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

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>.

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Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer

Partner

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

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

Natalie Kernisant

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

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Pro Bono Counsel

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

Dorothy L. Fernandez

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

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

Rachel P. Williams

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

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MoFo Celebrates Earth Day

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

Faces of MoFo: Dominick Divine III

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

MoFo Wins Asylum for Cameroonian Political Refugee

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We are excited to announce that MoFo is expanding our Affinity Program to include our Women of Color Collective (WoCC), led by San Francisco partner Christin Hill and New York partner Tammy Davies. The collective provides an opportunity for members to connect and celebrate their valuable perspectives. By fostering opportunities for meaningful engagement with clients, we aim to elevate and share our collective experiences as women of color in our industry.In January, we officially launched the WoCC with a kickoff event in the New York office, where Tammy was joined by <a href="https://ccwomenofcolor.org/founder-ceo/" target="_blank">Laurie Robinson Haden</a>, the founder, president, and CEO of Corporate Counsel Women of Color (CCWC), for a discussion about the importance of diversity and inclusion and supporting women of color in the legal profession.Laurie grew up in a predominantly African American community near Washington, D.C., where her parents’ professional roles instilled in her a strong sense of ambition and possibility. She attended North Carolina Central University, an HBCU, where she thrived in leadership roles, and later pursued her legal education at Indiana University School of Law at Bloomington, where she experienced being a minority for the first time, which shaped her understanding of diversity.Her career began with an internship with the National Football League in New York City, where she built her network from scratch using traditional methods. This led to positions at Epstein, Becker, and Green, and ultimately CBS Corporation, where she rose to Senior Vice President and Assistant General Counsel of Litigation.In 2004, Laurie founded CCWC, inspired by her experiences of isolation and the lack of networks available to women of color in corporate legal environments. Initially, the organization began as a small gathering of 10 women who met to share their experiences and support each other in navigating their careers.Laurie recognized the potential for a broader network and created a directory that contained members’ details and facilitated connections among women of color in the legal field. The concept quickly gained traction, and within a week, the network expanded to 50 women, as members shared the directory with their contacts.CCWC's growth was exponential, and it now connects 30,000 attorneys globally. The organization provides a platform for women of color to network, share experiences, and access opportunities that might otherwise be unavailable.Laurie’s career progression at CBS Corporation was significantly influenced by her proactive networking and leadership skills, which she honed through her early experiences and the founding of CCWC. Her ability to create impactful connections and demonstrate her value was further exemplified in her relationship with her sponsor Louis Briskman, whom she credits as having played a pivotal role in her career development.Laurie first gained Louis’ attention through her active participation in company initiatives, which allowed her to demonstrate her leadership and organizational skills. Impressed by her work with the CCWC, Louis recognized her potential and offered her a position working directly for him, bypassing traditional hierarchies. Their relationship was mutually beneficial, as Laurie consistently delivered high-quality work, which led Louis to provide her with high-visibility assignments and introductions to key executives, further advancing her career. Laurie highlights this relationship as an example of how a sponsor can significantly impact one’s career by offering visibility and advocating for professional growth.Laurie’s new book, It’s Time to Shine: A Guide for Professionals of Color on How to Advance Their Career, is the culmination of over 20 years of professional experience and shares valuable insights and lessons she has learned throughout her career. She was motivated to write the book after observing many executives rise within corporations only to eventually stagnate or transition out without passing on their knowledge and experiences to the next generation. Designed to be a playbook that readers can refer to at different stages of their careers, the book offers guidance on setting and achieving career goals and encourages readers to advocate for themselves.Laurie concluded the discussion by emphasizing that in uncertain times, resilience and perseverance are crucial, urging individuals to know their value and identity to confidently navigate challenges.“No matter what happens—maybe somebody might yell at you or say you don’t belong here—you’ve got to shine,” she said. “You’re driving your career.”

Pearlstein v. BlackBerry Ltd.

Broadscale OC Investors v. Clayton

Murphy v. Precision Castparts Corp.

Klein v. Ellison et al.

Rosenow v. Facebook.

In re Ocera Therapeutics, Inc.

MaxLinear, Inc.

Technology Storage Company

Energy Company

AI Computing Company

Financial Services Company

Global Venture Investor

Former CFO of Pharmaceutical Company

Private Technology Company

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Christin Hill is a partner in Morrison Foerster’s San Francisco office and a member of the firm's Securities Litigation group.

Christin Hill

Christin Hill is a partner in Morrison Foerster’s San Francisco office and a member of the firm's Securities Litigation group.

Christin J. Hill

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Tammy Davies is a partner in Morrison Foerster’s New York office and member of the firm’s Finance Group.

Tammy C. Davies

Tammy Davies

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Editors’ Note: As part of our ongoing Faces of MoFo series, Giselle Caridad Sardinas, a Transactions associate in the firm’s Miami office, discusses her career path and what led her to call MoFo home.I’m a first-generation Cuban American, the oldest of three sisters, and the first in my family to graduate from college and earn a professional degree. My parents came to the United States from Cuba in the 1980s with nothing but the clothes on their backs. Their resilience and hard work have been the foundation of my journey.From a young age, I watched them grow their business from a one-man operation locksmith van to a fully operational brick-and-mortar commercial security enterprise. Their story is just one of many similar stories you’ll come across in the vibrant immigrant community of Miami-Dade County, where I grew up. I have been fortunate to witness firsthand how my parents, and the Latinx community as a whole. have shaped Miami-Dade County into what it is today. There is beauty in seeing how the people of this community will consistently lift one another up, recognizing that many have had to bootstrap their way to success.In my own journey, I found that one of the glaring challenges for immigrants and first-generation Americans was the often limited access to information. For instance, when it came to applying for college, there was a prevailing mindset in the immigrant community that any college in America was a step in the right direction. It was only when I saw friends filling out applications to universities I had never heard of that I learned about how different schools offered different benefits and that I needed to be strategic in where to apply.Once enrolled at the University of Miami as an undergrad, I had to learn how to navigate the road ahead on my own—figuring out which courses to take, what to major in, what activities to get involved with, and so forth. I did not know what to choose and neither did my parents. Still, having always been a curious person, I explored various disciplines until I ultimately chose to focus on finance and legal studies (with a math minor because I enjoyed calculus) because of their practical implications. I found finance particularly insightful because it challenged how many in my Latinx community and I were raised to think about money. Growing up, money was meant to be saved (not invested) and debt was viewed negatively, with an emphasis on paying off mortgages quickly and avoiding revolving credit. During my years working in the commercial lending space and later in real estate development, it was clear that, when managed wisely, debt can be a powerful tool for growth and investment, which is especially important for immigrants like my parents and first-generation Americans seeking to achieve the American Dream and for younger cities to flourish and become booming metropolises. Over the last 15 years, I have seen a shift in this mindset in the Latinx community in Miami-Dade County, and I have had the privilege of watching small businesses like my parents’ enterprise bloom and the Miami skyline explode. Unsurprisingly, I am now a real estate and fund finance lawyer and feel deeply fulfilled in my practice.My journey thus far has also been purposeful in shaping one of my greatest passions: expanding access to information to help people get ahead. I greatly enjoy mentoring others and providing solutions to family, friends, and now, clients. From serving on the student government executive board in high school to being president of Phi Alpha Delta Pre-Law Fraternity in undergrad, there was never a time when I wasn’t working for the benefit of others. Now at MoFo, I chair the Miami office Associate Committee, ESG Committee, and Women’s Affinity Group, and have worked on various immigration pro bono cases on behalf of Afghan migrants that helped the United States during the war in Afghanistan, unaccompanied minors that enter the U.S. border, and Dreamers renewing their Dream Act applications, among others. In my community, I currently serve on the Young Professionals’ Council for Legal Services of Greater Miami, where we help the organization raise money so it can continue to bridge the justice gap by providing high-quality, free civil legal services to low-income individuals and families in Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties, and also serve on the Young Alumni Board of the University of Miami Law Review, where we mentor members of the Law Review as they look to pave their own path in the legal profession. I truly enjoy bringing people together, connecting those in my network, and being a resource whenever possible.My parents left everything they knew behind in the pursuit of the American Dream, and as I recount my own experiences, including working at MoFo, I can happily say that I’ve achieved my own version of this dream so many strive to reach, and this is only the beginning. I’m proud to work in a firm that values hard work and embraces authenticity and individuality. A favorite MoFo motto, which was said by our prior chair during my first-year orientation, is that “we do serious work without taking ourselves too seriously,” — a sentiment that perfectly captures the supportive and approachable environment I’ve found here. I have found a family at MoFo and feel honored to be a part of this firm.In my free time, I enjoy checking out the Miami food scene, boating with my family and friends, rollerblading, and belting out “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now” by Celine Dion at karaoke.

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Associate

Giselle C. Sardiñas is an associate Morrison Foerster's Real Estate Group.

Giselle Caridad Sardiñas

Giselle Sardiñas

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Faces of MoFo: Giselle Caridad Sardinas

Editors’ Note: As part of our ongoing Faces of MoFo series, Patricia Perez Elias, a Transactions associate in the firm’s Boston office, discusses her career path and what led her to call MoFo home.I was born in Puerto Rico, a small, beautiful island in the Caribbean belonging to the United States. My parents had been young when they got married, finished college, and had me and my sister in their early twenties. From an early age, I was aware of my parents’ dreams and aspirations for me and my sister. Like many from their generation, they wanted us to succeed in school in order to be able to get into a prestigious university on the mainland. While I loved growing up in Puerto Rico, moving to the mainland would seemingly bring the financial stability my own parents never had growing up or raising us. But one week into making this dream finally come true, everything came crashing down.Twelve years ago, and one week into my first year of college at Boston University, I received an early morning call from my dad – my mom had been the victim of a hit and run while she was training for the Chicago Marathon alongside her two closest running friends. While I don’t remember much about that specific day as I waited for extended family from Connecticut to come pick me up, I have very distinct memories of the following weeks.I didn’t immediately fly to Puerto Rico, as my dad had convinced me that everything was going to be okay and that I should wait until things had settled down a bit. After my mom survived the first night, then the second night, and then a full week, her prognosis, while still delicate, seemed to be getting better. A week after the accident, I finally got to visit her. I was determined to be positive and make everything feel as normal as I possibly could.My dad, my sister, and I were in the car driving home after a day spent at the ICU when I said to him, “I’ll leave BU and stay here.” I knew very tough times were ahead.“No, you go back there and you make us proud, just like we know you can and just like I know your mom wants you to,” he said. Getting on that plane back to Boston was one of the most difficult decisions I have made in my life, even to this day.After months in the ICU and then in rehab in Atlanta for her traumatic spinal cord injury (thanks to hundreds of thousands of generous Puerto Ricans who fundraised for her medical costs), my mom pulled through. While she will never be able to walk again and the life my parents once imagined for our family was drastically changed, once again I saw my parents putting into action what they had taught me at a young age—you never give up, you keep fighting, you keep going.Through the remainder of my years in college, then through law school and now in my career, I put into practice the lessons I learned during that time. As an associate in Morrison Foerster’s Mergers and Acquisitions practice, my job requires me to adapt, to be solution-oriented, and to work efficiently with a team. Even more valuable to me is that I am able to connect with my clients and colleagues on a personal level because I know that even when times are difficult and problems seem insurmountable, sticking to the course, being grounded, and taking it one step at a time is the only way to achieve success. It is this determination and this ethos that I take with me in every deal and that allow me to represent my clients with integrity and passion. As many other experienced colleagues have told me again and again, “It’s a marathon, not a sprint,” and I’m not sure my colleagues know how true those words ring. Now, twelve years later, I will run the Chicago Marathon in October in honor of my mom and she, alongside my “team” of family and friends, will be cheering me on from the sidelines from the moment I toe the starting line through the crossing of the finish line. I can’t imagine a higher privilege than getting to do this for them.

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Patricia Perez Elias is a corporate associate in the Boston office of Morrison Foerster.

Patricia Perez Elias

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Faces of MoFo: Patricia Perez Elias

During Latinx Heritage Month, we celebrate the many contributions Latinx individuals have made throughout history. In recognition of Latinx Heritage Month, we honor Ruti Smithline, co-chair of the firm’s Investigations + White Collar Criminal Defense group and co-chair of the firm’s Latin America Practice. Her practice focuses on complex litigation, with an emphasis on white collar criminal defense, SEC enforcement, and corporate internal investigations.Ruti is a member of the firm’s global FCPA + Anti-Corruption Task Force. She regularly advises clients on cross-border investigations, global compliance programs and anti-corruption due diligence for acquisitions, joint ventures, and private equity transactions. Ruti has represented individual and corporate defendants in cross-border criminal investigations, SEC enforcement matters, and other regulatory proceedings, including matters related to trade sanctions and anti-money laundering. She has experience conducting corporate internal investigations both domestically and internationally, often advising clients on remedial measures responsive to the issues investigated.As co-chair of Morrison Foerster’s Latin America practice and a partner in the Investigations & White Collar practice, how do you leverage your expertise to address the unique challenges faced by clients in the region?In my white collar criminal defense practice, I leverage my deep understanding of Latin America’s legal and cultural landscape, along with my U.S. legal training, to address the needs of our clients. Having been born and raised in Colombia and being a native Spanish speaker, I am well versed in navigating nuances of Latin America business practices, regulatory environments, and cultural differences. This background enables me to communicate effectively—without the need for translation—with local stakeholders and authorities, ensuring that our clients receive tailored advice that takes into account both local and international legal standards. My expertise in U.S. law further allows me to guide clients through cross-border issues, providing a strategic advantage in investigations, compliance, and risk management. My familiarity with the local business, economic, and political climates across the region, in addition to my language capabilities, has really helped me help clients bridge the gap between the compliance and enforcement landscapes of the U.S. and a variety of jurisdictions in the region.During your in-country visits to key markets such as Colombia and Brazil, what are some of the most pressing legal issues you have encountered, and how has your team addressed them?Given my practice, I see clients across the region being particularly focused on anti-corruption, anti-money laundering, and sanctions compliance and enforcement. Clients are constantly challenged by the complex legal, economic, and political realities of the region, which can be in tension with global regulatory and law enforcement expectations. For example, recent years have seen a backsliding of anti-corruption enforcement in Brazil and stalled enforcement in Mexico, while Latin America continues to be a key focus of U.S. enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. We have also seen countries develop hyper-technical regulatory requirements that present challenges for companies looking to implement and operationalize global compliance programs. Likewise, while the United States continues to enforce and tighten significant sanctions against Venezuela, countries like Colombia are redeveloping their relations with Venezuela, bringing both potential opportunities and significant risks. We are helping clients navigate these issues from proactive compliance counseling to reactive investigations as issues arise. By combining the team’s regional knowledge with a global perspective, we help our clients navigate complex legal landscapes and achieve their objectives efficiently and effectively.As we celebrate Latinx Heritage Month, what message would you like to share with young aspiring legal professionals?I want to share a message of encouragement and pride. Our heritage is a source of strength and helps us bring unique perspectives to the legal profession. Remember that cultural background, language skills, and life experiences give us a distinct edge, allowing us to analyze and address complex legal issues in ways that others may not. I encourage you to embrace your identity and let it be a guide in your career. Never underestimate the value of your voice and use your unique voice to provide excellent client service and drive change in the legal profession. Remember to lift others along the way and help create a more inclusive and diverse legal community.

Monitorship Team for a Large South American Company

Fortune 500 Company

A Multinational Agricultural Company

A Multinational Electronics Company

Audit Committee of International Company

Global Retailer

A Foreign Bank

A U.S. Holding Company for a Multinational Bank

A State-Owned Bank

Multi-Faceted Investigation of University Grants

Various Individuals in South America

Former Mortgage Executive

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Ruti Smithline, partner, has extensive experience in FCPA compliance, anti-corruption, and securities enforcement and white collar criminal defense issues.

Ruti Smithline serves as co-chair of the firm’s Latin America Desk, in addition to being a member of Morrison Foerster’s FCPA + Global Anti-Corruption group and a former co-chair of the Investigations + White Collar Defense group.

Ruti Smithline

Ruti Smithline | White Collar Defense + FCPA

Ruti Smithline’s work has involved a wide range of white-collar defense activities, including global, cross- border internal investigations, civil and criminal work with the U.S. Department of Justice and attorney general’s offices, SEC enforcement actions, anti- money laundering, and OFAC regulatory matters. The cases she is most proud of are the nonpublic matters where the government did not bring any action against clients.What do you like best about your work? Each matter presents its own challenges, and I love collaborating with clients and colleagues to reach practical solutions. I like that understanding the law in isolation is generally not enough and that each case requires learning the client and the client’s industry. Also, being a native Spanish speaker has enabled me to do white-collar work in Latin America and opened many opportunities for cross-border matters.What do you enjoy doing in your free time? My husband and I have always enjoyed traveling and seeing new places. Since having our daughter, we really appreciate seeing the world through her eyes.What is your favorite thing about living in your current city? I live in Hoboken, New Jersey – which is right across the river from New York City. What I like the most is the sense of community. It has that small-town feel, while still being a city in its own right with all the amenities you would expect. I love that when I walk my daughter to school in the morning, we literally pass dozens of families going to a number of different schools, but we know them all from activities around the city.

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Partner Spotlight: Ruti Smithline

Editors’ Note: Read about Chelsea Kehrer, a Palo Alto associate in the firm’s Litigation Department, in the latest installment of our ongoing Faces of MoFo series.I have never shied away from advocating for what I believe in. On my first day of high school, I confidently marched down to the principal’s office and pitched the idea that I should be allowed to homeschool myself. I came prepared with a bullet point list on the advantages it would give me—mostly centered around finishing high school one year early—and a prepared rebuttal argument to any anticipated disadvantage that he may suggest. To my surprise, Mr. Yoho did not back me up later when I presented the homeschooling option to my parents. As I matured, my advocacy became stronger, more targeted, and largely shaped by the experiences of folks in rural West Virginia. Growing up in Sistersville, West Virginia (a town with one stop light, no major grocery stores, and a lot of natural resource extraction), during a time when the opioid epidemic was at its peak, gave me a unique perspective on criminality, the law, and the need for more social support systems. As a teenager, I first learned about housing instability on a visit to the Carnegie Museum in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  Before this visit, I had never seen anyone sleeping on the street, or being criminalized for doing so. I loudly protested until my dad agreed to buy them some food from a nearby McDonalds, and I spent the rest of my teenage years imploring my family and friends (and anyone else who would listen) to carry spare snacks, water bottles, and some cash to hand out when they went into the city.In college, I gave a three-part presentation to a class of petroleum engineering students on climate change and the effects of natural resource extraction on the land and the people who live on it. In law school, I presented research conducted by myself and other members of the Global Human Rights Clinic on police use of force policies and practices that violate international law at the UN-mandated International Commission of Inquiry on Systemic Racist Police Violence Against People of African Descent in the United States. Nowadays, I volunteer at harm reduction organizations in the city and try to find ways to advocate for folks struggling with substance abuse.MoFo was a natural fit for me after law school because of the firm’s commitment to pro bono work, particularly for causes that I believe in. The mentorship and hands-on experience that I’ve received since I started have only confirmed what I already knew. On one of my first days at the firm, I was staffed on a pro bono case about students who did not have equal access to education during the COVID-19 pandemic (<a href="/topics/mofo-secures-2-billion-for-california-students" target="_self">the Cayla J. case</a>). It was important to me that I provide the most rigorous legal advocacy for these students that I could. I was surprised that a law firm would not only allow, but fully support, me in spending so much time on a pro bono matter. But MoFo did, and all of the partners and other associates on the team gave the case as much care and time as any other. I was quickly given the opportunity to draft and argue motions, lead meet and confer calls, take depositions, and manage the day-to-day case. Almost every step of the process—from discovery to trial preparations—was entirely new to me, and so many times I felt in over my head. But there was always someone with the experience and know-how that I could turn to for advice or help. I will never forget how supported I felt, even in times of uncertainty. And I now feel more confident in the written and oral advocacy skills that I bring to my other cases.In my free time, you can find me making homemade veggie stock, taking photos of my three cats (Luna, Huey, and Shallot), hiking with my partner Maura, plotting to end the single-use plastic industry, and trying to get someone (anyone) to listen to me talk about food waste.

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Chelsea received her J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School. While in law school, Chelsea worked in the International Human Rights Clinic, where she drafted a report for the International Labo

Chelsea Caylin Kehrer

Chelsea Kehrer

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I have never shied away from advocating for what I believe in. On my first day of high school, I confidently marched down to the principal’s office and pitched the idea that I should be allowed to homeschool myself.

Faces of MoFo: Chelsea Kehrer

Editors’ Note: Read about Lulu Sun, a New York associate in the firm’s Transactions Department, in the latest installment of our ongoing Faces of MoFo series.The most exciting experience I had during college was volunteer teaching. I started by joining one of the largest student organizations at Tsinghua University and assisting with organizing volunteer teaching programs. Our department was mainly collaborating with primary schools for children of migrant workers in Beijing, and right after I was elected as department leader, I started a semester-long program from scratch to provide more opportunities for communication between students and volunteers. After this, I decided to become a volunteer teacher myself in a three-week summer program organized by Peer Experience Exchange Rostrum (PEER), a non-profit organization in Beijing. That experience totally expanded my horizons.The core curriculum of the PEER program encouraged students to research issues they cared about within their local community and bring changes in a thoughtful way. Through this process, students had a chance to develop their core abilities, including communication, public speaking, teamwork, and critical thinking and analysis. They also had the opportunity to attend different kinds of seminars, which we prepared extensively in advance alongside weeks of other training sessions. I also had a great time working with and making connections with fellow Chinese volunteers who came from different colleges and workplaces across continents. The most important theme throughout this experience was that we were peers, not teachers, of all the students and fellow volunteers, and we could freely exchange ideas and learn from each other. After this summer program, I continued to contribute my time and effort to PEER’s endeavor through various roles, as an intern, mentor, interviewer, and committee member for the summer program.My enthusiasm for education prompted me to participate in the Child Advocacy Clinic at Harvard. In this clinic, I worked with an attorney at the Children’s Law Center of Massachusetts and helped advocate for the rights to special education for students with disabilities. I often had a strong sense of accomplishment during this externship since I could see the real impact of my work, and I enjoyed tackling a wide range of legal issues and developing more knowledge about special education law every day.I was able to continue this journey as I joined MoFo. As a Corporate associate, I am now capable of assisting clients from a brand new perspective. One of the first pro bono projects I took on at MoFo was helping in a review of the corporate governance documents for Urban Assembly, a non-profit organization that supports schools in New York City. Even though I am not directly involved in the education work myself, I am now providing professional service that is valued and important for the long-term development of the organization. I also get the chance to learn about the different goals of the pro bono clients and help them with their social causes. This has been a great experience for me, and I would love to help with more pro bono projects in the future.

Faces of MoFo: Lulu Sun