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.

Social

Search

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.

brown_jennifer_blog_150x150.png

brown_jennifer_common_640x280.jpg

brown_jennifer_heroretina_2700x1160.jpg

brown_jennifer_mobileretina_750x1040.jpg

brown_jennifer_social_600x600.jpg

Senior Pro Bono Counsel

Staff

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

Jennifer K. Brown

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

kernisant_natalie_blog_150x150.png

kernisant_natalie_common_640x280.jpg

kernisant_natalie_heroretina_2700x1160.jpg

kernisant_natalie_mobileretina_750x1040.jpg

kernisant_natalie_social_600x600.jpg

Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer

Partner

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

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

Natalie Kernisant

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

fernandez_dorothy_blog_150x150.png

fernandez_dorothy_common_640x280.jpg

fernandez_dorothy_heroretina_2700x1160.jpg

fernandez_dorothy_mobileretina_750x1040.jpg

fernandez_dorothy_social_600x600.jpg

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.

williams_rachel_blog_150x150.png

williams_rachel_common_640x280.jpg

williams_rachel_heroretina_2700x1160.jpg

williams_rachel_mobileretina_750x1040.jpg

williams_rachel_social_600x600.jpg

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

favicon.ico

favicon-16x16.png

favicon-32x32.png

apple-touch-icon.png

MoFo Favicons

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

Welcome to the Mofo+ Blog

240920-mofo+-header.jpg

Welcome to the Mofo+ Blog

240920-mofo+-header

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

Welcome to the MoFo+ Blog

MoFo Community

Blog - Terms of Use

Blog - Privacy Policy

Blog - Blog Disclaimer

Blog - Attorney Advertising

morrison-foerster-blog-logo.png

Provides a data-driven look at the Federal Circuit.

Federal Circuitry

Brings together legal insights and in-depth analyses on trends and complex issues shaping the global technology industry.

MoFo Tech

Equips our clients with the most up-to-date and relevant information on employment and labor law issues.

Employment Law Commentary

In-depth analysis of developments and trends impacting government contracting.

Government Contracts Insight

Government Contracts Insights

Provides insights and reports on the most current class actions lawsuits and product liability issues that affect consumer-facing companies.

Class Dismissed Blog

Class Dismissed

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

MoFo+

  Linkedin

MoFo LinkedIN

Together Blog - RSS

Stay Connected

Never miss a post from MoFo Together. Enter your email below to stay up-to-date.

Subscribe

Making a Positive Impact Together

Morrison Foerster - Footer

Blogs -  Home Button

Home

Blog - Topics

MoFo Pro Bono

MoFo Diversity

MoFo Life

MoFo Women

Topics

Blog - Editors

Editors

Blog - About

About

Blog - Subscribe

More

MoFo Celebrates Earth Day

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

Faces of MoFo: Dominick Divine III

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

MoFo Wins Asylum for Cameroonian Political Refugee

LinkedIN

<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>.

mofotogether-probonoassistance-thumb.jpg

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

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

12_20_legalcommunity_pledge_li.jpg

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

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 supporting new technologies to prevent California wildfires, aiding vulnerable and underserved communities in the Americas, and measuring the individual wellbeing of people from countries around the globe. These are just a few examples of the many ways our lawyers are living out our proud pro bono tradition every day.Improving Anti-Corruption Enforcement in Latin America New York litigation partner <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.mofo.com/people/ruti-smithline.html">Ruti Smithline</a> and Washington, D.C. litigation partner <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.mofo.com/people/james-koukios.html">James Koukios</a> are working with the <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="http://www.vancecenter.org/">Cyrus R. Vance Center for Justice</a> on a comprehensive report, detailing best practices for anti-corruption enforcement in Latin America. They will be working closely with local law firms, academic institutions, and civil organizations throughout the region to gather the necessary data.The report will be a continuation of Ruti and James’s ongoing work regarding anti-corruption enforcement practice in Latin America, which includes substantive associate training. Over the years, the firm has worked on a number of pro bono projects with the Cyrus R. Vance Center for Justice, which is an affiliate of the New York City Bar Association and a leading force organizing law firms in Latin America to provide pro bono legal services.Supporting Technologies to Curb California Wildfires San Francisco corporate partner <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.mofo.com/people/susan-mac-cormac.html">Susan Mac Cormac</a>, Denver tax attorney Joseph Tucci, San Francisco corporate associate <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.mofo.com/people/benjamin-tr-fox.html">Ben Fox</a>, and San Francisco corporate associate <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.mofo.com/people/michael-santos.html">Michael Santos</a> are helping existing client <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.vibrantplanet.net/">Vibrant Planet</a> in setting up a new nonprofit organization whose work will address gaps in data-driven tools designed to mitigate the risk of California wildfires.The goal of the nonprofit is to build a platform that synthesizes complex information on forest structure and wildfire risk to guide targeted forest treatments, like selective thinning or prescribed burning, to mitigate wildfire risk and improve ecological function. Additionally, the nonprofit will engage key stakeholders in creating a platform designed for government personnel involved in wildfire mitigation and forest restoration planning, and provide all stakeholders access to improved risk data.Measuring Individual Happiness with the Wellbeing Project Beijing and Shanghai corporate managing partner <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.mofo.com/people/paul-mckenzie.html">Paul McKenzie</a> and San Francisco Technology Transactions attorney Can Cui are helping the <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="http://wellbeing-project.org/">Wellbeing Project</a> by researching legal issues pertaining to proposed data collection. The Wellbeing Project has identified eight social change organizations from multiple countries, including one organization in China, that want to take part in research aimed at improving their own internal organizational cultures.Staff members of the participating organizations will be, in essence, willing research subjects in a project that will include surveys of individual wellbeing, including the taking of cortisol samples. Before starting the research, the Project needs advice on any legal restrictions around collecting research data in China and what data can be permissibly exported.Creating a Hemisphere of Opportunity for All Miami corporate partner <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.mofo.com/people/randy-bullard.html">Randy Bullard</a> is providing general corporate advice to the Pan American Development Foundation. The Pan American Development Foundation is a nonprofit organization established by the Organization of American States (OAS) in 1962 that serves vulnerable and excluded people and communities in the Americas.With the support of civil society, governments, and private sector partners, the Foundation is working towards creating a Hemisphere of Opportunity for All. Its programs focus on a number of initiatives aimed at achieving sustainable economic and social progress, from promoting democratic participation and making STEM education accessible to preparing and responding to natural disasters.Championing Reproductive Health and Rights for All London employment attorneys <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.mofo.com/people/annabel-gillham.html">Annabel Gillham</a>, <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.mofo.com/people/oliver-spratt.html">Oliver Spratt</a>, and <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.mofo.com/people/lara-sirimanne.html">Lara Sirimanne</a> are reviewing consultancy and employment agreements for the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF). Additionally, the team is conducting an employment law training for the IPPF Human Resources department and directors involved in recruitment.The IPPF’s mission is to lead a locally owned, globally connected civil society movement that provides and enables services and champions sexual and reproductive health and rights for all, especially the underserved. Founded in 1952 by eight national family planning associations, the organization today comprises 133 Member Associations working in 146 countries, with an active presence in a further 20 countries.Supporting Job Training for Worldwide Deaf Community New York tax partner Jay Blaivas and associate Harris Cornell, along with San Francisco corporate associate Rose Zukin Pierson, are advising <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="http://www.globalreachout.org/">Global Reach Out Initiative</a> (GRO), a Delaware 501(c)(3) based in Los Angeles whose mission is to provide job training and other resources to the worldwide deaf community. The MoFo team is providing general corporate governance advice, including advice related to the appointment of new board members. The team will also be providing tax advice related to work with an affiliate in India.Answering Tax Questions Related to Low-Income Housing San Diego corporate partner <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.mofo.com/people/jim-krenn.html">Jim Krenn</a>, with assistance from San Diego partner <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.mofo.com/people/shane-shelley.html">Shane Shelley</a> and San Francisco tax associates Jessica Stern and Adam Nguyen, is advising our client <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.sdvlp.org/">San Diego Volunteer Lawyer Program</a> on general tax and corporate matters regarding low-income housing requirements.Founded in 1983, SDVLP is the country’s oldest and most comprehensive pro bono services program. The focus of the nonprofit organization is serving the most vulnerable members of its community, including the homeless, abused children, victims of domestic abuse, elderly victims of abuse, veterans, immigrants, and those affected by HIV/AIDS. Women and children currently make up 75% SDVLP’s clients.Fighting for the Right to Bond Hearings for Detained Immigrants New York litigation attorney Jim Beha is filing an amicus brief in the First Circuit Court of Appeals in support of a lower court ruling that immigrants in deportation proceedings who are subject to mandatory detention are entitled to bond hearings and an individual determination of whether continued detention is appropriate. The brief will be filed on behalf of amici who are uniquely qualified to opine on the wisdom and importance of bond hearings in immigration court: former immigration judges and former members of the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA).This is the third time we have represented former immigration judges and BIA members as amici in challenges to prolonged detention of immigrants during removal proceedings. We previously filed an amicus brief in the instant case, <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://law.yale.edu/studying-law-yale/clinical-and-experiential-learning/our-clinics/worker-and-immigrant-rights-advocacy-clinic/reid-v-donelanin-re-reid">Reid v. Donelan</a>, in the First Circuit. We also filed a brief in the Supreme Court in <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.aclu.org/cases/jennings-v-rodriguez">Jennings v. Rodriguez</a>, which raised the same issue. In the prior appeal in Reid v. Donelan, the First Circuit remanded the case to the district court. The district court’s decision on remand is now back at the First Circuit, where this brief will be filed.The <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://law.yale.edu/studying-law-yale/clinical-and-experiential-learning/jerome-n-frank-legal-services-organization-lso">Jerome N. Frank Legal Services Organization</a> at Yale Law School, which is the appointed class counsel for the detained immigrants, referred this opportunity to the firm.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>.

mofotogether-mattersthatmatter-thumb.jpg.jpg

Matters That Matter: November Pro Bono Roundup

Matters That Matter: November Pro Bono Roundup

11_19_mattersthatmatter_li.jpg

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

On November 8, 2019, over 400 supporters of Swords to Plowshares gathered at the 23rd Annual Veterans Day Dinner to pay tribute to our veterans and celebrate the strides made towards ending veteran homelessness. Swords to Plowshares is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting and protecting the rights of veterans through advocacy, public education, and partnerships. This year’s annual Veterans Day Dinner raised over $450, 000 to support critical services for homeless and low-income veterans and their families.During the dinner, the firm was presented with the 2019 Pro Bono Partner of the Year Award in recognition of our long-standing partnership and our work on a <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2012/03/01/health/human-test-subjects/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">headline-grabbing case</a>, Vietnam Veterans of America v. CIA. United States Marine Corps veteran Bruce Calderon was also honored with the Profiles of Courage award. San Francisco litigation partner <a href="https://www.mofo.com/people/stacey-sprenkel.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Stacey Sprenkel</a>, who worked on the class action and served for eight years on the board of Swords to Plowshares, accepted the honor on behalf of the firm.In that case, the MoFo team represented a class of veterans who had participated in a secret chemical and biological agents testing program while they were in service. The award recognized the MoFo team’s success in getting a precedent-setting order requiring the Army to inform the veterans of the details and health effects of the experiments and to provide medical care for conditions caused by this participation.“Although it was a lengthy legal battle with the federal government, we were grateful that we were able partner with Swords to Plowshares in getting critical information and access to healthcare for thousands of veterans who, over a period of decades, had been unwittingly used by the military as human test subjects for toxic and biological substances,” said Stacey. “I am proud that MoFo actively encourages lawyers from the firm to work on important matters on behalf of veterans.”For nearly 20 years, MoFo has proudly supported Swords to Plowshares, providing pro bono legal services in impact litigation matters like this class action, legal clinics, and full representation of veterans’ cases. Swords to Plowshares was founded in 1974 and is dedicated to providing low-income, homeless, and at-risk veterans in the San Francisco Bay Area access to counseling and case management, rapid re-housing and eviction prevention services, employment and training, supportive housing, and legal benefits assistance.Learn more about Swords to Plowshares and their work <a href="https://www.swords-to-plowshares.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">here</a>.Photos courtesy of <a href="https://protect-us.mimecast.com/s/lcKfC82BWgtqAP1MUE5X85" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Kyle Ludowitz</a>.

11_20_stacyacceptance_thumbnail-150x150.jpg

Veterans’ Rights Organization Swords to Plowshares Names MoFo 2019 Pro Bono Partner of the Year

Veterans’ Rights Organization Swords to Plowshares Names MoFo 2019 Pro Bono Partner of the Year

11_20_stacyacceptance_li.jpg

On November 8, 2019, over 400 supporters of Swords to Plowshares gathered at the 23rd Annual Veterans Day Dinner to pay tribute to our veterans and celebrate th

Editors’ note: This post was written by Singapore associate <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.mofo.com/people/sheryl-george.html">Sheryl George</a>.Parsing through the law on public corruption in the Afghan Penal Code while Afghan public defenders engage me in a legal discussion in a mixture of Dari and halting English is not something I ever imagined I would be doing in the course of my professional career. But there I was in Delhi, with <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.mofo.com/people/daniel-levison.html">Dan Levison</a>, MoFo partner and head of litigation in our Singapore office, providing expert anti-corruption training to Afghan public defenders that will better equip them to afford effective defense to vulnerable, indigent clients facing criminal prosecution. These Afghan lawyers, who no doubt were familiar with personal struggle in their conflict-ridden home country, were keen learners, eager to make a difference in the lives of their fellow Afghans in need.The International Legal Foundation Dan and I were in Delhi, India, working pro bono with <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.theilf.org/">The International Legal Foundation</a> (ILF). The ILF was founded to provide access to justice to those who cannot afford a lawyer, in some of the world’s most challenging post conflict jurisdictions. Recognizing that, often, the less privileged of these populations are disproportionately arrested, prosecuted, and incarcerated, the ILF has established itself in Afghanistan, Myanmar, Nepal, Tunisia, and the West Bank to help provide quality criminal-defense services to those in need. The organization works closely with local governments in each of these jurisdictions, and trains and empowers lawyers to provide effective legal services to indigent clients. MoFo’s partnership with the ILF in Afghanistan was initiated by MoFo New York partners <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.mofo.com/people/carrie-cohen.html">Carrie Cohen</a> and Amanda Aikman, former U.S. prosecutors who wanted to contribute to the ILF’s important mission of providing quality criminal-defense in diverse legal systems.The ILF in AfghanistanThe ILF commenced its program in Afghanistan in 2003, as the country began to emerge from decades of conflict. To date, the ILF remains the largest provider of legal aid services to Afghans facing criminal prosecution, regardless of their ethnicity, gender, age, or political affiliation.As the country made progress in justice reform, the Afghan government made provision for a judiciary, special tribunals, and prosecutors, but there was unfortunately no provision for legal aid. The ILF steps into this gap and trains local lawyers to provide quality legal services to needy clients accused of crimes.In June 2016, Afghanistan’s President Ghani signed an executive decree establishing the Anti-Corruption Justice Center (ACJC)—a specialized tribunal with jurisdiction over major corruption cases in any Afghan province. Afghanistan was on the path to combating corruption. In September 2018, a dedicated anti-corruption law was enacted that codified the legal basis of the ACJC, defining its duties, authority, and jurisdiction. The ILF began seeing an increasing number of indigent clients accused of various corruption offenses before the ACJC—often as scapegoats for high-level, well-resourced individuals. With a majority of the ILF’s public defenders trained in defending so-called “blue collar offenses,” there was a need for specialized training in providing effective defense for clients accused of corruption and other related financial crimes. Seeing the need, Carrie and Amanda, with their deep experience prosecuting high-profile corruption cases, began working with the ILF to develop a detailed written guide to provide the Afghan public defenders with strategic and practical guidance when representing clients with cases pending before the ACJC. When the ILF asked if MoFo would be willing to conduct training for their lawyers in Delhi, Dan and I took up the cause to join the work Carrie and Amanda started on this important project.The Training in Delhi Dan and I arrived in India bringing to the training sessions two different but complementary skill sets—Dan with over 20 years of experience in the region, a good portion of that performing anti-corruption, investigations and white-collar defense work, and I with my background as a former prosecutor who had specialized in white collar offenses. Truth be told, I was uncertain of how I would be received by the Afghan lawyers—with the seeming prevalence of unjust convictions in their home country, a former prosecutor may not be the most welcomed person.I need not have worried. It wasn’t long before the Afghan lawyers were engaging me in vigorous discussion as Dan and I conducted the training sessions. They were eager to hear perspectives from “the other side,” and equally shared their experiences and challenges defending clients.The training sessions were focused on building a foundational legal understanding of the elements of the corruption offenses in the Afghan Penal Code and the relevant types of evidence, before turning to developing practical skills that are essential to assessing, investigating, and developing the client’s case. The sessions delved into the skills involved in reviewing the prosecution’s charges, preparing for and conducting interviews with clients and witnesses, developing an investigative plan, and building a defense strategy. Time never seemed to be enough—sessions that were scheduled for three hours each soon stretched into six. The participants were eager to share their personal experiences with us and, to me, this was crucial. Hearing from them, we were made aware of the specific challenges they were facing in their home jurisdiction; challenges we would otherwise never have known of as outsiders. This process of discussion, rather than lecturing, I believe enabled us to speak more directly to the Afghans’ particular concerns; it facilitated better understanding between us, allowing us to be more helpful to them.Takeaways Three things have remained with me from the experience with our Afghan colleagues in Delhi. First, I was moved by their commitment to a cause—to facilitating access to justice—when they themselves would have had to face significant personal struggles as Afghanistan pulled itself out of conflict and oppression. It was obvious that they took immense pride in their roles as advocates for the less privileged, and that they were eager to deepen and broaden their skill sets in order to better serve others. Second, as a woman, I was encouraged to see Afghan women in each training session. They were in the minority, but they were there. Despite the many obstacles women in Afghanistan have faced, there they were, women rising up despite their circumstances, ready to make a difference in the lives of others. Third, I was encouraged to find that, even though I had moved from public service to private practice, pro bono projects such as these mean that I am still able to impact the lives of individuals in need in a meaningful way.The experience with the Afghan public defenders in India was not one I had ever imagined, but it is certainly one I will never forget.

mofotogether-anticorruptiontraining-thumb.jpg

MoFo Litigators Deliver Anti-Corruption Training to Afghanistan-Based Lawyers Who Defend the Indigent

MoFo Litigators Deliver Anti-Corruption Training to Afghanistan-Based Lawyers Who Defend the Indigent

11_13_international-legal-foundation_li.jpg

Editors’ note: This post was written by Singapore associate Sheryl George. Parsing through the law on public corruption in the Afghan Penal Code while Afghan pu

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 seeking justice against human rights abuses in Haiti, improving access to clinical trials for cancer patients, and assisting with global research to advance women’s opportunities. These are just a few examples of the many ways our lawyers are living out our proud pro bono tradition every day.Teaming Up to Curb Abusive Bail Bond PracticesSan Francisco Litigation partner Jina Choi is supervising associates Ben Fox, Charles Cartagena-Ortiz, Brianna Liang Velasco, Morgan MacBride, and Michael Santos in five separate matters, helping low-income clients draft demand letters and negotiate the discharge of debt that bail bond companies claim they owe.The project aims to help clients who were either arrested themselves or co-signed a bail bond agreement on behalf of a family member and are now being pursued by bail bond companies for debts that involve violations of consumer debt laws. In partnership with the <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://lawyerscommittee.org/">Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights</a> (LCCR), MoFo volunteers joined members of the legal team from our billable client Salesforce to staff a clinic and are now drafting demand letters and negotiating on behalf of the clients to reduce or discharge their debts.Researching Women’s Global Economic OpportunitiesLawyers in our Beijing, Hong Kong, Brussels, Shanghai, and Palo Alto offices — including Shiri Shenhav, Aniek Schadd, Jessica Chan, Nicole Tsui, Sherry Yin, Lucy Lu, and Alex Van der Wolk — are contributing to a research project sponsored by the World Bank. The <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://wbl.worldbank.org/">Women, Business and the Law</a> (WBL) project gathers unique data and uses it to identify barriers that restrict women’s economic opportunities and encourage reform. The periodic publication analyzes legislation and regulations that affect women’s capacity to participate in the workforce and start businesses in 189 economies around the world.This particular WBL research project will examine employment/labor laws, family laws, personal status laws, criminal laws, and constitutions. The MoFo team will assist WBL in completing surveys on family law, employment and labor law, and violence against women legislation in several jurisdictions, including China, Israel, and the Netherlands.Improving Patient Access to Cancer Clinical TrialsSan Diego Corporate attorneys Jim Krenn and Brennen Brodersen are assisting <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://lazarex.org/">Lazarex Cancer Foundation</a> by reviewing its bylaws. The Lazarex Cancer Foundation works to improve patient access to cancer clinical trials and promote early stage diagnosis to increase survival rates, especially for the medically underserved. By providing assistance with costs for FDA clinical trial participation, identifying clinical trial options, and engaging in community outreach, the foundation is ensuring that those who want to remain engaged in their fight against cancer have access to all available options.Enhancing Language Services for Nonprofit OrganizationsBoston corporate attorneys are working with <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://translatorswithoutborders.org/">Translators without Borders</a>, a nonprofit based in Massachusetts that assists other nonprofit organizations and their clients through translation and language simplification services. Its clients include groups such as Médecins sans Frontières, Médecins du Monde, Action Against Hunger, Oxfam US, and Handicap International.Partner Matthew Karlyn and associate Matthew Blum are reviewing contracts that will help Translators Without Borders and their content partners bring 20 underserved languages online (in text and voice) over the next 10 years. Additionally, Matt Karlyn and partner Ori Solomon are heading up a team that will conduct a “Legal Health Check” to help the group identify unmet legal needs.Seeking Justice in the U.S. for Human Rights Abuses in HaitiWhen Litigation partner Bonnie Lau decided to leave her former firm and join MoFo in San Francisco, there was one case she couldn’t leave behind <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://cja.org/what-we-do/litigation/boniface-v-viliena/">Boniface v. Viliena</a>, a high-profile human rights case filed in Massachusetts in 2017 to hold a former Haitian official accountable for human rights abuses he committed in Haiti. Bonnie brought the case with her from Dentons, and MoFo, Dentons, and the Center for Justice and Accountability (CJA) are now litigating the case together.The lawsuit was filed on behalf of three Haitian citizens who were violently persecuted for challenging corruption and brutality in the government of Jean Morose Viliena, who was then the mayor of Les Irois in southwestern Haiti. After one of our clients spoke out against Viliena for assaulting a neighbor in 2007, his younger brother was brutally murdered in reprisal. Two of our other clients were attacked in 2008, resulting in one becoming permanently blinded in one eye, and the other being forced to amputate his leg.Then, in a single night in October 2009, under specific orders from Viliena, the homes of 36 perceived political opponents were burned down. The complaint alleges all of these crimes were part of a politically motivated campaign of terror against media activists and human rights defenders. One client later died in suspicious circumstances the day after Viliena was served with the complaint. The litigation, brought under the Alien Tort Statute and the Torture Victim Protection Act, continues in federal court.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: October Pro Bono Roundup

Matters That Matter: October Pro Bono Roundup

11_05_mattersthatmatter_li.jpg

When Morrison & Foerster’s pro bono client Alice sought asylum from Cameroon in February 2015, after enduring repeated physical and emotional abuse at the hands of local authorities for being a lesbian, she had no other choice but to flee and seek asylum in the United States. What she didn’t realize at the time was that her decision would lead her through a complex and challenging four year-long separation from her two young sons, who remained in Cameroon. Thanks to Alice’s unwavering determination, the help of local organizations, her Cameroonian LGBTQ+ community in the Bay Area, and assistance from a MoFo pro bono legal team, Alice, who last saw her youngest son K when he was just two years old, was finally reunited with him on September 12, 2019.According to MoFo associate <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.mofo.com/people/shannon-sibold.html">Shannon Sibold</a>, a member of Alice’s pro bono team, Alice was desperate when she first approached MoFo in the summer of 2015, seeking help with navigating the U.S. immigration system. At the time, her sons were staying for short periods of time in different homes of Alice’s acquaintances in Cameroon and she was unsure of their overall welfare, or when she’d be able to see them again.Shannon explains that she was selected to be on the case, due, in part, to her ability to speak French fluently, Alice’s native language. The case, says Shannon, who is a corporate lawyer, is unlike any other she has worked on in her professional career.“This is a case that deals with peoples’ lives where the stakes are incredibly high. It has been the most challenging case I have ever worked on, but, it is also the most rewarding case I’ve ever worked on,” she adds.According to Shannon, one of the most memorable moments in the case was being able to witness Alice receiving her asylum papers and realizing that she was finally safe — and home — in the United States.Shannon also can’t help but marvel at Alice’s resolve and resilience throughout the entire ordeal; what might have broken another’s spirit awoke a fighter in Alice.“I am absolutely inspired and blown away by how far Alice has come,” she notes.In spite of all the adversity she faced throughout this long and painful journey, Alice never lost sight of her goal: using all of her strength and resources to reunite with her sons and secure her family’s safety. Today, not only has Alice learned English; she has also trained herself to be, and now is, a nurses’ aid at a health care facility. Alice has also established a safe and loving home for her sons to come home to.However, the real celebration finally came when K was reunited with his mother last month after a four-year long separation. The reunion, arranged by MoFo, was something Shannon and her colleague <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.mofo.com/people/hila-cohen.html">Hila Cohen</a>, who also worked on the case, won’t soon forget. Both were present with Alice at the airport during the emotional reunion.“It’s hard to capture what the moment was like in words,” Shannon notes, “but mother and son embraced for what felt like the world’s longest hug and it was a very special moment.”In addition to witnessing the emotional reunion, Shannon and Hila were both on hand to present K and Alice with $1,200 in Target gift cards with funds raised from various MoFo offices, as well clothes and toys that the firm donated, to help K adjust to his new life in the U.S. with his mom.However, the fight is still not over, according to Shannon and Hila, who are still working hard to secure asylum for Alice’s other son, who is nine years old and still living in Cameroon.“We will continue to do whatever we can to bring him home to Alice and reunite the whole family,” says Shannon.For now, K is settling into his new life in San Jose with his mom, and he has recently enrolled in school. Alice and her son embrace during their emotional reunion at the airport.

03_22_thumbnail_against-housing-discrimination.jpg

Morrison & Foerster Pro Bono Team Helps Reunite Cameroonian Mother and Son After Four Year Separation

Morrison & Foerster Pro Bono Team Helps Reunite Cameroonian Mother and Son After Four Year Separation

cameroon-unification-photo.jpg

When Morrison & Foerster’s pro bono client Alice sought asylum from Cameroon in February 2015, after enduring repeated physical and emotional abuse at the hands

The American Bar Association honored Morrison & Foerster veteran trial lawyers <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.mofo.com/people/james-brosnahan.html">Jim Brosnahan</a> and <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.mofo.com/people/arturo-gonzalez.html">Arturo González</a> with prestigious awards during the organization’s 2019 Annual Meeting, held in August in San Francisco. Jim, senior of counsel in Morrison & Foerster’s trial and appellate practices, was presented with the ABA’s John H. Pickering Achievement Award for his lifelong work emulating that of the award’s namesake, whose outstanding legal ability and record of service to the profession improved access to justice for all. Arturo, chair of the firm’s Commercial Litigation/Trial Group, was presented with a 2019 Pro Bono Publico Award.Jim had earned the honor by demonstrating outstanding legal ability, compiling a distinguished record of dedicated service to the profession and the community at large, and making significant contributions to the furtherance of access to justice for all.Considered a lion of the trial bar as well as one of the most respected and “greatest trial lawyers in the country,” Jim is known for his uncanny legal ability and oral advocacy skills. Jim has tried 150 cases to completion with only 11 losses. He has represented countless pro bono clients in criminal and civil matters, earning him a reputation as “a fighter for the underdog.”His impact outside of the courtroom is equally impressive. Throughout his unrivaled career, Jim has made countless contributions, including:<ul><li>Serving as president of the Bar Association of San Francisco in 1977, and co-founding its Volunteer Legal Services Program (now called the Justice & Diversity Center).</li><li>Serving as one of the earliest and most dedicated stalwarts supporting diversity in the legal profession, and founder of the Minority Committee of the Bar Association of San Francisco.</li><li>Serving as one of the foremost teachers of trial litigation in the country; author of the Trial Handbook for California Lawyers.</li><li>Serving as an outspoken supporter of the Civil Gideon movement, which seeks to establish a right to counsel in civil matters when basic human needs are at stake.</li></ul>Throughout his legendary legal career of almost 60 years, Jim has fiercely committed himself to promoting equal access to the justice system and advocating on behalf of low-income and disadvantaged individuals.Arturo González was honored for his pro bono work and innumerable public service contributions to the community at large. Considered one of the “finest trial lawyers in the United States,” Arturo credits his background, growing up as the son of non-English-speaking farm workers, as giving him the unique perspective that he brings into the courtroom every day, and as one of the main factors that motivated him to become a lawyer and fight for those who may not otherwise have access to fair legal representation.Although Arturo is widely known for his legal prowess in the courtroom securing favorable outcomes for blockbuster clients such as Uber and VMware, his pro bono advocacy has been equally impactful. Throughout his more than three-decades-long career at MoFo, he has been committed to ensuring that even the most underserved communities and individuals have equal representation and access to the law. Over the years, Arturo has worked on more than 100 pro bono cases and has secured favorable outcomes for his clients in many key areas of the law, including:<ul><li>Ensuring the right to an education for low income children.</li><li>Protecting the constitutional rights of communities of color.</li><li>Curbing abusive tactics and procedures used by certain law enforcement agencies.</li></ul>Arturo’s nomination this year was supported by, among others, retired U.S. District Court Judge Oliver W. Wanger, who presided over two pro bono jury trials in which Arturo served as lead counsel and achieved “outstanding and exemplary results” for plaintiffs with civil rights claims against law enforcement.The ABA Pro Bono Publico Awards are the top honors given by the ABA Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service, which over the years has spotlighted the pro bono efforts of individual lawyers and small and large law firms, government attorney offices, corporate law departments, and other institutions in the legal profession.Jim and Arturo are both past presidents of the Bar Association of San Francisco, and have been admitted to the top three invitation-only trial lawyer organizations — the American College of Trial Lawyers, the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, and the American Board of Trial Advocates.Download <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://media2.mofo.com/v3/assets/blt5775cc69c999c255/blteed0caa2019b3f85/62730d76deee7329767e739c/191018-moprobono-fall-2019.pdf">a copy of our MoProBono newsletter</a> to learn more other recent pro bono honors and awards, in addition to inspiring pro bono matters that MoFo lawyers haven taken on this year.

07_29_blog-thumbnail_trophy.jpg

MoFo Trial Titans Jim Brosnahan and Arturo González Awarded Top Honors at ABA 2019 Annual Meeting

MoFo Trial Titans Jim Brosnahan and Arturo González Awarded Top Honors at ABA 2019 Annual Meeting

08_13_headshot-gonzalezbrosnahan_li-1024x535.jpg

08_13_headshot-gonzalezbrosnahan_li-1024x535

The American Bar Association honored Morrison & Foerster veteran trial lawyers Jim Brosnahan and Arturo González with prestigious awards during the organization

As part of their work as Morrison & Foerster’s pro bono counsel, <a href="https://www.mofo.com/people/jennifer-brown.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Jennifer Brown</a>, <a href="https://www.mofo.com/people/dorothy-fernandez.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Dorothy Fernandez</a>, and <a href="https://www.mofo.com/people/rachel-williams.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Rachel Williams</a> coordinate the firm’s participation in clinics that offer free legal services and other resources to worthy causes and people in need. Here are descriptions of some of the important work that MoFo volunteers recently performed at clinics over the summer–efforts that are emblematic of MoFo’s commitment to community service and public interest work.San Francisco Asylum with AutodeskIn June, Rachel organized an asylum clinic that took place in MoFo’s San Francisco office with <a href="https://www.centrolegal.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Centro Legal de la Raza</a>, a legal services organization based in Oakland.The clinic’s participants included a MoFo summer associate, five MoFo lawyers, and a lawyer and legal interns from the software company Autodesk, which is a firm client. The volunteers were able to help five clients who had fled persecution and violence in their home countries prepare their applications for asylum in the United States.“Asylum seekers have to file an application within one year of their arrival in the United States, unless they prove eligible for certain exceptions,” Rachel explains. “Unfortunately, due to overwhelming demand for free or affordable immigration help, many asylum seekers cannot find counsel who can commit to representing them throughout their case, so they are in danger of missing that filing deadline. At the clinic, we work with clients to prepare applications so they can file them before that deadline.”The clients, who were from Central America and Mexico, were directed to the asylum clinic through Centro Legal de la Raza, which provided the clinic with a supervising attorney who is an expert in immigration law and an experienced immigration paralegal.After getting trained in asylum law, volunteers assembled into small teams, each of which included a MoFo lawyer and an interpreter. Then it was time for the interviews.“It’s an in-depth meeting with each client for several hours,” Rachel describes. “These volunteers heard the clients’ sometimes horrific stories of violence and other terrible experiences. It can get intense and emotional.”At the end of the day, the pro bono lawyers and summer interns parted ways with their clients, and the Centro Legal de la Raza paralegal accompanied the asylum seekers to court to file the applications that the clinic’s volunteers prepared. From there, the long and complicated U.S. immigration process for the asylum seekers began.Legal Services NYC Naturalization Clinic in Partnership with PrudentialA clinic organized by Jennifer in the New York office on May 30 helped pro bono clients who are further along in the immigration process–permanent residents who are applying for naturalization as U.S. citizens. For this clinic, the firm partnered with lawyers and other professionals from Prudential, a MoFo client where MoFo alumna Leda Moloff is a corporate counsel, and the training sessions were conducted by <a href="https://www.legalservicesnyc.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Legal Services NYC</a>, where MoFo alumnus Adam Heintz now works as the director of pro bono services.MoFo will continue to represent the eight clients who got their naturalization applications underway on the day of the clinic. Jennifer explained that applying for naturalization often takes more than a single step. “For example, most of these clients are eligible to have their naturalization fees waived by the government, but the government is now rejecting a lot of applications for fee waivers or demanding more evidence of the clients’ low income. We help the clients with issues like that.” MoFo lawyers will also prepare clients for their naturalization interviews and attend the interviews with them. In New York, these typically take place about a year after the application is fully submitted.Associate Amanda Gayer’s client from a similar clinic held with Prudential in 2018 recently passed her interview and was naturalized. Reflecting on the experience, Amanda said: “Guiding a client through the naturalization process has been a rewarding experience. Legal assistance gave her support and reassurance, and helped to prevent errors, setbacks and delays. It has been a privilege to collaborate and build a relationship with the client, who put a great deal of time and hard work toward this achievement.”IMPACT LA Clinic at the Jenesse CenterFor the fifth year in a row, summer associates and attorneys from MoFo’s Los Angeles office volunteered at the IMPACT LA Clinic, which advises domestic violence survivors on housing, immigration, and benefits questions.IMPACT LA is coordinated by <a href="https://onejustice.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">OneJustice</a>, a California-wide nonprofit, and takes place in conjunction with the work of the <a href="https://jenesse.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Jenesse Center</a>, the oldest domestic violence intervention center in South Los Angeles. MoFo got involved in the clinic because Jennifer, Dorothy, and Rachel are members of the <a href="https://apbco.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Association of Pro Bono Counsel</a> (APBCo). “Involving More Pro Bono Attorneys in Our Communities Together” (IMPACT) projects, which combine the efforts of several law firms in one city, are the result of a meeting held in 2012 among then-Vice President Joe Biden, APBCo board members, and senior management of the board members’ firms to discuss how law firm pro bono could better meet community needs.Many domestic violence survivors face hurdles in getting back on their feet after leaving abusive relationships. They may find themselves in changed living situations or with limited financial resources. Volunteers at the IMPACT LA clinic work with survivors to access legal resources on issues such as immigration status, avoiding homelessness, or applying for government benefits. For instance, “sometimes an abuser uses a survivors’ undocumented status as a weapon,” Dorothy explains. Abusers may threaten to call immigration authorities if their partner reports the abuse. “So we work with the survivors to see if they might be eligible for immigration relief, in particular U visas, which are for survivors of serious crimes like physical abuse.”While MoFo attorneys also staff the LA IMPACT clinic at other times during the year, the summer session allows summer associates to get a real taste of the firm’s pro bono program and to see firsthand some of the issues our community members face and how law firms can play a role in closing the access to justice gap.The AFFORD Business Club (ABC) Clinic in LondonIn the firm’s London office, MoFo lawyers conduct clinics in partnership with nonprofit African Foundation for Development (AFFORD) for AFFORD’s Business Club (ABC), which supports the African-focused business community in the UK. The clinics’ objective: to encourage development in African countries by providing free legal counsel to small businesses that either operate in Africa and have a presence in the UK or operate in the UK and somehow benefit Africa by, for example, investing in areas of African development or agriculture.MoFo associate Jason Mbakwe and senior of counsel Howard Morris are two of the clinic’s main participants.“There are a lot of people of recent African heritage who are living in the UK for a time and are forming businesses here. It’s very expensive. They need some support,” says Howard. “We provide that support where the business has a connection with Africa, so you’ll get somebody who’s, for example, selling a product in the UK and they’re sourcing it from Nigeria.”In September 2018, MoFo lawyers in London kicked off the program with a seminar that addressed key areas of law that apply to the businesses run by ABC’s members.Since then, in one-on-one, half-hour-long sessions, the clinics’ volunteers have been addressing legal questions submitted by ABC members in advance. The most recent of those sessions took place in July 2019.Jason and Howard report that questions have ranged from “What is the best way to protect a business’ intellectual property in both Africa and the UK?” to “What is the best way to comply with the GDPR?”“Lawyers from across all the disciplines in the London office deploy to provide tax support, labor law support, corporate support, and litigation support,” says Howard. “They’ll explain how to form a business and the advantages of being a limited liability company over being a sole trader, for example. In addition, a number of the MoFo lawyers who are involved in the clinic are of African heritage themselves. Their familiarity with the economic and cultural issues involved certainly helps.”Nonprofit Governance Policies ClinicNorthern Virginia partner Tom Knox also found himself teaching an organization how to navigate the law one morning this summer, but in his case, it was a nonprofit client: <a href="http://nlsp.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Neighborhood Legal Services Program</a> in Washington, D.C.Tom met the client at the Nonprofit Governance Policies Clinic, organized by the <a href="https://www.dcbar.org/pro-bono/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">D.C. Bar Pro Bono Program</a> and hosted by MoFo’s Washington, D.C., office for several summers. This year, the D.C. Bar teamed up MoFo lawyers with members of the legal department at the energy company Exelon to help local nonprofits with their basic conflict of interest, document retention, and whistleblower protection policies.“A lawyer from the D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center conducted a training for the lawyers in the morning,” Jennifer describes, “and then the lawyers met up with the nonprofit organizations to revise or comment on those organizations’ existing policies or work with them to create new policies based on a template from the D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center.”While Tom’s client is itself a legal organization, Jennifer explained that it still needed a lawyer’s help. “It’s typical of nonprofits to be short on the time and resources necessary to attend to corporate governance matters. They’re busy running their programs and helping people.”Download <a href="https://media2.mofo.com/v3/assets/blt5775cc69c999c255/blteed0caa2019b3f85/62730d76deee7329767e739c/191018-moprobono-fall-2019.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">a copy of our MoProBono newsletter</a> to learn more about inspiring pro bono matters that MoFo lawyers haven taken on this year.MoFo New York corporate partner Dario de Martino (left) and corporate associates Joan Kim (center) and Jenny Wang (far right) offer legal services to members of the community during one of the firm’s many summer pro bono legal clinics.

10_23_probonoclinic_li.jpg

Summer Service: MoFo Pro Bono Clinics Help Clients Throughout the U.S. and Beyond

Summer Service: MoFo Pro Bono Clinics Help Clients Throughout the U.S. and Beyond

As part of their work as Morrison & Foerster’s pro bono counsel, Jennifer Brown, Dorothy Fernandez, and Rachel Williams coordinate the firm’s participation in c

London-based associate <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.mofo.com/people/mercedes-samavi.html">Mercedes Samavi</a> is the 2019 recipient of the Kathi Pugh Award for Pro Bono Service.Since her arrival at Morrison & Foerster in 2013, Mercedes Samavi has been a consistently dedicated and enthusiastic contributor to the firm’s pro bono program, using her knowledge as a member of the Technology Transactions Group and the Global Privacy Group to advise an impressive number of nonprofit and social enterprise pro bono clients on intellectual property and data protection matters, and to help organizations draft and negotiate various types of agreements.“Running a startup is difficult and legal help is often prohibitively expensive,” explained Simon Riley, the CEO of one of Mercedes’ clients, MakerClub, a social enterprise designed to encourage electronic engineering projects among children. “Mercedes’ help has meant that we can be confident in the partnerships that we enter into and that the company is protected with all the proper documentation,” said Simon, who noted that MakerClub recently won a grant to use its technology to work with 300 disadvantaged children to design inventions to improve the local community.The clients that Mercedes has helped in this way include Smile Train UK, a charity that supports cleft repair; Peer Power, a social justice charity that offers bereavement and other mental health programs to people who experienced trauma as children; ISEAL Alliance, a nonprofit whose mission is to strengthen global sustainability standards systems; and Margaret Pyke Trust, a charity that promotes reproductive rights, knowledge, and services.Like Simon, Anne-Marie Imafidon, the cofounder and CEO of Stemettes, attributes some of the success achieved by her organization, a social enterprise created to spark girls’ interest in STEM, to Mercedes’ pro bono contributions.“We would not be where we are now as a nonprofit if not for [Mercedes’] attention to details and all round awesomeness,” said Anne-Marie. “What a lawyer. What a woman. We’re running out of ways to thank her for all she keeps doing for us.”In addition to advising nonprofits and social enterprises, Mercedes has taken on a variety of other pro bono matters, including representing individuals with disability benefit appeals in collaboration with London-based charity Z2K (Zacchaeus 2000).As the winner of the Kathi Pugh Award, Mercedes was given the opportunity to direct a $10,000 donation to a nonprofit organization that enhances access to justice. She has directed the contribution, which will be funded jointly by the firm and The Morrison & Foerster Foundation, to the Coram Children’s Legal Centre. The donation will support the Migrant Children’s Project, whose services include free legal advice to immigrant children and youth.This is the sixth annual Kathi Pugh Award. New York associate <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.mofo.com/people/adam-hunt.html">Adam Hunt</a>, San Diego associate Christian Andreu-von Euw, San Francisco senior counsel Ruth Borenstein, Washington, D.C. partner Natalie Fleming Nolen, and San Francisco partner Alfredo Silva were the firm’s prior honorees.The Kathi Pugh Award was established by Morrison & Foerster in 2013, when Kathi Pugh retired after two decades of running the firm’s pro bono program. It recognizes the values, enthusiasm, and compassion that Kathi brought to the pro bono program and celebrates the remarkable ways that lawyers like Mercedes Samavi proudly carry out Kathi’s pro bono legacy.Download <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://media2.mofo.com/v3/assets/blt5775cc69c999c255/blteed0caa2019b3f85/62730d76deee7329767e739c/191018-moprobono-fall-2019.pdf">a copy of our MoProBono newsletter</a> to learn more about inspiring pro bono matters that MoFo lawyers haven taken on this year. Paul Friedman, Morrison & Foerster’s Managing Partner for Europe, presents London associate Mercedes Samavi with the firm’s 2019 Kathi Pugh Award for outstanding pro bono service.<img sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" height="933" width="700" src="https://media2.mofo.com/v3/images/blt5775cc69c999c255/blt94d5d024a54db56a/6287fdd5b385dc535242695b/img_0939-e1571673108177.jpg?format=auto&quality=60" class="aligncenter wp-image-4162 " loading="lazy" type="asset" sys-style-type="download">Morrison & Foerster’s 2019 Kathi Pugh Award recipient, Mercedes Samavi, poses for a photo during a celebration in her honor in the firm’s London office.

merecedes_thumb.jpg

Mercedes Samavi Wins 2019 Kathi Pugh Pro Bono Service Award

Mercedes Samavi Wins 2019 Kathi Pugh Pro Bono Service Award

img_0914-e1571672988274.jpg

London-based associate Mercedes Samavi is the 2019 recipient of the Kathi Pugh Award for Pro Bono Service. 

As this year’s National Celebration of Pro Bono kicks off, we have much to be proud of here at Morrison & Foerster. In honor of Pro Bono Week 2019, we are thrilled to unveil the latest edition of MoProBono. In our newsletter, you will have a chance to learn more about how our lawyers are making a positive impact on our world through pro bono, including:<ul><li>How lawyers in our Washington, D.C. office won a  groundbreaking federal court ruling prohibiting the state of Georgia from using an all-electronic voting system with no independent paper record because it likely violates the constitutional right to vote in today’s environment of sophisticated election interference.</li><li>How a London team is working  with the charity Z2K (Zacchaeus 2000 Trust), to help clients with mental and physical disabilities navigate a broken social security and welfare benefits system so they can gain access to life-changing benefits.</li><li>The significant lifelong achievements of two of our veteran trial lawyers, Jim Brosnahan and Arturo González, whom the American Bar Association honored with prestigious awards for their immeasurable contributions to public service, the legal profession, and the community at large.</li></ul>Download <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://media2.mofo.com/v3/assets/blt5775cc69c999c255/blteed0caa2019b3f85/62730d76deee7329767e739c/191018-moprobono-fall-2019.pdf">a copy of our newsletter</a> to learn more about these and many more inspiring pro bono matters that MoFo lawyers haven taken on this year.

mofotogether-celebrateprobono-thumb.jpg.jpg

MoFo Celebrates Pro Bono Week 2019

10_21_fallprobonewsletter_celebrate_li.jpg

As this year’s National Celebration of Pro Bono kicks off, we have much to be proud of here at Morrison & Foerster. In honor of Pro Bono Week 2019, we are thril