harder in the private sector to be a reservist than it is in government, but that’s not specific to MoFo. That’s going to be anywhere you go. It’s just different. What I will say is that we cannot do this without civilian support. We just can’t. I’m really appreciative that MoFo goes above and beyond and do everything they possibly can to support us.Dave: Speaking of your individual practices, how has your work in the service influenced your practice at MoFo?Matt: An Army career is like a “Big Law boot camp.” You come into the role of an attorney and it’s very demanding and fast-paced. There are complex issues that you need to continuously assess and solve that involve critical thinking. The Army’s approach is certainly very similar to that with how it approaches operations and tasks generally. It’s all based on working together as a team and using each other’s strengths to really come together with a solution.Dave: There’s a teamwork aspect of things drilled into you. It’s a part of something bigger than just you. So Reema, has that been your experience, as well?Reema: I echo everything Matt said, and I think the military really drills into you “one team, one fight”: an all-hands-on-deck sort of mantra. It’s been really helpful to look at things and approach problems as we’re all in this together. Since I’m in the National Security practice, there’s actually a lot of substantive overlap, which is also nice. I think the military just gives you a unique experience that you can bring to the table when you approach things, and that’s also been a great asset to have.Dave: How has your practice at MoFo influenced your service?Matt: For me, it definitely goes back to interacting with people and making sure you’re taking care of their concerns first, then managing tasks. I’ve learned new tricks here with different people I’ve worked with at MoFo. Of course, it’s not military-related, but rather in how they approach problems and create solutions. I can take these lessons back to my Army team, and I know they’ll benefit from that as well.Reema: We have a lot in the Navy Reserves of what we call administrivia, or admin work. We do a lot. It’s an inordinate amount. To say it gives you a whole different level of appreciation for a law firm where there are people to support you doing that admin work would be an understatement.Dave: I’d like to turn to Stacey to talk about the work we’ve been doing on the pro bono side on behalf of veterans. Stacey, can you speak more about the cases you’ve worked on?Stacey: One significant case of note is the Edgewood Arsenal case. There was a group of soldiers who were subjected to chemical and biological weapons testing, primarily during the Cold War era, by our government during their service in the Army. One of the issues in the case was the fact that those individuals who had served as test participants were sworn to secrecy and told that they could never talk about what they had experienced or what they were exposed to, which not only impacted their ability to move through it in their own lives, but also impacted their ability to speak with their doctors and obtain adequate medical care for any conditions that were potentially caused by their exposure.In addition, many of those test participants had no idea what they were exposed to (let alone the potential health-related consequences of those exposures) because numbers were used to explain the substances that they were given, and so again, their ability to obtain medical care and to establish a service-connected condition for purposes of VA benefits was really limited. Finally, the Army was not providing any medical care to test participants for the conditions that were caused by their exposures. There is an Army regulation that we believed did compel the Army to provide medical care for conditions that had arisen out of exposure, and thankfully the court agreed.We were tremendously successful in the district court and then again at the appellate court, and I am very happy to say that, today, there are many veterans who were test participants who are now obtaining medical care from the Army as a result of the resolution of the Edgewood Arsenal case.Dave: Wow. That’s incredible, Stacey. I know you have worked on other impact cases on behalf of veterans as well. Can you share more?Stacey: Sure. Another substantial impact case that the firm took on was brought on behalf of service members serving in Iraq and Afghanistan who had PTSD, traumatic brain injuries, or other mental health conditions as a result of their service in the military. We had spoken with many service members and their family members and learned that there were significant issues with the ability of veterans to obtain timely medical care or service-related disability compensation for their mental health conditions. And sadly, this had led to an epidemic of veteran suicides. We brought a case against the VA for what we argued were unconstitutional and unreasonable delays in both the provision of medical care and in adjudicating claims for service-connected disability compensation.While these impact cases are important, and can generate significant attention (media attention, congressional attention, and public awareness), there are also many other things we can do as a community to support veterans, both by supporting individual veterans in connection with their own claims, and by donating time and money to veterans organizations. MoFo has a long history, going back decades, of supporting veterans and veterans’ issues, and we are recognized as one of the foremost firms involved with veterans’ advocacy. It’s a really important part of our firm’s history and the legacy of Gordy Erspamer, the partner who hired me and originally got me involved with advocating on behalf of veterans.I encourage you all to consider that, while not all of us have been able to serve our country by joining the military, there are meaningful things that we can do to serve the men and women that have served and are still serving our country.<iframe src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/gLZvvy99OPw?rel=0" title="Video: MoFo Salutes Our Active Service Members and Military Vets" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="1" title="iframe"></iframe>

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MoFo Vets Affinity Group Panel Discussion: Working at MoFo While Serving Our Country

MoFo Vets Affinity Group Panel Discussion: Working at MoFo While Serving Our Country

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The MoFo Veterans Affinity Group and Diversity Strategy Committee recently co-hosted its first quarterly discussion with partner Stacey Sprenkel, associate Matt