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

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

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Senior Pro Bono Counsel

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

Jennifer K. Brown

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

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Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer

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

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

Natalie Kernisant

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

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Pro Bono Counsel

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

Dorothy L. Fernandez

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

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

Rachel P. Williams

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MoFo Wins Asylum for Cameroonian Political Refugee

MoFo Sponsors the 2024 NAPABA Convention

Navigating Justice and Disability: A Conversation with Judge David Tatel

The MoFo Foundation Supports Pro Bono Partners

MoFo Sponsors the Black Counsel Forum 2024

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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>.

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Matters That Matter: October Pro Bono Roundup

Matters That Matter: October 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

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.

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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

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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

<a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.mofo.com/people/carrie-cohen.html">Carrie H. Cohen</a>, a partner in Morrison & Foerster’s Investigations + White Collar Defense Group, has been named to the board of the directors of <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://volsprobono.org/">Volunteers of Legal Service</a> (VOLS), an organization that provides pro bono legal services to the New York community. VOLS harnesses the power of New York City’s law firms and community-based groups to deliver free, civil legal services when and where they are needed helping New Yorkers attain dignity, security, and opportunity in their lives.During her time at MoFo, Carrie has worked on a wide range of pro bono matters reflecting her passion in criminal law and civil and human rights. She is currently applying her extensive experience in public corruption investigations to help the<a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="http://theilf.org/"> International Legal Foundation</a> train criminal defense lawyers in Afghanistan. Among other things, Carrie has also previously advised a local social services agency as it seeks more equitable pay for community-based preschool teachers, and has assisted several local nonprofits with internal investigations.Carrie is also a leader in advancing women in the legal profession, and serves as a member of the New York City Bar’s <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.vancecenter.org/">Cyrus R. Vance Center for International Justice</a>, where she spearheads a professional development program for women attorneys in Latin America and South Africa. She also co-chairs MoFo’s Women’s Strategy Committee, a group that ensures the advancement of women remains a strategic priority for the firm.Learn more about MoFo’s commitment to pro bono in the recently published fall edition of <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://media2.mofo.com/v3/assets/blt5775cc69c999c255/blteed0caa2019b3f85/62730d76deee7329767e739c/191018-moprobono-fall-2019.pdf">MoProBono</a>.

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Kudos to Carrie H. Cohen on Her Election to the Volunteers of Legal Service Board of Directors

Kudos to Carrie H. Cohen on Her Election to the Volunteers of Legal Service Board of Directors

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Carrie H. Cohen, a partner in Morrison & Foerster’s Investigations + White Collar Defense Group, has been named to the board of the directors of Volunteers of L

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.

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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

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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.

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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.

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Mercedes Samavi Wins 2019 Kathi Pugh Pro Bono Service Award

Mercedes Samavi Wins 2019 Kathi Pugh Pro Bono Service Award

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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.

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MoFo Celebrates Pro Bono Week 2019

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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

MoFo Celebrates Pro Bono Week 2019

On September 26, 2019, MoFo veteran trial lawyer and chair of the firm’s Commercial Litigation & Trial Group <a href="https://www.mofo.com/people/arturo-gonzalez.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Arturo González</a> presented a town hall, speaking to the importance of pro bono work in the Latinx community and beyond. The discussion was one of several activities planned by the firm’s Latino Heritage Month Committee to honor Hispanic Heritage Month and the Latinx lawyers who have made, and continue to make, a lasting impact on our firm and in our communities.Litigation associate and San Francisco Latinx affinity group member Melissa Perez provided opening remarks. Melissa was part of the MoFo team that <a href="https://together.mofo.com/pro-bono/mofo-answers-an-urgent-call-from-the-border-resulting-in-an-emotional-reunion/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">helped a MoFo pro bono client</a> named Yeimi win release from an El Paso detention center and reunite with her two young daughters, ages 3 and 5, after nearly four months of separation earlier this year.During her remarks, Melissa made special mention of local Latina-owned food vendor El Pipila, who catered the lunch. Owned by a mother and her two daughters, El Pipila was founded with the help of the firm’s long-time pro bono client <a href="https://lacocinasf.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">La Cocina</a>, a nonprofit that provides affordable commercial kitchen space, technical assistance, and access to market opportunities for low-income women and immigrant entrepreneurs.In addition to being treated to traditional Guanajuato cuisine, attendees were entertained by <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xs9TANL4Y2s&feature=youtu.be" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">a video</a> profiling Arturo’s long history of pro bono work, filmed by the American Bar Association as part of honoring Arturo with the <a href="https://together.mofo.com/pro-bono/the-aba-honors-mofo-trial-heavyweight-arturo-gonzalez-with-its-2019-pro-bono-publico-award/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">2019 Pro Bono Publico Award</a> for his ongoing commitment to pro bono and public service.MoFo San Francisco partner and Latinx affinity group co-sponsor <a href="https://www.mofo.com/people/alexis-amezcua.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Alexis Amezcua</a> introduced her fellow co-chair and long-time mentor, speaking not only of his many career accomplishments, but also of his inherent commitment to teaching and helping others.“As a woman of color, and as a Latina that comes from this community, [I am proud that] we get to help through our pro bono work,” stated Alexis. “I knew that using my privilege, my education, and my license as a lawyer to help those in the community was going to be critical to my life and to my career. That’s something that Arturo has taught me from the very beginning.”Although Arturo is widely known for his legal prowess in the courtroom, his pro bono advocacy efforts have been equally impactful. During his 35-year tenure at the firm, Arturo has taken on more than 100 pro bono cases, many of which have been civil rights cases resulting in meaningful changes to the policies and procedures practiced by law enforcement and government agencies.During the presentation, Arturo spoke about four of his most memorable and challenging cases, including one of his earliest: the precedent-setting Butt v. State of California—a case that Arturo argued, and won, in the California Supreme Court while he was an associate.“The court issued a unanimous decision that education was a fundamental right and that if you deprive children in one district of part of their school year, you are depriving them of equal protection under the law,” recalled Arturo.Throughout all the pro bono cases he has taken, Arturo has never neglected to give credit where credit is due. “I appreciate the fact that the firm supports the work, but I couldn’t do the work without the support of great associates like these,” stated Arturo as he turned it over to San Francisco litigation associates <a href="https://www.mofo.com/people/camila-tapernoux.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Camila Tapernoux</a> and <a href="https://www.mofo.com/people/shaelyn-dawson.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Shaelyn Dawson</a> to talk about some of the important pro bono cases they are currently working on with the help of Arturo and Alexis.“There’s only an upside when it comes to taking on pro bono matters. There is only an upside when we get to give our clients the best legal representation bar none,” said Alexis. She added that, when people seek help from Arturo, “They know that win, lose, settle, whatever the outcome, they were seen, they were heard, and they got the best legal team on their side.”When asked how he decides which pro bono cases to take, Arturo answered: “I take the cases where I feel the constitution has been violated; the cases that involve a violation of our country’s Bill of Rights—a set of rights given to us, the people. I appreciate the fact that the jury—the people—determine whether the Bill of Rights was violated.”Watch Arturo Gonzalez’s 2019 Pro Bono Publico Award Recipient video:<iframe src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/xs9TANL4Y2s?rel=0" title="Video: Arturo Gonzalez 2019 Pro Bono Publico Award Recipient" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="1" title="iframe"></iframe>Video credit: © 2019 <a href="https://www.prime312.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">PRIME 312 LLC</a>

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Arturo González Talks about the Only Side to Pro Bono Work … the Upside

Arturo González Talks about the Only Side to Pro Bono Work … the Upside

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On September 26, 2019, MoFo veteran trial lawyer and chair of the firm’s Commercial Litigation & Trial Group Arturo González presented a town hall, speaking to 

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 Latinx filmmakers, ensuring the sport of football is accessible to all, and helping to put an end to sexual violence in schools. These are just a few examples of the many ways our lawyers are living out our proud pro bono tradition every day.Improving Living Conditions for Displaced Individuals New York litigation partner Amanda Aikman, with assistance from London associate Harriet Sassoon and trainee solicitor Ziqi Qi, are helping <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://everyshelter.org/about/">Every Shelter, Inc.</a> with developing a statement of supply-chain principles and expectations for suppliers. The nonprofit is dedicated to creating and developing low-cost, high-impact products geared toward improving the lives of refugees living in shelters.The statement will cover slavery, human trafficking, child labor, safe working conditions, and possibly environmental practices. Amanda will also draft a simple template clause for Every Shelter to include in its supplier contracts that will ensure compliance with the statement.Ensuring the Power of Football Is Accessible to All London attorneys <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.mofo.com/people/annabel-gillham.html">Annabel Gillham</a> and <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.mofo.com/people/oliver-spratt.html">Oliver Spratt</a> are partnering with the <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.cafefootball.eu/">Centre for Access to Football in Europe</a> (CAFE) to review and amend a template service agreement and consultancy agreement, and draft an employee privacy notice for CAFE in the UK. CAFE uses the unique power of football (“soccer” in the U.S.) to ensure people with disabilities are able to take their rightful place in the game and the wider society.Working with the Union of European Football Associations, FIFA, football associations, clubs, and fans, CAFE provides training using audio-descriptive commentary, supports the creation and development of disabled supporter groups, collaborates with other NGOs in the sector, and performs research on advancing access and inclusion for people with disabilities.Putting an End to Sexual Violence in Schools The firm is participating in the launch of Equal Rights Advocates’ Pro Bono Attorney Network to <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.equalrights.org/issue/equality-in-schools-universities/ending-sexual-violence-in-education-esve/">End Sexual Violence in Education</a>. The initiative will help students who have been victims of sexual assault, attempted assault, or harassment find support and seek justice before it threatens to disrupt their education.San Francisco litigation associates <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.mofo.com/people/shaelyn-dawson.html">Shaelyn Dawson</a> and <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.mofo.com/people/camila-tapernoux.html">Camila Tapernoux</a>, as well as Northern Virginia litigation of counsel Sue Borschel will participate in the network on a trial basis, with San Francisco partner <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.mofo.com/people/claudia-vetesi.html">Claudia Vetesi</a> supervising. As advocates in the ENOUGH Pro Bono Network, the lawyers will advise student survivors on their rights, help them understand their school’s Title IX protections, and weigh their legal options based on how students would like to move forward.Seeking Reproductive Justice in the Sixth Circuit Litigation senior of counsel Roxann Henry and San Diego litigation associate <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.mofo.com/people/alexandra-preece.html">Alexandra Preece</a> represented the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine as an amicus before the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, opposing a Kentucky law that, if it takes effect, will effectively ban abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy.Representing this specialized medical society, our attorneys explained to the court that the law’s requirement for a physician to induce fetal demise before performing such an abortion is not only clinically unnecessary, but would potentially endanger women seeking abortion while also depriving women who are attempting to complete high-risk pregnancies of the specialty care they require.Creating More STEM Education Opportunities Northern Virginia managing partner Charles Katz is assisting the Kitsi Foundation in setting up a nonprofit organization and obtaining 501(c )(3) tax exempt status. The Kitsi Foundation, which is in the very beginning of its funding stage, is dedicated to advancing STEM education and improving STEM opportunities for children globally. Washington, D.C. tax of counsel <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.mofo.com/people/linda-arnsbarger.html">Linda Arnsbarger</a> will assist with the tax portion.Supporting Up-and-Coming Latinx Filmmakers New York attorneys Tracy Bacigalupo and Elnaz Zarrini are helping <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.latinofilmmarket.org/">The Latino Film Market</a> in drafting a collaboration agreement that they can use with the filmmakers they work with. The Latino Film Market is an organization dedicated to showcasing and promoting Latinx content and upcoming filmmakers.They provide a space for eager Latinx filmmakers to learn and grow their craft and offer workshops, lectures, and panels in addition to networking opportunities. The agreement will include clauses on distribution of profits and permission to showcase short films to distributors, ensuring they are adequately protected and in compliance with relevant laws.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, visit our website.

Matters That Matter: September Pro Bono Roundup

Matters That Matter: September Pro Bono Roundup

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MoFo’s <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.mofo.com/offices/washington-dc.html">Washington, D.C.</a> office turned 40 this year. In honor of this milestone, they planned two days of service to give back to the D.C. community that has done so much for the firm. On August 27 and 28, 2019, 36 MoFo lawyers and staff volunteered at <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://foodandfriends.org/">Food & Friends</a>, a local organization that prepares and delivers nutritional meals to members of the community facing critical illnesses.The service project also featured a food drive that yielded over 1,500 food items. Fueled by a little friendly office competition, co-chair of the firm’s Appellate & Supreme Court practice <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.mofo.com/people/deanne-maynard.html">Deanne Maynard</a> led team K–Z to victory collecting the most donations. As part of a wager between team A–J and K–Z, the losing captain would have to eat five Triple Atomic Hot Wings during the winning team’s celebratory party, a challenge that team A-J’s captain and co-chair of MoFo’s Investigations & White Collar Defense Group <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.mofo.com/people/charles-duross.html">Chuck Duross</a> is actually looking forward to.MoFo Chair Larren Nashelsky addressed the D.C. office volunteers at a reception following the service days, stating “While I offer my congratulations to team K-Z, … all of your donations will go toward improving the lives of deserving members of your community, and I thank you for your efforts.” He also acknowledged the D.C. office’s ongoing commitment to community service and pro bono work, noting the D.C.-based pro bono team’s representation of Georgia voters in challenging the state’s unsecure and unreliable voting system ­— a matter that was recognized on National Law Journal’s Pro Bono Hot List.The D.C. office has a long history of giving its time to great charity efforts, such as Everybody Wins!, volunteering as reading mentors in local schools, organizing school supply and food drives, and collecting toys during the office’s holiday toy drive.<img sizes="(max-width: 685px) 100vw, 685px" height="514" width="685" src="https://media2.mofo.com/v3/images/blt5775cc69c999c255/blt5c0f2c00b839480f/6287fe000457495358474df1/picture4.jpg?format=auto&quality=60" class="aligncenter wp-image-4066" loading="lazy" type="asset" sys-style-type="download">(L to R) Elizabeth Replogle, Christie Mizer, Rachael Plymale, and Bridget Rice get to preppin’<img sizes="(max-width: 685px) 100vw, 685px" height="514" width="685" src="https://media2.mofo.com/v3/images/blt5775cc69c999c255/bltf02661e1abd8d4f7/6287fe00b4fa6b61ed70b453/picture5.jpg?format=auto&quality=60" class="aligncenter wp-image-4069" loading="lazy" type="asset" sys-style-type="download">Benjamin Merenbloom and Julia Figurelli-Masucci loading food bags<img sizes="(max-width: 685px) 100vw, 685px" height="514" width="685" src="https://media2.mofo.com/v3/images/blt5775cc69c999c255/blte2e2c959582be24f/6287fe053b65ce548fba0eaf/picture6-1024x768.jpg?format=auto&quality=60" class="aligncenter wp-image-4073 size-large" loading="lazy" type="asset" sys-style-type="download">Back Row – Teresa Brunot, Benjamin Merenbloom, Mia Queen, Cathy Woods, Michael Paganelli, Kathryn Ryan, Jen Reda, Heather McAuliffe, Evan Harris, Darren Loueiro, Richard Greene, Kevin Blafkin; Front Row – Evelyn White-Bey, Ann Cook, Julia Figurelli-Masucci, Rhonda Wright, Cheryl Sporleder, Wilma Smith<img sizes="(max-width: 685px) 100vw, 685px" height="483" width="685" src="https://media2.mofo.com/v3/images/blt5775cc69c999c255/blt48a7658a40184442/6287fe05bd980555189d7390/20190828_163434-1024x722.jpg?format=auto&quality=60" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-4074" loading="lazy" type="asset" sys-style-type="download">MoFo Chair Larren Nashelsky addresses the D.C. office during a reception following the days of service<img sizes="(max-width: 685px) 100vw, 685px" height="514" width="685" src="https://media2.mofo.com/v3/images/blt5775cc69c999c255/blta906980cddc21af3/6287fe066f81705517a1c9c7/picture1-1024x768.jpg?format=auto&quality=60" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-4076" loading="lazy" type="asset" sys-style-type="download">Team A-J’s food donation table<img sizes="(max-width: 685px) 100vw, 685px" height="514" width="685" src="https://media2.mofo.com/v3/images/blt5775cc69c999c255/blt1c73f3f361876c19/6287fe06b4fa6b61ed70b457/picture8-1-1024x768.jpg?format=auto&quality=60" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-4077" loading="lazy" type="asset" sys-style-type="download">Team  K-Z’s food donation table<img sizes="(max-width: 685px) 100vw, 685px" height="481" width="685" src="https://media2.mofo.com/v3/images/blt5775cc69c999c255/bltbc6c9abb099af491/6287fe060457495358474df5/20190828_170007-1-1024x719.jpg?format=auto&quality=60" class="aligncenter wp-image-4067 size-large" loading="lazy" type="asset" sys-style-type="download">Larren Nashelsky congratulates team K-Z captain Deanne Maynard, while team A-J captain Chuck Duross considers his fate.

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MoFo D.C. Celebrates 40th Anniversary with Food & Friends Service Days

MoFo D.C. Celebrates 40th Anniversary with Food & Friends Service Days

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MoFo’s Washington, D.C. office turned 40 this year. In honor of this milestone, they planned two days of service to give back to the D.C. community that has don