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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Editors’ note: Today, we publish Part II of New York-based litigation associate and MoFo Women’s Strategy Committee member <a href="https://www.mofo.com/people/katie-viggiani.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Katie Viggiani</a>’s interview with the esteemed N.Y.U. Law School <a href="https://its.law.nyu.edu/facultyprofiles/index.cfm?fuseaction=profile.overview&personid=40825" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Professor Melissa Murray</a>. Here Professor Murray addresses women in the legal profession.In addition to teaching courses at NYU Law School on subjects including constitutional law, and reproductive rights and justice, Melissa is faculty director of the school’s <a href="https://www.law.nyu.edu/centers/birnbaum-womens-leadership-network" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Network</a>, an organization working with both law students and law firms to explore how best to help future generations of women lawyers thrive and lead.She reacted to each of the statistics concerning the advancement of women in the legal profession cited by her interviewer with genuine excitement tempered by a healthy dose of skepticism.For instance, Katie brought up the three female justices currently sitting on the Supreme Court—more than there have been at any other time in history. “But,” Katie added, “there have only been four out of 114 ever.”“Three female justices. That’s great. That’s huge,” Melissa responded. “But only 30% of the federal judiciary is composed of women. It’s even bleaker at the state level, where many of the judges are elected.”When Katie brought up the unprecedented fact that the <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/elanagross/2020/02/11/the-journals-at-the-top-us-law-schools-are-all-led-by-women-for-the-first-time/#13b4574737b9" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">editors-in-chief of every one of the top 16 law schools are currently women</a>, Melissa responded, “That’s not just parity. That’s a supermajority. That’s really something to celebrate.” But she also recounted her experience at a <a href="https://www.law.com/2020/01/21/women-hold-editor-in-chief-positions-at-the-16-most-elite-law-reviews/?slreturn=20200220072528" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">conference in Washington, D.C.</a> inspired by the woman-editor trend.“At the conference we discussed what has made [the fact that all of the top law school’s journals’ editors are women] possible,” Melissa said. ““Of course it’s evidence of the moxie and persistence of these women,” she said. “But some of the issues these women were raising were interesting. The work of being the editor-in-chief of a law review seemed to have changed substantially. They are now responsible for creating a warm environment and cultivating an atmosphere where people could work effectively and efficiently together. That is really different from how the editor-in-chief role was imagined when I was in law school.”Melissa had a similar reaction when Katie brought up the fact that, this year, 38% of law school deans are women: the job is very different these days.“I served as the interim dean of Berkeley’s law school for 17 months, and it was the hardest 17 months of my professional career,” she said. “The amount of granular, student focused work that a law school dean has to do is significant.”Melissa described counselling students in the Middle East over the phone when the travel ban went into effect about how to get back into the United States and about what to do if their credit cards no longer had any credit on them to buy a ticket.“These kinds of things would likely have been unfathomable to deans 20 years ago,” she said.“Law schools are more financially precarious than ever,” Melissa explained. “There’s a lot of cost-cutting, a lot of interaction with campus that perhaps law schools didn’t have to do in quite the same way years ago. So part of me celebrates that the number of law school leaders who are women has increased, but another part of me wonders whether that’s because the role has become incredibly demanding and taken on a dimension of housework that’s less appealing for some.”A Plausible ExplanationDespite her concerns, Melissa didn’t seem at all discouraged. The child of emigres from Jamaica, Melissa had a grandmother who insisted that each of her five girls, one of whom was Melissa’s mother, “at least graduate from high school.” When Melissa’s mother, a nurse, attended Melissa’s Yale Law School graduation, “she was sobbing,” Melissa recounted. “And I was mortified,” she laughed.Melissa’s mother explained that she was so emotional because she “never imagined having a daughter who would become a lawyer.”Comparing her experience to her grandmother’s, Melissa pointed out, “That’s just two generations. So the change has come quickly. And I think when it comes that quickly, it’s hard for institutions to catch up, even if they have the best of intentions.”

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Women Are Gaining Ground… But For the Right Reasons?

Editors’ note: Today, we publish Part II of New York-based litigation associate and MoFo Women’s Strategy Committee member Katie Viggiani’s interview with the e

Women Are Gaining Ground… But For the Right Reasons?

In honor of Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day, on March 4, 2020, New York-based litigation associate and MoFo Women’s Strategy Committee member <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.mofo.com/people/katie-viggiani.html">Katie Viggiani</a> interviewed the esteemed New York University Law School <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://its.law.nyu.edu/facultyprofiles/index.cfm?fuseaction=profile.overview&personid=40825">Professor Melissa Murray</a>.A Yale Law School graduate and an award-winning scholar who frequently appears on major television networks, Melissa has been published in respected periodicals including The New York Times and The Washington Post. In MoFo’s New York office, she spoke with Katie about women in the legal profession and a major case over a Louisiana abortion law that was being argued before the U.S. Supreme Court on the very day of her visit.An Abortion Law Being Argued Before the Supreme CourtIn the hours before Melissa would take the stage to do a fireside chat with Katie, the Supreme Court was hearing arguments in <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.scotusblog.com/case-files/cases/june-medical-services-llc-v-russo/">June Medical Services v. Russo</a>, an enormously impactful case over the constitutionality of a Louisiana law requiring abortion providers to obtain admitting privileges at local hospitals—an issue right in Melissa’s bailiwick.“If this strikes you as legal déjà vu to you, it should,” Melissa remarked. “A very similar law was at issue in Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt, a case the Supreme Court heard in 2016. It was a 5-to-3 decision, with Justice Breyer writing for the majority. The Court struck the law down,” Melissa said, rattling off the case’s details with an ease that most people can display only when asked to recite something as familiar as their home address.In Whole Woman’s Health, the Court made it clear that when abortion questions are at issue, the Justices must do more than accept the legislature’s explanation as to why they passed the law, Melissa explained. They must also deeply question whether the professed benefits of the law are commensurate with the burdens it imposes on the women affected.“When the Court took this up in 2016 in Whole Woman’s Health they determined that the admitting privileges requirement actually did not have the professed correlation to increases in abortion patient’s health,” Melissa said. “They Court also noted that it’s often difficult for abortion providers to get admission privileges in Texas because obtaining admission privileges there requires an abortion provider to actually practice in the hospital system and admit a certain number of patients per year.”Because abortions so rarely need to be performed in hospitals, abortion providers don’t usually send enough patients to the hospitals to qualify for these admission privileges.Melissa also noted that “One of the really interesting things about the petition [for certiorari in the Louisiana case] is that the Court actually included an additional question that neither of the parties had raised: whether the abortion providers were the appropriate parties to be bringing this suit, as opposed to abortion patients.”“I think the Court’s inclusion of the standing issue suggests the interest—by at least some members of the court—to have a kind of procedural exit ramp for this case,” Melissa said. “This is an election year. Abortion is certainly a hot-button issue that could incite women to go to the polls. And a way to prevent the Court from becoming a flashpoint in electoral politics would be to decide this case on a jurisdictional question, to say that the parties were not the appropriate parties, that they lacked the appropriate standing.”The Louisiana case is currently stayed (i.e., temporarily suspended). If it passes, two of Louisiana’s three remaining abortion clinics would shutter.Transcripts from the parties’ June Medical Services v. Russo arguments before the Supreme Court weren’t yet available when Melissa met with Katie, and the Supreme Court can take as long as three months after an argument to hand down a decision. Stay tuned.<img sizes="(max-width: 765px) 100vw, 765px" height="573" width="765" src="https://media2.mofo.com/v3/images/blt5775cc69c999c255/bltab7866609a9f988c/6287fd6a1cd65960bcff05c4/img_0290-scaled.jpg?format=auto&quality=60" class="aligncenter wp-image-4538" loading="lazy" type="asset" sys-style-type="download">Members of our New York office pose with Professor Melissa Murray to celebrate International Women’s Day.

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The Advancement of Women in the Legal Profession and Beyond: A Conversation With Professor Melissa Murray

In honor of Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day, on March 4, 2020, New York-based litigation associate and MoFo Women’s Strategy Committee membe

The Advancement of Women in the Legal Profession and Beyond: A Conversation With Professor Melissa Murray

Kristen Mathews, partner in Morrison & Foerster’s <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.mofo.com/capabilities/privacy-data-security.html">Privacy + Data Security</a> practice, is one of the many lawyers leading the way for MoFo. For over 20 years, she has been a lead advisor to her clients on some of the most complex privacy and cybersecurity issues, including crisis, compliance and transactional matters. This includes helping clients respond to cybersecurity incidents and advising clients on complying with data laws such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA).Kristen helps businesses across industries handle data about individuals in a way that both serves their business needs and also navigates the many U.S., state, and international laws that regulate the collection, use, and sharing of personal information. She helps businesses form programs to protect information from unauthorized access, plan for and react to cybersecurity breaches, and defend claims that tend to follow cybersecurity breaches. She also provides counsel on direct marketing compliance, online advertising, telematics, and employee and workplace privacy. Kristen’s clients span a broad range of industries, including technology, finance, retail, consumer goods, health, insurance, media, education, automotive, utilities, sports, and hospitality.Five things you should know about Kristen Mathews are:<ol><li>She has assisted dozens of businesses in varying industries in becoming compliant with California’s CCPA.</li><li>Kristen developed an interest in privacy and data security in her undergraduate years after realizing that’s where her two passions intersected — the Internet and the law.</li><li>The Legal 500 inducted Kristen into its Hall of Fame in the category of Cyber Law.</li><li>In addition to her regular practice, Kristen is also a prolific writer and speaker on the topic of data privacy and cybersecurity.</li><li>Kristen’s “happy places” are in her back yard on her hammock reading to her kids and in the ocean riding waves.</li></ol>Learn more about Kristen and how she’s part of what makes MoFo strong.<iframe src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/BA6FGenan5g?rel=0" title="Video: Women of Influence - Five Things You Should Know about New York Partner Kristen Mathews" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="1" title="iframe"></iframe>

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Women of Influence: Five Things You Should Know About New York Partner Kristen Mathews

Women of Influence: Five Things You Should Know About New York Partner Kristen Mathews

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Kristen Mathews, partner in Morrison & Foerster’s Privacy + Data Security practice, is one of the many lawyers leading the way for MoFo. For over 20 years, she 

International Women’s Day—celebrated on March 8, 2020—is a globally recognized day to honor the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. It is also a day to shine a light on the steps we still need to take to accelerate women’s equality. The theme selected this year is <a href="https://www.internationalwomensday.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">#EachforEqual</a>, reminding us that “an equal world is an enabled world.”MoFo has long championed the importance of diversity in the profession; actively promoting the talents and contributions of women attorneys, and taking action to elevate our high-achieving women. From our sponsorship program and creative community-building events, to our flexible work-life programs and unique career and business development opportunities, MoFo provides a platform for our women lawyers to succeed.Over the last five years, 46 percent of the firm’s partner promotions have been women. Our 2020 partner class—one of the largest to date with 18 total promotions—included eight women. In honor of International Women’s Day, we asked the women of our newest partner class about what #EachforEqual and Women’s History Month means to them, which women have most influenced their careers, and what they see happening in the workforce in favor of women’s advancement.Read their stories here:<a href="https://together.mofo.com/mofo-women/eachforequal-anita-choi/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">#EachforEqual: Anita Choi</a><a href="https://together.mofo.com/mofo-women/eachforequal-julia-balas/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">#EachforEqual: Julia Balas</a><a href="https://together.mofo.com/mofo-women/eachforequal-alja-poler-de-zwart/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">#EachforEqual: Alja Poler De Zwart</a><a href="https://together.mofo.com/mofo-women/eachforequal-alexa-belonick/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">#EachforEqual: Alexa Belonick</a><a href="https://together.mofo.com/mofo-women/eachforequal-mary-prendergast/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">#EachforEqual: Mary Prendergast</a><a href="https://together.mofo.com/mofo-women/eachforequal-christin-hill/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">#EachforEqual: Christin Hill</a>Learn more about MoFo’s long history of advocating for and advancing women <a href="https://www.mofo.com/culture/women-of-mofo/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">here</a>.

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Celebrating International Women’s Day & the Women of MoFo’s 2020 Partner Class

Celebrating International Women’s Day & the Women of MoFo’s 2020 Partner Class

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International Women’s Day—celebrated on March 8, 2020—is a globally recognized day to honor the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women.

<a href="https://www.mofo.com/people/anita-choi.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Anita Choi</a> is a litigation partner in MoFo’s San Francisco office. Her practice focuses on patent prosecution, diligence, and litigation support across a wide array of technologies and fields, such as biochemical and renewable materials, clean technology, agriculture, food products, materials science, molecular diagnostics, medical devices, and pharmaceuticals.What does the International Women’s Day theme “Each for Equal” mean to you?To me, Each for Equal is a reminder that in order to continue on the path to gender equality, we must also continue to challenge stereotypes, address bias, and celebrate our achievements.Tell us about the woman who most influenced your career and how she motivated you.My daughter has been a motivation and inspiration for my career. I want to be a good role model for her, and that desire motivates me to be better every day at what I do and how I interact with those around me.What are some of the biggest opportunities for women in the workforce today? What changes have you seen over the course of your career that paved the way for women’s advancement?As firms and companies are seeing the importance of women in leadership roles, it opens up opportunities for women to fill those positions. But doing so is not always easy. For example, I have found that being a working mother brings its own set of unique challenges. Working a full time job, raising kids, maintaining the household, and finding personal time for oneself is not easy. It is comforting to hear from others that we are not alone in the struggles we face. It is also interesting to hear other women who are leaders in the workplace define success and to see how they are able to achieve success in their own way.

#EachforEqual: Anita Choi

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Anita Choi is a litigation partner in MoFo’s San Francisco office. Her practice focuses on patent prosecution, diligence, and litigation support across a wide a

#EachforEqual: Anita Choi

Julia Balas, a corporate partner in MoFo’s Project Finance Group, is based in the Los Angeles and New York offices. Her practice focuses on representing developers of renewable energy projects, and assisting them with all aspects of their project development needs. She also advises clients on matters such as private equity investments, sponsor-backed leveraged buyouts, mergers, debt and equity securities offerings, and commercial lending and structured finance transactions, as well as general corporate matters, corporate governance, and securities law compliance. What does the International Women’s Day theme “Each for Equal” mean to you? I see this theme as a way to encourage male allies to facilitate the advancement of women. It’s not enough for women to fight their own fight; men in positions of power should be using their advantages to effect change for women and minority populations. During my time on the Women’s Strategy Committee (WSC) at MoFo, I was impressed with how the firm made sure to include men, but gave the leadership roles to women. By allowing and encouraging men to participate as members on the WSC, the firm gives them the opportunity to learn about issues affecting women at the firm, and to provide support as needed. Ultimately, though, it is the women leaders of the WSC who push women’s initiatives forward.Tell us about the woman who most influenced your career and how she motivated you.I don’t know that I can point to one single woman who has shaped my career, because I have always had the privilege of working with exceptional women attorneys.While it might seem trite, I am influenced and motivated by my mother, who decided to go to law school at age 40, and has been successfully running a law practice in our small town in Connecticut. Without her advice and encouragement, I don’t know that I ever would have made it out of my first year of law school!But in many ways, I am also motivated by the women who came before me and had to fight tooth and nail to succeed in an industry that had not been welcoming to women, and who paved the way for my generation to find ourselves comfortable in the law firm environment. I regularly remind myself how good I have it in the workplace and how many advantages I have that weren’t available to those earlier generations.I am also influenced by the women attorneys I work with on a daily basis now: female in-house counsel who command the respect of their colleagues because of the breadth of their knowledge and experience, other female partners who have shown me how to find success in the male-dominated field of renewable energy, and female associates who are still finding their way, but in whom I see promise and potential to be leaders in their field. I find inspiration in all of these women in that they give me hope and encourage me to keep working hard and not get discouraged when faced with challenges.What are some of the biggest opportunities for women in the workforce today? What changes have you seen over the course of your career that paved the way for women’s advancement?Women have more opportunities than ever, at least at workplaces that have instituted policies that encourage the retention of women. I have taken two maternity leaves since joining the firm, the first while I was an associate, and the second during which I was promoted to partner, and I took advantage of many such policies. Not only was I able to take six months of maternity leave to bond with my girls, but the firm’s reduced hours policy and expectations before and after going on leave were hugely important to me. They allowed me to handle all of the last-minute things that need to be done before a baby comes and to mentally readjust to the return to the workplace when my leave was complete. Rather than being expected to hit the ground running on multiple deals the day I returned from leave, I was able to ease back in, which gave me the confidence to handle the work-life balance once things did get busy.I have also seen more women being promoted to leadership positions over the course of my career. While men may be aware of issues affecting women in the workplace, I have found that firms are more likely to implement changes to advance women if there are women in firmwide leadership positions. Over the past several years, MoFo has prioritized diversity in its leadership roles and committees, and the effects of this initiative can be seen in the policies that the firm has implemented.

#EachforEqual: Julia Balas

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Julia Balas, a corporate partner in MoFo’s Project Finance Group, is based in the Los Angeles and New York offices. Her practice focuses on representing develop

#EachforEqual: Julia Balas

<a href="https://www.mofo.com/people/alja-poler-de-zwart.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Alja Poler De Zwart</a> is a partner in MoFo’s Brussels office and is recognized as one of Belgium’s leading practitioners in the technology, media, and telecommunications fields. Her practice focuses on helping clients resolve complex legal issues and representing them in important privacy, data security, and e-commerce matters. What does the International Women’s Day theme “Each for Equal” mean to you? International Women’s Day is an opportunity to reflect and recognize the positive steps that have already been taken towards gender equality, and to think about what else we need to do to actually achieve it.Tell us about the woman who most influenced your career and how she motivated you. I’m fortunate to work with many women who influence my career on a daily basis, such as Miriam Wugmeister, Julie O’Neill, Chris Lyon, Annabel Gillham, and many more. The women in MoFo’s Privacy & Data Security Group are not only excellent lawyers, they are also wonderful mentors, educators, and women’s rights champions and, through their kindness, have become dear friends. Their work ethic and general approach to life, in addition to their willingness to support and promote colleagues, has influenced my own views on life and helped me become a better lawyer and person. In my opinion, MoFo is a champion for women’s equality. In my 6-plus-year tenure, I have never felt disadvantaged because of gender, and for that I am extremely grateful.What are some of the biggest opportunities for women in the workforce today? What changes have you seen over the course of your career that paved the way for women’s advancement? I applaud the success of the growing number of businesswomen I’ve had the pleasure of working with, whether they are colleagues or clients. I’ve also noticed and been inspired by a growing number of women in European politics taking on the highest positions within the Member States’ governments and EU institutions. This process must continue and be supported by men and women alike. More women in the political process will change viewpoints and political policy for generations. It will hopefully evolve into a future where gender is not an issue at all, and where people are evaluated solely on what they can actually do.If you could meet any historically significant woman, who would you choose? What questions would you ask her? This is a difficult question because there are so many wonderful women to choose from. I would love to meet Irena Sendler. She was a Polish social worker who saved 2,500 Jewish babies and children from the Warsaw ghetto in 1942 and 1943, and placed them into safe homes with Polish families. To this day, her courage amazes and inspires me. I would like to listen to her memories from that time, and how she gathered the courage to do what she did. I would also like to hear her thoughts on the world we live in now, where right-wing nationalism appears to be on the rise again. I wonder what her thoughts would be on what needs to change so that the history she lived through in the 1940s does not repeat itself again.

#EachforEqual: Alja Poler De Zwart

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Alja Poler De Zwart is a partner in MoFo’s Brussels office and is recognized as one of Belgium’s leading practitioners in the technology, media, and telecommuni

#EachforEqual: Alja Poler De Zwart

Alexa Belonick is a corporate partner in MoFo’s San Francisco office. Her practice focuses on advising clients on a range of corporate and securities transactional matters, including financings and mergers and acquisitions, as well as on public reporting, compliance, and corporate governance.What does the Women’s History Month theme “Valiant Women and the Vote” mean to you?  Even 100 years after the ratification of the 19th Amendment, the goals and tactics of the suffragists who fought for and won women’s right to vote still resonate with us. Their legacy reminds us that there is always more to do to fight voter suppression and disenfranchisement. The suffragists showed us what can be achieved though grassroots engagement, marching, writing, and organizing. I think many of us (myself included) can get bogged down by the digital overload of news and commentary that leaves us without any tangible takeaways, causing us to feel pessimistic and drained. For me, the suffragist movement is a reminder of the importance and effectiveness of face-to-face interactions and advocacy with fellow citizens.Tell us about the woman who most influenced your career and how she motivated you.I am fortunate to have had several excellent female bosses who have influenced my career, dating back to my first serious job after graduating college. While it’s important to have role models who inspire us – the likes of whom would be speakers at our law school commencement – the women who shape our careers are usually much closer to us.In particular, I am reminded of a female lawyer I worked with years ago who gave me my first real glimpse into how to balance a demanding career with kids. She was remarkably adept at delegating, training, and pushing me just a little farther than my comfort zone, which taught me how to trust myself, how to know when to seek help, and how to problem-solve in uncharted territory. I am still learning to delegate and train as well as she could.I feel extremely heartened to see more and more women participating in the workforce and climbing the ranks in all kinds of fields. Even more important than having one more female Fortune 500 CEO (which we need, too) is having women who can more closely influence and motivate the careers of the next generation.What are some of the biggest opportunities for women in the workforce today? What changes have you seen over the course of your career that paved the way for women’s advancement? I think women can reshape – and are reshaping – the work-life balance conversation for everyone, not just for women who choose to have kids, but also for men, those caring for family members, and those who are seeking better balance in general. The adoption of better family leave policies, having women use those policies so their coworkers see how leaving and re-entering the team’s workflow can work in practice, and using technology and work-from-home policies to find new ways of balancing a career with the many demands of family (like unexpected sick days and midday school events) are all reshaping the conversation.While work-life balance isn’t necessarily just a women’s issue, the realities of how our society is structured means it is most often women who are pushing the boundaries on this topic and who are the beneficiaries of new policies and practices. I’ve been the beneficiary of changing policies and have also seen them further develop during my career. I think (and hope!) the next frontier will be using the power of technology, not as a driver of round-the-clock demands, but as a way to give workers the ability to disconnect when we need to, and to take what we are learning about family leave and other work-life balance policies and expand them beyond the white-collar realm to other parts of the U.S. economy. If you could meet any historically significant woman, who would you choose? What questions would you ask her?I would like to meet Elizabeth N. Tompkins, the first woman to graduate from my alma mater, the University of Virginia (UVA) School of Law. After graduating in 1923, Tompkins clerked for two years in Charlottesville before relocating to Richmond for a distinguished 54-year legal career. She was also the first woman admitted to the Virginia State Bar.UVA’s law library has letters written to her family during her years of law study that provide insight into some of the challenges she faced, such as being excluded from social and academic discussions outside of class and having professors who were resistant to the idea of women in higher education. I would ask her what inspired and motivated her to take on the uphill battle of attending law school, whether her experience changed or reinforced her perspectives about the strengths, weaknesses, and societal roles of men and women, and what she thought the 19th Amendment – which was ratified the same year she matriculated to law school – would mean for women and our country.

#EachforEqual: Alexa Belonick

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Alexa Belonick is a corporate partner in MoFo’s San Francisco office. Her practice focuses on advising clients on a range of corporate and securities transactio

#EachforEqual: Alexa Belonick

<a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.mofo.com/people/mary-prendergast.html">Mary Prendergast</a> is a litigation partner in MoFo’s Washington, D.C. office. Her practice focuses on litigating patent and trade secrets cases in district courts across the country and at the International Trade Commission. She frequently oversees the day-to-day strategy and management of complex litigation, from pre-suit investigation through trial and appeal.What does the International Women’s Day theme “Each for Equal” mean to you?Each for Equal asks each of us what we can do to help create a gender-balanced world. It reminds all of us to think about how we can create more opportunities for women, make ourselves heard, and help others understand the unique experiences and perspectives women can bring to any problem. As a member of the Women’s Strategy Committee at MoFo, I try to keep this in mind on a daily basis.Tell us about the woman who most influenced your career and how she motivated you.As a young associate, I got the chance to work with Rachel Krevans on a high profile case involving multiple trials, which was a springboard for my career as a trial lawyer. Rachel continued to create opportunities for me, which exposed me to other great trial lawyers at the firm and in the IP litigation space as a whole. She taught me to be fearless, but also to be the best-prepared person in the courtroom. Rachel passed away in 2017, but I think of her often, especially when facing a particularly hard problem – I find myself asking “what would Rachel do?”What are some of the biggest opportunities for women in the workforce today? What changes have you seen over the course of your career that paved the way for women’s advancement?When I began practicing law, no woman had ever chaired an AmLaw 100 firm. Since then, over a dozen have gotten that chance. The number isn’t nearly high enough, but I hope this trend will continue as firms and companies alike realize that having women in positions of power is not just something to highlight in your brochure – it is vital to any successful business.

#EachforEqual: Mary Prendergast

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Mary Prendergast is a litigation partner in MoFo’s Washington, D.C. office. Her practice focuses on litigating patent and trade secrets cases in district courts

#EachforEqual: Mary Prendergast

<a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.mofo.com/people/christin-hill.html">Christin Hill</a> is a partner in MoFo’s San Francisco office and a member of the Securities Litigation, Enforcement, and White-Collar Defense Group. Her practice focuses on representing clients in securities class actions and other complex civil litigation in both federal and state courts, as well as in government and internal investigations.What does the International Women’s Day theme “Each for Equal” mean to you?Equal for Equal is about participating in the collective movement for equality. We all have a part to play. I think about my own husband who has taken a step back from his own career to be the primary caregiver for our children. He makes all the lunches, volunteers in the classroom, bandages up the scraped knees, and gives loving hugs after school. His sacrifice has helped propel my own career forward, and shown our children that gender does not dictate your household role. I consider him at the forefront of the women’s equality movement, and I hope more men are willing and able to follow his example.Tell us about the woman who most influenced your career and how she motivated you.It may sound cliché, but the woman who most influenced my career is my grandmother, Earline Grays. She was a teacher, not a lawyer. She taught composition in Los Angeles Unified School District for decades. Even at a young age, I deeply admired her professionalism and work ethic. She was my first example of a career woman, and she was fabulous. She went to work dressed like a CEO, arrived early, and stayed late. She was also the type of teacher who took a personal interest in her students’ success, driving them to achieve beyond their own perceived capabilities. I always knew her students loved her as they would visit her house long after she retired from teaching. When she passed away last year, her former students flew from all over the country to pay their respects. She was a “mentor” and a “sponsor” long before those were buzz words. I try every day to emulate her professionalism and her mentorship toward others. What are some of the biggest opportunities for women in the workforce today? What changes have you seen over the course of your career that paved the way for women’s advancement?One of the biggest opportunities for women in the workforce that I see is choice. Although certainly not universal, as it’s limited to those privileged enough to have choices. But, for those of us with professional degrees, particularly for lawyers, there are many more ways to practice law now than in the past. Large law firms have become increasingly hospitable to women with part-time opportunities, extended parental leave policies, and on-ramping and off-ramping opportunities. Many other women have paved the way for these policies to become the industry standard at large firms. In addition, there are ample opportunities in-house, and opportunities to go back and forth between in-house and law firms (as I have done). We still have a long way to go, but that flexibility is crucial to fostering an environment where women can thrive.

#EachforEqual: Christin Hill

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Christin Hill is a partner in MoFo’s San Francisco office and a member of the Securities Litigation, Enforcement, and White-Collar Defense Group. Her practice f