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

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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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MoFo Celebrates Earth Day

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

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In this special edition of Matters That Matter, we take a look at some of the many ways MoFo lawyers have been stepping up in response to the coronavirus pandemic, assisting our most vulnerable communities that have been disproportionately affected.MoFo lawyers and staff answered the call by forming response task forces, such as our Coronavirus (COVID-19) Task Force, participating in free virtual legal clinics for small businesses, advising nonprofits on a number of COVID-19 related issues, developing our COVID-19 Resource Center, and so much more. Below are just a few examples of the many ways our lawyers are advancing our proud pro bono tradition every day.<ul dir="ltr"><li dir="ltr">Tax partner Matt Lau and corporate partner Jesse Gillespie are leading a cross-office effort among Tokyo, Hong Kong, and the United States, helping to create a U.S.-based nonprofit called Students Against the Virus Entrepreneurship Program (SAVE). SAVE’s mission is to find support for COVID-19 related innovations by high school students. MoFo lawyers will confirm whether or not the proposed structure would qualify for 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status and, if they pass the test, then help the founders with incorporation and filing. SAVE’s high school program will run as a startup contest and include teams from 16 leading secondary schools worldwide. The contest will be judged by leading business figures.</li></ul><ul dir="ltr"><li dir="ltr">A multi-office team is working with scientists to launch and help build the <a href="https://readdi.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Rapidly Emerging Antiviral Drug Development Initiative</a> (READDI), a global organization aimed at discovering and developing drugs to put “on the shelf” for clinical trial testing in anticipation of future viral pandemics. In READDI, projects will adopt extreme open science methods and share drug discovery progress in real time, so that all can benefit. Their studies are focused on three viral families (coronavirus, flavivirus, and alphavirus) that cause the vast majority of epidemics and pandemics. The team includes New York corporate partner Jay Gavigan and associate Mara Goodman; New York tax partner Jay Blaivas and associate Phil Jaworskyj; with Boston partner Michael Ward, San Francisco of counsel Muzy Huq, New York of counsel Anthony Ramirez, and New York associate Wendy Chu advising on IP issues.</li></ul><ul dir="ltr"><li dir="ltr">Boston Corporate partner Todd Boudreau and New York partner Bethany Hills are leading a cross-office effort to provide COVID-19 related advice to the <a href="https://cic.com/fab" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Fab@CIC</a> group regarding the production of personal protective equipment (PPE). The group meets at the Cambridge Innovation Center and is using laser printing and other technology to produce face masks, face shields, and other PPE for use by medical and non-medical groups, such as nursing homes and homeless shelters. The group would like to make sure that they do not run into liability issues as they are making medical equipment. The MoFo team also includes associates Hilary Hoffman, Julie Park, Alexandra Preece, and Mike Maroni.</li></ul><ul dir="ltr"><li dir="ltr">Brussels partner Alex van der Wolk and Berlin senior of counsel Lokke Moerel are helping Care4Corona with a privacy policy and reviewing website terms and conditions. Care4Corona is a new website that provides information and expert advice to help people stay as positive and as mentally and physically fit as possible amidst the coronavirus crisis.</li></ul><ul dir="ltr"><li dir="ltr">In London, our attorneys are leading virtual legal clinics organized by <a href="http://www.trust.org/trustlaw/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">TrustLaw</a> for UK nonprofits and social enterprises, answering their questions on employment law, corporate governance, and bankruptcy issues that have arisen in the COVID-19 crisis. The online interactive clinics have addressed a number of relevant legal topics, such as employment, contractual rights, insurance, GDPR, governance, and health and safety, to name a few. MoFo London partner Annabel Gilham and associate Oliver Spratt are leading the employment and privacy effort with assistance from senior of counsel Howard Morris on governance and bankruptcy issues.</li></ul><ul dir="ltr"><li dir="ltr">London finance attorneys—including partner Benoit Lavigne, associate Ryan Abotomey, and trainee solicitor Christopher Lloyd—are working with <a href="https://protect-us.mimecast.com/s/qyRkC82BWgt3LOyoHn_j-s?domain=bethebusiness.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Be the Business</a> to help small and medium businesses in the UK get on the road to recovery by providing insights for their new Rebuild This platform provides expert advice and guidance from the UKs leading companies to SMEs.</li></ul><ul dir="ltr"><li dir="ltr">Managing partner of the New York office Brett Miller, along with partners Bethany Hills and Anthony Carbone, are advising Amplify Solutions, Inc. in connection with the invention of a UVC light-based device that reduces the bioburden on face masks, which could prove to be very helpful in the fight against COVID-19. The client has developed this invention as part of a separate nonprofit company, offering it at-cost to those who want one and making it free for first responders. In addition to the development of their UVC bioburden reduction device and the related FDA authorization process, the organization has sought our advice on corporate structuring and tax matters related to creating their nonprofit.</li></ul><ul dir="ltr"><li dir="ltr">New York finance partners Larry Ceriello, Geoffrey Peck, Jonathan Jacobs, and David Kaufman; TTG partner Vivian Hanson; tax of counsel Dave Sturgeon; finance of counsel Tushna Gamadia; and Northern Virginia employment of counsel Andrew Turnbull are leading the firm’s Rapid Response Team for the Small Business Legal Relief Alliance. The Alliance is a multi-firm effort to provide small businesses comprehensive consultations on their legal questions arising from the impact of COVID-19 on their operations.</li></ul><ul dir="ltr"><li dir="ltr">MoFo San Francisco lawyers teamed up with <a href="https://www.allhomeca.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">All Home California</a> to create the California Small Enterprise Task Force (“CASE Force”), which collects local, state, federal, and private/nonprofit resources for California small businesses impacted by COVID-19 and quickly disseminates this information in a digestible way.</li></ul><ul dir="ltr"><li dir="ltr">In addition to producing <a style="font-size: 1rem;" href="https://www.law.berkeley.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/4-13-20-Comprehensive_Guide_for_Small_Business_COVID-19.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">regularly updated guides</a> on COVID-19 resources and offering weekly live support, the task force is forming a $1 billion investment fund that will direct money to California small businesses with less than 25 employees and hosting regular webinars to provide small businesses with access to live support from lawyers and financial professionals. The MoFo team includes partners Suz Mac Cormac and Alfredo Silva, as well as associates Kaela Colwell, Olga Terets, and Michael Santos.</li></ul><ul dir="ltr"><li dir="ltr">A team of lawyers in San Francisco’s Corporate, Trademarks, Technology Transactions, and Tax practice groups are advising existing client Covid Watch on a variety of matters. Covid Watch is one of the first teams in the world to develop anonymous exposure notification alert technology using Bluetooth, which would allow users to send anonymous exposure alerts to protect members of their community without sharing any personal information. MoFo is working with Covid Watch on corporate governance matters,  assistance with potential collaborators and partners, trademark advice regarding its domain name, IP advice in developing its open source mobile application, and tax advice related to obtaining nonprofit status. The MoFo team includes partners Jackie Liu and Jennifer Lee Taylor, along with associates James Lee, Maureen Linch, Jessica Stern, Amber Harezlak, and Ryan Romain.</li></ul><ul dir="ltr"><li dir="ltr">San Francisco partner Jill Feldman is supervising a team, led by associates Jenepher Schulte, Nihal Shrinath, and William Cage, who are staffing a remote clinic organized by the <a href="https://www.innercitylaw.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Inner City Law Center</a> (ICLC) for Los Angeles-based nonprofits regarding their questions about Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act relief. ICLC is a nonprofit dedicated to providing free legal services to the most vulnerable residents of Los Angeles and promoting access to decent, safe, and fully habitable housing. The team will make a presentation and answer questions from nonprofits about the Payment Protection Plan (PPP), under the recent stimulus bill. Jenepher, Nihal, and Jill are also advising <a style="font-size: 1rem;" href="https://www.billionoysterproject.org/">The Billion Oyster Project</a>, a nonprofit that is restoring oyster reefs to the New York Harbor in collaboration with New York City communities, regarding PPP loan applications and forgiveness requirements. </li></ul><ul dir="ltr"><li dir="ltr">Washington, D.C. partner Natalie Fleming Nolen is advising nonprofit organizations <a href="https://www.science-sparks.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Science Sparks</a>, with the help of litigation associate Robin Smith, and <a href="https://noharm.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Health Care Without Harm</a>, along with Palo Alto partners Bryan Wilson and Michael O’Donnell, on force majeure and other issues arising from cancelled conferences due to safety concerns caused by the COVID-19 outbreak.</li></ul><ul dir="ltr"><li dir="ltr">Additionally, Washington, D.C. partner Brad Lui is leading an effort with associates Eileen Brogan and Arvind Miriyala to participate in the D.C. Legal Aid Society’s annual <a href="https://protect-us.mimecast.com/s/QFVPCgJQ8yH3WElqfJTtVq?domain=secure.qgiv.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Making Justice Real Campaign</a> to raise funds that will help individuals from underserved communities get access to legal representation. This year’s campaign will focus on the communities hardest hit by the COVID-19 crisis.</li></ul>

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Matters That Matter: MoFo’s Pro Bono COVID-19 Response

Matters That Matter: MoFo’s Pro Bono COVID-19 Response

In this special edition of Matters That Matter, we take a look at some of the many ways MoFo lawyers have been stepping up in response to the coronavirus pandem

Morrison & Foerster London partner Caroline Jury and associates Amber Pledge and James Colautti recently mentored Durham University law students participating in the <a href="https://lawyerswithoutborders.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Lawyers Without Borders</a> (LWOB) 6th Annual Rule of Law Innovation Challenge (ROLIC). LWOB invited students participating in the competition to create learning mechanisms for one of its program areas: Human Trafficking, Wildlife Crime, and Trial Advocacy.  LWOB often implements the winning projects, enabling students to see the impact that their ideas can have on important issues. The Durham University students selected the Wildlife Crime program area and were asked to develop an interactive “talking book” designed to teach children of reading age about the adverse causes and effects of poaching and trafficking endangered animals in Africa.Over the course of the month-long challenge, Amber and James coached the students through the book-drafting process, including reviewing and editing proposed storylines and scripts for the book that the students titled Akina and Elewisa’s Wildlife Adventures. The MoFo team also advised the students on developing a proposal to present to LWOB with recommendations on how to manufacture, produce, and print the book in both English and Swahili. The students’ hard work and MoFo’s ongoing support paid off, as the Durham University team placed second in the competition.Instead of the usual live event in London to announce the results, LWOB hosted a virtual event that included a panel discussion. Amber and James were invited to join Patricia Sullivan, LWOB board member and Global Co-Head of Financial Crime compliance for Standard Chartered Bank; Tracy Alexander, Director of Forensic Services of the City of London Police and President of the British Academy of Forensic Scientists; and Jessica Ryckman, Deputy Director of LWOB on the panel, which was moderated by Ropes & Gray partner and LWOB board member, Amanda Raad.Amber found the experience truly gratifying.  “As a lawyer coming from the corporate and finance world, you don’t get too many opportunities to work on projects like this,” she said. “In addition to feeling like you are making a difference in the world, it is also very satisfying to feel like you are contributing to a cause that you are personally passionate about.”James echoed Amber’s sentiments and expressed his pride in the students’ work ethic: “It was great to see how well the students worked together on this project. I was impressed by their commitment throughout the entire challenge and how well they worked collaboratively together to achieve a common goal.”For the Durham University team, comprised of law students Karishma Puri, Claire Patterson, Emily Falzon, Kelys Malouda, Kristen Price, and Molly Kavanagh, the competition was a valuable learning experience: “We were all thrilled to be given the opportunity to participate in ROLIC and make a real-world impact through the work LWOB does. On top of that, working with Morrison & Foerster was incredibly insightful as they shed light on the importance of developing skills such as persuasion, articulation, and communication for the success of our project—all skills that are pivotal in our journeys as budding lawyers, too.”The LWOB Rule of Law Innovation Challenge is an annual event designed to provide students with opportunities to contribute to and aid the development of innovative educational mechanisms in the rule of law. Visit LWOB’s <a href="https://lawyerswithoutborders.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">website</a> to learn more.Pictured here are illustrations from the Durham University law students’ talking book: Akina and Elewisa’s Wildlife Adventures. <img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-4601 alignleft" src="https://media2.mofo.com/v3/images/blt5775cc69c999c255/blt237ae3f658e2f7d9/6287fd59bd980555189d736c/7.-amana-the-lion-cover.png?format=auto&quality=60" width="252" height="341" sizes="(max-width: 252px) 100vw, 252px" type="asset" sys-style-type="download"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-4601 alignright" src="https://media2.mofo.com/v3/images/blt5775cc69c999c255/blted5cdd2f2a7fed9f/6287fd5a6f81705517a1c9a1/imara-the-wild-dog-cover.png?format=auto&quality=60" width="252" height="341" sizes="(max-width: 252px) 100vw, 252px" type="asset" sys-style-type="download">

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MoFo Lawyers Mentor Law Students in a Lawyers Without Borders Challenge to Raise Wildlife Crimes Awareness

Morrison & Foerster London partner Caroline Jury and associates Amber Pledge and James Colautti recently mentored Durham University law students participating i

MoFo Lawyers Mentor Law Students in a Lawyers Without Borders Challenge to Raise Wildlife Crimes Awareness

MoFo has taken an especially proactive role in the fight against COVID-19, with, for example, contributions by the <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.mofo.com/culture/mofo-foundation">Morrison & Foerster Foundation</a>, partners, and employees exceeding $200,000 as of the day of this blog post’s publication. But Boston-based Technology Transactions Group partner Matt Karlyn’s involvement with a rapidly-growing (and now the largest) grassroots movement committed to supporting the efforts to find treatments, a vaccine, and a cure for COVID-19, was largely a product of serendipity (and Matt’s generous spirit).Matt’s oldest son attends summer camp with the daughter of Diana Berrent, an early COVID-19 patient and survivor and the founder of Survivor Corps, an organization dedicated to connecting and mobilizing people who are currently infected with the virus, survivors of COVID-19, and their supporters, with the medical, scientific, and academic communities in an effort to stem the tide of the pandemic and ultimately support the development of treatments and vaccines.Having met through their children, Matt and Diana are connected on Facebook. Matt saw that Diana “was posting about her experiences with COVID-19 symptoms, difficulties in getting tested, and ultimately fighting and surviving the virus,” he explains. “Eventually I saw that she had begun an organization. Wanting to leverage my life sciences experience and background in an effort to contribute to addressing the pandemic, I reached out to her to ask if the organization needed legal assistance. Diana was thrilled, and that was that.”Matt is now leading MoFo’s pro bono efforts and will act as an advisor to Survivor Corps, Diana’s brainchild. The group, which comprises people affected by the virus and their supporters, is more than 44,000 members strong and growing daily.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 to assist in treatment options for those currently infected.For its part, MoFo has addressed many of the organization’s privacy issues, is advising Survivor Corps on its tax and other nonprofit issues, and will be working with the organization as it continues to grow and partner with various foundations and the academic, media, and medical communities.Matt seems almost as excited about the work as he is about the cause.“Despite having practiced law for a couple of decades, I’ve never represented or worked with a grassroots organization that is contributing to the medical ecosystem the way that Survivor Corps is,” he says. “It’s incredibly rewarding work for an incredible organization. Leave it to Diana Berrent to go from COVID-19 victim, to COVID-19 survivor, to organizing Survivor Corps to contribute to the end of the pandemic. And that’s exactly what Survivor Corps is doing and we at MoFo are proud to be working with Diana and her incredible team on such a meaningful cause–one that literally impacts outcomes that will affect so many of us in the coming weeks and months.”The other members of the MoFo pro bono team that are advising Survivor Corps on legal matters include Privacy and Data Security partners Julie O’Neill and Kristen Mathews and associate Tiffany Quach, of counsel in the Private Equity Investments group <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.mofo.com/people/kevin-madden.html">Kevin Madden</a>, and of counsels in the Federal Tax group Edward Froelich and <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.mofo.com/people/linda-arnsbarger.html">Linda Arnsbarger</a>.

MoFo Partners with Nonprofit Created to Combat COVID-19

MoFo Partners with Nonprofit Created to Combat COVID-19

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MoFo has taken an especially proactive role in the fight against COVID-19, with, for example, contributions by the Morrison & Foerster Foundation, partners, and

A Special Connection to Immigrant ClientsWhen MoFo Government Contracts partner <a href="https://www.mofo.com/people/tina-reynolds.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Tina Reynolds</a> first approached Meyvelin Flores 12 years ago seeking help with interpreting Spanish for a new pro bono client in the firm’s Northern Virginia (NoVa) office, Meyvelin, then a receptionist, was more than happy to oblige.It was common knowledge around the office that Meyvelin, a native of El Salvador, was fluent in Spanish, which is what prompted Tina to approach her. What Meyvelin did not know then was that saying “yes” to Tina’s request would be the first step in helping countless pro bono clients in the NoVa and Washington, D.C. offices. It would also pave the way for Meyvelin to become a certified interpreter and an invaluable asset to MoFo’s lawyers and pro bono clients alike.Having come to the United States from El Salvador at age 10, Meyvelin witnessed firsthand the struggles that immigrant families like her own experienced, including her father initially being denied asylum. So she was more than eager to help: “Many of these people, as I experienced with my own parents, haven’t been in the country for very long and they don’t have the support they need in place, so they are very scared and vulnerable to begin with.”“I thought if I can help them, then why not,” she added. Meyvelin, who is now a Senior Client Experience Coordinator, notes that many of the pro bono clients she works with come into the office under extremely difficult and traumatic circumstances, including several victims of abuse or rape. They can be very intimidated by the whole legal process and are not comfortable enough to speak freely with a lawyer about their circumstances. Her first instinct is to build trust with them by drawing on their commonalities.“Many of our clients come from El Salvador and Honduras, so I explain to them that I am from El Salvador and I am just like them,” she says. “I don’t come off as very strict or serious,” she adds, “but more as a friend to explain to them that we are there to help.” As soon as she makes that critical human connection, clients begin to let down their guards, and, as they become more comfortable, they open up and tell her their stories.According to Tina, “the successes we have achieved for our clients in these matters would not have been possible without Meyvelin’s help. Interpreting is just a small part of what Meyvelin does. From the first meeting, she becomes someone our clients can trust, and in turn helps them begin to trust us as lawyers representing them. Meyvelin gets our clients to understand that we can best help when we know the whole story, good and bad. I know that our clients would not open up in the way they do without Meyvelin’s reassurance and friendship.”In fact, many of the clients Meyvelin has worked with over the years keep in touch with her. One of them, in particular, she refers to as “family.” And her support goes beyond interpretation—she often provides a reassuring presence when clients and their attorneys go to court.Today, Meyvelin is actively involved in 10 pro bono asylum, special immigration juvenile status, and U visa matters, and she shows no signs of slowing down. As she puts it: “My parents didn’t have these opportunities when they first came to the United States, so the help I offer comes from my heart and my desire to want to pay it forward.”Meyvelin’s story is featured in our “<a href="https://media.mofo.com/docs/pdf/MoProBono-Human-Rights-Edition/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">MoProBono: Human Rights Edition</a>” pro bono newsletter. Read the full issue for highlights of the many human rights and civil rights matters our lawyers have worked on over the last year.

MoFo Staff Spotlight: Meyvelin Flores

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When MoFo Government Contracts partner Tina Reynolds first approached Meyvelin Flores 12 years ago seeking help with interpreting Spanish for a new pro bono cli

MoFo Staff Spotlight: Meyvelin Flores

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

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Matters That Matter: February Pro Bono Roundup

Matters That Matter: February Pro Bono Roundup

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

In the first civil rights lawsuit ever brought under any  state constitution to secure  students’ right to achieve literacy, Morrison & Foerster and its co-counsel, <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="http://www.publiccounsel.org/">Public Counsel</a>, on Feb. 20, 2020, reached a groundbreaking settlement on behalf of schoolchildren across the State of California.“This settlement is a tremendous victory for the courageous families and community leaders who demanded that the State of California fulfill its obligation to provide every child the opportunity to learn to read,” said <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.mofo.com/people/erik-olson.html">Erik Olson</a>, partner at Morrison & Foerster. “The settlement provides an immediate infusion of resources to California’s hardest hit schools, strengthens the state’s literacy infrastructure and knowledge base, and requires data collection and transparency to inform future efforts. We’re thrilled to be part of this wonderful win for the children of California.”The settlement, among other things, assigns $53 million in funding to the ensure literacy for California’s children, $50 million of which will take the form of grants to 75 low-performing California elementary schools to implement customized three-year literacy action plans. The other $3 million will go toward “the creation of a statewide ‘expert lead on literacy’ who will work to strengthen the state’s literacy infrastructure and training opportunities, and assist grant recipients.”MoFo and its co-counsel filed the suit, Ella T. v. State of California, on December 5, 2017, in Los Angeles County Superior Court on behalf of students at several California schools and those students’ advocates. The complaint alleged that, in 2016-17, the reading proficiency rates at the schools attended by plaintiffs were between 4% and 11%.In addition to providing targeted funding to promote literacy, the settlement also addresses school discipline practices that can create barriers to literacy. It requires that the state issue guidelines to reduce racially disproportionate discipline and calls for formation of a Blue Ribbon Commission on exclusionary discipline, which proponents hope will reduce punitive disciplinary measures that discourage children and rob them of instructional time.The MoFo team—led by partners Erik Olson and Michael Jacobs—included partner Greg Koltun, of counsel Robin Stafford, and associates Roman Swoopes, Dan Hubin, Alessa Yin-Chen Hwang, and Janet Lee.

MoFo Secures Landmark Settlement Advancing California Schoolchildren’s Right to Literacy

MoFo Secures Landmark Settlement Advancing California Schoolchildren’s Right to Literacy

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In the first civil rights lawsuit ever brought under any  state constitution to secure  students’ right to achieve literacy, Morrison & Foerster and its co-coun

In a groundbreaking decision, a federal district judge in Arizona granted a permanent injunction requiring a Customs & Border Protection (CBP) facility in Tucson to provide the civil detainees who are held there for more than 48 hours with a bed, blanket, shower, potable food and water, and a medical assessment, because the conditions former detainees suffered violate the U.S. Constitution.“This is an excellent outcome and we look forward to its implementation,” said Morrison & Foerster partner Colette Reiner Mayer, one of the lawyers who tried the case, which is now known as <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.nilc.org/issues/litigation/jdoe1vjohnson/">Doe v. Wolf</a>. “After years of collecting evidence and preparing and trying this case, the border detention facilities will no longer be allowed to violate the Constitution.”Following a seven-day trial of the case in the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona, the Honorable David C. Bury wrote an opinion stating that the class of plaintiffs, comprising tens of thousands of migrants, “must be afforded ‘more considerate treatment’ than even pretrial detainees, who are being criminally detained prior to trial.”Witness testimony and 15 video stills submitted as exhibits corroborated the Complaint’s description of the Tucson Sector’s detention centers’ conditions. They depict people huddled under sheets of Mylar in jam-packed, brightly-lit rooms.“Civil detainees in Border Patrol stations have suffered for too long, and this decision will pave the way for systemic change across the country,” added Colette, who was joined on the trial team by MoFo partner Jack Londen, as well as associates Aaron Bray, John Douglass, Pieter de Ganon, and numerous former associates over the course of five years, and paralegals Anne Lepore, Gary Stenger, and Ethel Villegas.Also remarking on the outcome, an individual who served as a witness at trial and was once held in the Sector by the CBP said, “I feel very happy to know that things are going to change in these detention centers and that people will not have to spend much time under the conditions I was detained in. I am very happy to know that I helped make things better for all of the people who follow; so many people will benefit from being treated better during the time they have to be detained there.”To secure the precedent-setting verdict, MoFo worked closely with co-counsel from the <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.acluaz.org/">ACLU of Arizona</a>, the American Immigration Council, the National Immigration Law Center, and the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area.  <img sizes="(max-width: 760px) 100vw, 760px" height="507" width="760" src="https://media2.mofo.com/v3/images/blt5775cc69c999c255/bltaee158dcd1a47e9f/6287fd7b6f81705517a1c9ad/vtcc000019a.jpg?format=auto&quality=60" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-4470" loading="lazy" type="asset" sys-style-type="download">

MoFo Wins Verdict Holding Conditions in Customs & Border Protection Holding Cells Unconstitutional

MoFo Wins Verdict Holding Conditions in Customs & Border Protection Holding Cells Unconstitutional

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In a groundbreaking decision, a federal district judge in Arizona granted a permanent injunction requiring a Customs & Border Protection (CBP) facility in Tucso

In this edition of Matters That Matter, we honor the many lawyers who have dedicated their time to important pro bono causes. This month, we highlight a variety of worthy projects, such as tackling questions regarding housing rights for people living with mental health disabilities, advocating for those living with diabetes, and helping combat environmental crimes in the Amazon. These are just a few examples of the many ways our lawyers are living out our proud pro bono tradition every day.Preventing Indefinite Immigration Detention for Families On January 28, 2020, New York litigators Amanda Aikman and Natasha Menell and senior pro bono counsel <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.mofo.com/people/jennifer-brown.html">Jennifer Brown</a> filed an amicus brief on behalf of 40 religious and inter-religious organizations opposing new federal regulations that would authorize the indefinite detention of families during immigration proceedings. The new regulations have been blocked by a federal district court as contrary to the Flores settlement agreement, which requires that children only be detained in state-licensed child care facilities, and for the least time possible. The brief was filed in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, which will hear the government’s appeal of the lower court ruling. Read the full brief <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://media2.mofo.com/v3/assets/blt5775cc69c999c255/blt0b3f876657a93cbd/627321017198441d81b3a8b7/200128-flores-amicus-brief-as-filed-9th-cir.pdf">here</a>.Making Solar More ScalableSan Francisco corporate attorneys <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.mofo.com/people/susan-mac-cormac.html">Susan Mac Cormac</a>, <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.mofo.com/people/benjamin-tr-fox.html">Ben Fox</a>, and Jason Parnell, along with tax attorneys Maureen Linch, <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.mofo.com/people/shane-shelley.html">Shane Shelley</a>, and Jessica Stern, are advising <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://gridalternatives.org/">GRID Alternatives</a> (GRID) on a Solar Access Fund. GRID is a nonprofit dedicated to providing underserved communities with access to clean energy and contributing to the clean energy economy through the installation of solar energy systems and solar job training.Through its Solar Access Fund, GRID is working with one of its partner organizations to develop an online platform that will help make it easier for nonprofit organizations to provide Program-Related Investments (PRIs) to commercial-scale solar projects that serve low-to-moderate income communities. The MoFo team is advising on how to structure GRID’s relationship with its solar developer partner organization, in addition to one or more investment vehicles to attract PRIs, for-profit, and debt investments, among other tax matters.Supporting a “diaTribe” Against Diabetes San Francisco trademark attorneys <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliana-finley-ba397b56">Juliana Finley</a>, <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.mofo.com/people/muzamil-huq.html">Muzamil Huq</a>, <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.mofo.com/people/joyce-liou.html">Joyce Liou</a>, Ryan Romain, and Jennifer Taylor are providing intellectual property advice to <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://diatribe.org/foundation/">the diaTribe Foundation</a>. Founded by type 1 patient Kelly Close, the diaTribe Foundation’s origins date back to 2006 with the creation of the diaTribe newsletter, aimed at providing meaningful content to people touched by diabetes, and the organization was designated as a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit in 2013.The diaTribe Foundation is passionately committed to raising awareness about the national—and worldwide—epidemic of diabetes, advocating for new approaches to treatment, and improving the daily lives of people with diabetes and pre-diabetes. The nonprofit’s core programs are designed to engage policy-makers, industry leaders, providers, and the public in an effort to elevate the national conversation on diabetes and connect leaders in the field.Reducing Lengthy Prison Stays for Incarcerated Individuals MoFo’s pro bono team has initiated a multi-office project with the <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.splcenter.org/">Southern Poverty Law Center</a> (SPLC) that aims to help incarcerated individuals who are serving mandatory sentences in Mississippi to reduce their prison stays. Mississippi’s harsh “three-strikes” sentencing law has resulted in numerous individuals receiving lengthy prison sentences, some equating to decades in prison. However, the Mississippi state legislature recently passed a law that allows three-strike, incarcerated individuals who have served at least 25% of their mandatory sentence to petition their sentencing courts and seek parole. SPLC estimates that there are as many as 1,200 inmates who could take advantage of this relief.MoFo Tokyo partners <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.mofo.com/people/j-lawrence.html">Alex Lawrence</a> and <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://jp.linkedin.com/in/akira-irie-3598903">Akira Irie</a> are working with several Tokyo associates to take on our first set of eight matters with SPLC.Researching Fair Housing Laws for Individuals with Mental Health Disabilities Los Angeles litigation partner <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.mofo.com/people/ryan-malloy.html">Ryan Malloy</a> and several MoFo associates are helping <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="http://mhas-la.org/">Mental Health Advocacy Services, Inc.</a> (MHAS) with research on three questions related to how state and federal fair housing laws protect individuals with mental health disabilities who rent rooms in private homes or live in homeless shelters.MHAS is a nonprofit organization that provides free legal services to people with mental disabilities. The organization assists both children and adults, with an emphasis on obtaining government benefits and services, protecting rights, and fighting discrimination. MHAS also serves as a resource to the community by providing training and technical assistance to attorneys, mental health professionals, consumer and family member groups, and other advocates. In addition, MHAS participates in impact litigation in an effort to improve the lives of people with mental disabilities.Combatting Environmental Crimes in the Amazon Washington, D.C. finance of counsel James Black and partner Charles Cole are reviewing a contract for existing client, <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.amazonconservation.org/">Amazon Conservation Association</a> (ACA). ACA has been offered a substantial subcontract to assist with a USAID-funded project focused on combating environmental crimes in Peru, specifically monitoring threats of illegal logging and gold-mining, and building government capacity to respond. This builds on the ACA’s years of work in its Monitoring of the Andean Amazon Project (MAAP), as well as its work training forest users in preventing and reporting environmental crimes, working in close collaboration with Peru’s Environmental Prosecutors Office, the Peru Forest Service, and others.Amazon Conservation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that unites science, innovation, and community to protect the western Amazon—the greatest wild forest on earth. Over the past 20 years, Amazon Conservation’s approach of protecting wild places, empowering people, and putting science and technology to work has protected over 8 million acres of threatened natural areas.Restoring Tax-Exempt Status to Help Disadvantaged Children New York tax associate Katherine Erbeznik won restoration of tax-exempt status for a Virginia group that helps disadvantaged children in Fairfax County schools improve their educational opportunities. Our client fell into a not-uncommon trap for small nonprofits: it failed to file an annual informational return with the IRS for three consecutive years, resulting in automatic revocation of its tax-exempt status. Katherine guided the client in submitting the filings needed to regain exempt status, and on December 30th, 2019 learned the good news that the IRS has retroactively restored the client’s tax exemption.xxxMatters That Matter looks at some of the most significant, recently opened matters and developments in our global pro bono efforts, from staffing legal clinics and advising nonprofits on their legal needs to advocating for individuals who would otherwise be denied equal access to justice. For more examples of MoFo’s global pro bono efforts, <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.mofo.com/culture/pro-bono/">visit our website</a>.

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Matters That Matter: January Pro Bono Roundup

Matters That Matter: January Pro Bono Roundup

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In this edition of Matters That Matter, we honor the many lawyers who have dedicated their time to important pro bono causes. This month, we highlight a variety

In this edition of Matters That Matter, we honor the many lawyers who have dedicated their time to important pro bono causes. This month, we highlight a variety of worthy projects, such as protecting the freedom to express political viewpoints, advising an organization on their platform to eliminate plastic water bottles from the world, and helping an entrepreneur share her love of healthy baking with others. These are just a few examples of the many ways our lawyers are living out our proud pro bono tradition every day.Investigating Fair Treatment of FBI Agents In Lieu of Political Viewpoints Washington, D.C. litigators Bob Litt and Sophie Cash recently filed a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit against the FBI on behalf of the editors of <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.lawfareblog.com/">Lawfare</a>, a prominent blog on national security issues. The suit charges the FBI with failing to respond to Lawfare’s requests for information regarding the FBI’s discipline of employees for making political comments about the candidates in the last two presidential elections, including Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and Mitt Romney.Lawfare filed the requests to aid its investigation into whether the FBI has treated agents differently based on the viewpoints expressed in their political comments, an investigation that was sparked by the abrupt firing of former FBI agent Peter Strzok earlier this year for text messages he wrote that criticized then-candidate Trump. One interesting fact from the lawsuit that has been largely overlooked in the storm of commentary connected to those text messages is that, under the applicable section of the Code of Federal Regulations, an FBI employee has the right to “[e]xpress his or her opinion as an individual privately and publicly on political subjects and candidates.” The legal complaint, filed December 18th, is available <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/6589840/Complaint-1.pdf">here</a>.Testing Easier Access to OTC Contraceptives on College Campuses More colleges are interested in installing vending machines on campus to increase access to over-the-counter contraceptives. New York litigation attorneys Bethany Hills, Felicity Quigley, and Hilary Hoffman are researching if any liability could arise from providing access to contraceptives through on-campus vending machines. They are conducting this research for the <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://healthlaw.org/">National Health Law Program</a>, or NHeLP, a nonprofit whose advocacy priorities include making over-the-counter contraceptives, such as condoms, contraceptive foams, and the morning-after pill, more widely available.Giving Those with Criminal Records a Second Chance Los Angeles litigation partners Sylvia Rivera and Eliot Adelson are supervising four separate criminal record–clearance matters in partnership with <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://accessprojectca.org/">The Access Project</a>, a nonprofit that leverages cloud technology, online drafting platforms, hands-on training, and a strong network to connect law firms and the legal services community with those in need.Over the last several years, California’s legislature has passed laws to help individuals clean up their criminal records, which have an impact on nearly every area of a citizen’s life, from employment to housing to the ability to be licensed for certain jobs. MoFo’s team will be reviewing criminal RAP sheets for their clients to assess what relief is available to them, completing judicial council forms for the available relief, meeting with the clients to review the forms and draft short declarations, filing and serving the court filings, and, if necessary, attending court hearings.Creating a Recipe for Success for a Growing Startup Palo Alto corporate partner Timothy Harris is advising the entrepreneur and owner of Choc’late Mama Cookies on entity selection and formation. The entrepreneur created her chocolate chip cookie recipe for her daughter, who has a dairy allergy and is unable to enjoy most store-bought sweets. The cookies are vegan and gluten-free, and have become very popular in her Oakland community among people who are seeking allergen-free cookies.This matter was referred to the firm by <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="http://www.startsmallthinkbig.org/">Start Small Think Big</a>, a nonprofit organization that helps low-to moderate-income entrepreneurs build businesses in underserved areas of New York City and the San Francisco Bay Area so owners can increase their own personal financial security as, well as stimulate economic activity in their communities.   Making Moves to Eliminate Bottled Water from the World Tokyo corporate partner Kenji Hosokawa is helping <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.socialinnovationjapan.com">Social Innovation Japan</a> (SIJ) with preparing and reviewing sponsorship and other agreements. SIJ is a nonprofit organization that combines cross-sector, international experience with a deep commitment to an all-of-society approach to solving some of the world’s greatest social, economic, and environmental challenges.SIJ recently launched MyMizu, a new initiative with a mission to eliminate bottled water from the world. Its first product is a smartphone app that helps users find free water-refill points, making it easier for users to carry their own water bottles. As the initiative continues to scale, SIJ is teaming up with sponsors and other third-party collaborators, and needs assistance with preparation and/or review of sponsorship and other agreements, as well as other legal documents.Preventing Sexual and Gender-Based Violence on College Campuses San Francisco litigation partner Arturo González, finance associate Cody McDavis, and tax attorneys Lauren Keller and Olivia Sher, with supervision from senior tax attorneys, are working with <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://settheexpectation.org/">SetTheExpectation</a>. SetTheExpectation is a nonprofit organization that provides sexual violence–prevention programming on college campuses across the country. It also works with other nonprofits to provide gender-based violence–­­­prevention training to institutions of higher education, and professional workplaces.Cody will focus on helping the organization draft a sexual violence–prevention policy, and conduct a multistate survey on laws against sexual and gender-based violence. The tax attorneys will provide the client with guidance on how giving sums of money to other nonprofits may affect its 501(c)(3) nonprofit status.xxxMatters That Matter looks at some of the most significant, recently opened matters and developments in our global pro bono efforts, from staffing legal clinics and advising nonprofits on their legal needs to advocating for individuals who would otherwise be denied equal access to justice. For more examples of MoFo’s global pro bono efforts, <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.mofo.com/culture/pro-bono/">visit our website</a>.

Matters That Matter: December Pro Bono Roundup

Matters That Matter: December Pro Bono Roundup

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<a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.mofo.com">Morrison & Foerster</a> is proud to be a participant in a joint pledge, created by PILnet, the Global Network for Public Interest Law, and announced during the <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.unhcr.org/global-refugee-forum.html">Global Refugee Forum</a> in Geneva, in which law firms, bar associations, and organizations around the globe have come together to pledge pro bono resources to protect and find solutions for refugees, asylum seekers, stateless persons, and other forcibly displaced persons, in support of a coordinated response to the global refugee crisis.The pledge was announced by PILnet Hong Kong Office Programs Manager Julia Mayerhofer at the opening of the Global Refugee Forum. The event, which was attended by over 100 companies and foundations and was co-hosted by UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and the Government of Switzerland, included welcoming remarks and participation from several prominent government officials and representatives from various organizations worldwide, including:<ul><li>The High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi</li><li>The UN Secretary-General, António Guterres</li><li>The President of Costa Rica, Carlos Alvarado Quesada</li><li>The Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan</li><li>The Deputy Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Demeke Mekonnen</li><li>The German Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs, Heiko Maas</li><li>The President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan</li><li>The World Bank</li><li>The Inter-American Development Bank</li><li>Ingka Group</li><li>Vodafone Group</li><li>LEGO Foundation</li><li>Thani Bin Abdullah Bin Thani Al-Thani Humanitarian Fund</li><li>The International Olympic Committee</li><li>Aya Mohammed Abdullah of the Global Refugee Youth Advisory Council</li></ul>PILnet’s pledge was among several other pledges announced during the Forum to help combat the global refugee crisis. According to PILnet, the number of refugees has risen to more than 25 million people worldwide. To date, PILnet has mobilized 27 law firms, bar associations, and corporations to commit 125,230 pro bono hours in the face of this humanitarian crisis.With this pledge, Morrison & Foerster continues its long-standing commitment to help refugees and asylum seekers around the globe.To learn more about the pledge or how you can get involved, visit PILnet’s <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.pilnet.org/">website</a>. You can also read more about Morrison & Foerster’s pro bono work <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.mofo.com/culture/pro-bono/">here</a>.

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Morrison & Foerster Pledges Pro Bono Assistance in Response to Global Refugee Crisis

Morrison & Foerster Pledges Pro Bono Assistance in Response to Global Refugee Crisis

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Morrison & Foerster is proud to be a participant in a joint pledge, created by PILnet, the Global Network for Public Interest Law, and announced during the Glob