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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MoFoundations MoFo Story: Keniece Gray | MoFo+

Keniece Y. Gray

Editor’s note: Read about litigation associate Keniece Gray, who participated in the 2023 MoFoundations Program in our Washington, D.C. office, in this installment of our MoFo Stories series.My MoFo journey began in fall 2020 and has been a demonstration of mutual commitment to mentorship and professional development since. Initially, my positive interactions with MoFo attorneys and interns during my 2020 SEO Law Fellowship encouraged me to seek out the opportunity to work at MoFo in pursuit of my goal to receive exceptional legal training and promote DEI in the legal profession. My pleasant experience with the MoFo team during the 1L recruitment season solidified my interest in the firm. I appreciated the constant updates from the recruitment team and MoFo attorneys being accessible for informational interviews and willing to provide support during the process. Also, at the time of 1L recruitment, I had a keen interest in labor and employment law, and the D.C. office had recently begun further building an Employment & Labor Group, and I appreciated the idea of being a part of a growing practice.My experiences at MoFo over the past three years have instilled confidence that working at the firm provides an opportunity for me to take ownership of my career, build an impactful legal practice, continue contributing to the progression of inclusivity in the legal profession, receive training and support from attorneys who are among the best in their field, and be connected to an influential alumni network.My first summer associateship at MoFo established a solid foundation for success to build on and put a spotlight on the firm’s value for mentorship and feedback. I met a diverse group of attorneys through completing substantive legal assignments covering a myriad of matter topics, including labor and employment and education—two of my primary legal interest areas. The firm welcomed my curiosity about legal matters and inquisitiveness about DEI progression. I co-authored blog posts with former SCOTUS clerks and completed impactful pro bono work that involved co-drafting a public response to OMB comment request for methods to advance federal workforce diversity and speaking on the firm’s Intentional Impact podcast series. By the end of my first summer associateship, I received informal and formal mentorship from attorneys at every level of practice, including the firm chair, D.C. office leadership, and junior and senior associates across the firm.My clerkship and second summer associateship at the firm provided the opportunity to work directly with attorneys and clients on litigation and transactional matters in preparation for matriculation as a first year. Through work assignments and client interactions, I gained exposure to the breadth and depth of work in my practice areas of interest and appreciated the way the teams I worked with considered my input.Current MoFo attorneys and alumni have continuously displayed an eagerness to support my development as a law student and continue to do so in my tenure as an associate. For example, during law school, my partner mentors advised me on classes to take and experiential learning to pursue to enrich my legal skillset. During the 3L year, I was invited to stay connected with MoFo colleagues by attending local office events and conferences, including the ABA’s Labor and Employment conference. I also was fortunate to meet U.S. Supreme Court Justice and MoFo alumna Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson and was elated to receive her encouragement to do well at MoFo and finish law school strong.Since becoming an associate in November 2023, the MoFo attorneys and staff I work with most closely have invested in my development by supporting my learning, engaging in the feedback process, and collaboratively planning for success in a way that incorporates my experiences at the firm and beyond. I appreciate the culture of support and encouragement for career ownership that I’ve experienced thus far. Attending MoFoundations reaffirmed that firm leadership is committed to providing its attorneys with resources we need to effectively do our jobs and equipped me with fundamental tools to effectively utilize firm resources. Resourcefulness is an essential skill. One of our responsibilities as attorneys is to find solutions to complex issues for our clients, and to do that we have to be able to decipher how to figure things out. When computing how to get things done, there are two factors that must be in the equation: a resourceful mentality and resource availability. The best attorneys know how to leverage both factors to serve clients. MoFoundations introduced our class to the abundant resources the firm supplies its attorneys to promote progress in our professional and personal lives. More importantly, MoFoundations provided a great reminder that people at MoFo enjoy helping each other deliver great client service, which increases my comfortability with asking questions.As I begin my legal career, I am looking forward to optimizing opportunities to sharpen my ability to be an effective legal advocate, building a practice that yields impact in various sectors, doing pro bono work, learning from my colleagues and mentors, and leveraging my experiences to create a more inclusive legal profession.I understand that my career is a marathon rather than a sprint. Every assignment, every workshop, every event along the journey presents a learning opportunity, and I plan to approach my career with a growth mindset to make the most of the opportunities. I am eager to see what the future holds and even more excited to be attentive to the process.