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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Editors’ Note: The Women’s Strategy Committee (WSC) at MoFo comprises both male and female partners and associates who strive to foster women attorneys’ development and professional success. During a recent program hosted by the WSC, Corporate associate Shauna France spoke with three incredible female partners

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MoFo Women’s Spotlight: Julia Balas, Leonora Shalet, and Christine Wong Discuss Their Paths from Lateral to Partner

MoFo Women’s Spotlight: Julia Balas, Leonora Shalet, and Christine Wong Discuss Their Paths from Lateral to Partner | MoFo+

Editors’ Note: The Women’s Strategy Committee (WSC) at MoFo comprises both male and female partners and associates who strive to foster women attorneys’ development and professional success.During a recent program hosted by the WSC, Corporate associate Shauna France spoke with three incredible female partners who all joined the firm as lateral attorneys. The women on the panel included co-chair of the firm’s Securities Litigation, Enforcement, & White Collar Defense Group Christine Wong, partner in the Private Funds Group Leonora Shalet, and Corporate Finance partner Julia Balas. Christine, Leonora, and Julia discussed their unique paths to partnership, what led them to MoFo, and why they chose to stay.Shauna: If you could describe your path to partnership in one word, or with one theme, what would it be and why?Christine: One word to describe my path would be “circuitous.” The reason why I say that is that my career has had so many twists and turns, as I’ve had several different jobs along the way. I started as an associate at a large law firm, and then I went to the government working as an assistant United States attorney (AUSA) in the Southern District of New York. After that, I was in-house working as head of international compliance at Fujitsu.Leonora: If I had to pick only one word to convey my career journey, it would be “steps.” Like Christine, my journey has been a path that has included many different steps along the way.Julia: My word would be “straightforward.” For me, I had a goal to make partnership that, although planned, was really a team effort.Shauna: What made you decide to come to MoFo, and what has made you stay? Julia: I lateralled here as a senior associate, and MoFo was the third firm where I had worked. I had started my career at another firm in New York, and wasn’t sure what to expect from MoFo L.A., but it was like coming home. I felt accepted right away and was quickly integrated to the office, getting involved in the firm’s recruiting efforts, Women’s Strategy Committee, and the local Women’s Initiative Group. The people I have met along the way, the support I received, and the guidance towards the path to partnership are what have kept me here.Shauna: Leonora, how about you? Leonora: I lateralled to MoFo in early 2020 as a partner. I chose to lateral to MoFo and choose to stay because MoFo has a very impressive platform with a deep bench of knowledgeable lawyers in complementary practice areas. The firm has a presence in a number of key jurisdictions, which allows us to attract and retain large clients with global needs. To me, this was and continues to be very appealing.Shauna: What were some of the challenges in coming to a new firm, especially at a more senior level? Christine: MoFo does a really good job of helping laterals overcome integration challenges. The firm is very intentional about putting people on committees, and on running events to give you more exposure. For example, in my first year I was asked to be one of the co-chairs of the Women’s Summit and, through that experience, I got to know Bita Rahebi, who was my co-chair, and a large number of women partners whom I was working with to speak at the Summit. Now I’m one of the co-chairs of SLEW (Securities Litigation, Enforcement, & White Collar Defense), so I think the firm was very intentional about making sure that I had visibility.Leonora: One of the main reasons I have really enjoyed working at MoFo is the enthusiasm and positive attitude of our associates. I agree with Christine that MoFo does a really good job at finding opportunities to introduce you to people internally, which is crucial, but also to people externally.Julia: For me, there were very few challenges, honestly, because of the level of sponsorship I received during integration. The L.A. office had weekly lunches that allowed for networking, and the summer program was also a great way to integrate into the firm. As I funneled through assignments while running the summer program, I learned who was assigning what, what the big cases in the office were, and what the big patent projects in the office were.Shauna: Is there any advice that you learned on your career journey that want to share? Julia: Don’t turn down any opportunity. The summer after I started as an associate was a very busy one, but by saying yes to work, I found great opportunities to meet people and to get more familiar with what the firm does and what the office does. Take any opportunity you can to get to know your new colleagues, and to take advantage of the firm’s lateral orientation. And just because somebody’s practice doesn’t overlap with yours doesn’t mean you shouldn’t get to know them. Shauna: What is one thought or misconception you had as an associate but, now that you’re a partner, realize is not true? Leonora: Many associates think partners are not approachable. I think it’s the title and the perceived age difference that makes people think, “this person doesn’t have the time or have a desire to speak with me,” or that “they lead a different life” but that’s not true.  We are here for our associates and want to support them in every possible way. Julia: I always felt a level of intimidation with the partner title and was a timid junior associate. At first, I was afraid to ask questions and now, as a partner, I realize that thoughtful questions are all I want to hear from the associates. I want to know that they’re still working on the project, they’re truly thinking it through, and that they feel comfortable coming to me. The beauty of a legal career is that you’re constantly learning and expanding your knowledge base. The partners are also always on that learning path.Shauna: As a more senior associate, I always tell summers and juniors, “Don’t judge yourself by your summer or your first six months in practice because you will be amazed when you look back after that first six months at what you’ve learned.” Don’t think that you don’t know anything because you will soon know everything.Christine: Oftentimes, when you’re a junior associate, you feel like you have no control over your destiny. Matters are given to you, and you take them. At the same time, I think you do have control of the type of subjects that you want to work on. If you’re an associate and you want to work on a particular area, put yourself in front of the partners who do that work, and introduce yourself so that you’re on the top of their list when one of those matters come in.Shauna: Is there one thing that you wish you had known as either a junior, mid-level, or senior associate that if you could go back and tell yourself now you would?Julia: The value of your network. I always felt like networking was this concept that I just wasn’t good at. Then, at some point, I had watched enough business development trainings and events like this Women’s Spotlight series, and realized, “Oh, your network is just the people you know.”Christine: One thing that is helpful to remember is that people approach their career development in different ways. It’s really no use to compare yourself to other people and how other people are doing things. It’s about knowing who you are and what can help you get where you want to be.Leonora: There are things along the way that will be thrown at you, and you’ll worry about how you’re going to handle them. It is important to try not to worry too much and not to compare yourself to the next person. A positive attitude is important, not just for you, but also the people around you, specifically as you begin to consider career progression.Shauna: What advice would you all have for an associate who is looking to make partner?Leonora: If you have a good attitude and you’re willing to support the group in its efforts—efforts with client work as well as any other endeavors that the group may take on—or you’re actively participating in the summer program, you’ll get noticed.Christine: Attitude goes a long way. But I think also what distinguishes associates is their willingness to really own a matter and really put themselves in the shoes of the partner on the matter. That makes us think, “Oh, when this person is a partner, they will think like a partner.”Julia: Allow yourself to be vulnerable. Many of us suffer from imposter syndrome in various circumstances, but sometimes we just have to overcome that and put ourselves in vulnerable situations and ask questions that maybe we are embarrassed to ask, or maybe aren’t sure how to ask. Use the knowledge that you have. Use the experience that you have and run with it.Learn more about MoFo’s long history of advocating for and advancing women <a rel="noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.mofo.com/culture/women-of-mofo/">here</a>.