Spring/Summer 2025
Morrison Foerster Alumni News
Explore
MoFo Announcements
Alumni Updates
Firm Updates
Alumnus Spotlight
Letter From The Chair
Alumnus Q+A
Summer 2024
Issue of MoForever
LETTER FROM THE CHAIR
2025 Spring/Summer
Welcome to the
We marked a significant office anniversary. Twenty-five years ago, San Diego was experiencing rapid growth in biotech, software, and telecom, and we saw an ideal platform to build on our strengths in litigation, patent work, and transactional matters. The success of MoFo San Diego has paved the way into tech hubs such as Boston and Austin, as we continue to drive a client-centric growth strategy across global markets.
Our collective achievements affirm a steadfast commitment to excellence in serving our clients and communities, and in supporting one another.
Welcome to the 2025 spring/summer issue of MoForever. In this edition, I am very pleased to introduce you to MoFo alumnus Stephen Lam, Managing Partner and General Counsel at SoftBank Group International, and invite you to read his story. I am delighted to share news and achievements within our MoFo community. As the Southern California wildfires raged earlier this year, we came together as One Firm to support our people and bring MoFo’s resources to communities in crisis. During the first two months of 2025, the Morrison & Foerster Foundation raised more than $120,000 in Foundation grants and individual contributions from MoFo partners, attorneys, and staff. The funds were donated to relief organizations, including MoFo attorneys are providing ongoing pro bono services: Working at legal clinics coordinated by local nonprofits for survivors seeking advice on FEMA claims and housing questions, among other issues. Updating and publishing resources for survivors and legal advocates on Disaster Legal Assistance Collaborative’s website. These resources are being used by volunteers and legal aid attorneys assisting wildfire survivors, including by staffing legal assistance tables at Disaster Recovery Centers in LA County.
Last spring, we launched MoFo Next, the Firm’s center for career advancement, to formalize our commitment to lifelong career support for our attorneys. I am very pleased to share that MoFo Next is now officially open to alumni and friends of the Firm, and invite you to watch this video to learn more. I hope you enjoy reading about the accomplishments of our extended MoFo and alumni community in this edition of MoForever. We have so much to be proud of. Thank you for staying connected with us, and we look forward to seeing you soon. Eric T. McCrath
Ranked #5 on The American Lawyer’s annual Diversity Scorecard for 2024
Named among five top-ranked firms on Seramount’s list of 50 Best Law Firms for Women & Diversity
Earned a 100 percent rating for LGBTQ+ workplace equality in the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 2023‒2024 Corporate Equality Index
Recognized with Accenture’s Outside Counsel Diversity Award, celebrating firms making significant progress in D+I efforts
Ranked #1 among firms with 601+ attorneys, in Law360 Pulse’s Diversity Snapshot
Please join me in congratulating Judge Ian J. Kellogg on his appointment to Colorado’s 2nd Judicial District Court, Denver District. Judge Kellogg joins more than 40 distinguished MoFo alumni who are currently serving the public across courts nationwide.
We were thrilled to announce the opening of our Amsterdam office, the Firm’s 18th worldwide and our fourth in Europe. The Amsterdam team will build on our strengths in advising Netherlands-based clients across the technology, life sciences, and artificial intelligence industries, while continuing to play a crucial role in the Firm’s global mandates.
Please join me in congratulating Pat Cavaney on his retirement in March. As MoFo’s first-ever chief operating officer and trusted strategic advisor to three Firm chairs, Pat drove transformational change across our global business units and laid the groundwork for MoFo’s continuing success and growth. We wish Pat the very best in his next chapter.
Habitat for Humanity of LA California Fire Foundation Direct Relief Latino Community Foundation California Community Foundation Los Angeles Regional Food Bank Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County
Alumni Announcements
Pro Bono Spotlight
Alumna Spotlight
Letter From the Chair
2024 Summer
ALUMNUS SPOTLIGHT
Stephen Lam
Managing Partner and General Counsel, SoftBank Group International
An International Outlook
In retrospect, it’s not much of a surprise that Stephen Lam grew up to be a time zone-crossing executive. He developed the idea of what he wanted to do as he criss-crossed the globe between New York and Asia as a child. “My father spent much of his time in Hong Kong,” he says, “so it’s where I spent my summers.” Today, the general counsel for Tokyo-based SoftBank and MoFo alum manages a legal team of 50, spread across the globe, from his home office in Singapore. “I’ve learned so much from different cultures over the years, I can’t imagine not being in a career like this,” he says. Stephen’s childhood travel experience sparked an interest in international business and politics, and shaped his determination to apply to Georgetown then enter the U.S. Foreign Service. “China and Hong Kong were going through rapid social and economic changes in the 1990s and early 2000s,” he says. “I was able to see firsthand the role that technology played in that growth and what a powerful force it could be.” His experience at Georgetown was everything he could have expected, with the opportunity to study a variety of international issues that would prepare him for the Foreign Service Officer exam. It appeared that he was right on track to a challenging career as a diplomat. As Stephen closely studied the practical realities of the profession, however, he began to have second thoughts. “Diplomatic service can be a bit slow-paced and bureaucratic, and ultimately, I wanted to find something more dynamic and closer to technology and international economic issues. I began looking at careers in business and after graduation found a position in the U.S. Trade Representative’s (USTR) office on China affairs, where I was able to work on a number of bilateral trade issues, including those relating to IP development and technology transfer,” he says.
I saw how technology could be used to achieve great outcomes for folks who were living hand to mouth. It showed me the positive impact the private sector could have in boosting technological innovation for the public good.
From Diplomacy to Legal Studies Before pursuing the law, Stephen spent two years as a management consultant with Monitor Deloitte, which fed his interest in international business. The job involved a great deal of travel, managing tasks like strategic analysis for large multinational firms. However, the assignment he’s most proud of is the six months he spent in sub-Saharan Africa designing a public-private partnership project that helped smallholder cocoa farmers get access to fertilizer, a basic but critically important form of technology that helps increase crop yields. “I saw how technology could be used to achieve great outcomes for folks who were living hand to mouth,” he says. “It showed me the positive impact the private sector could have in boosting technological innovation for the public good.” As he applied to law schools, his choices came down to Stanford and Harvard. California was tempting. “In February of that year I visited Palo Alto and it was a beautiful, 65-degree day,” he says. “Then I went to Cambridge and it was 5 degrees.” Ultimately though, he relied on the advice of several trusted mentors, including Tim Stratford, who mentored him at the USTR office. “Tim was a Harvard alum and spoke very highly of the experience and how the law school prepared students for careers in international law.” After he wrapped up his studies at Harvard, he took an associate’s position at Sullivan & Cromwell in New York. “My wife was studying business at Columbia at the time, so it made sense to start my law career there. In talking to attorneys I admired, they impressed on me how, at the end of the day, your job is to effectively help your clients solve problems. To do that you have to immerse yourself in the work and put in the sweat equity to be a good lawyer.” Heading West to MoFo and Beyond Stephen worked in Sullivan & Cromwell’s M&A department for four years before considering his next step. “When I decided to move to the Bay Area after starting my legal career in New York, I looked for the strongest firms that combined a deep heritage in the Bay Area, expertise in M&A, particularly in the tech sector, and a global outlook. MoFo stood out in all these areas, and I was recruited by Eric McCrath and Jackie Liu, both of whom were great mentors to me during my time at MoFo and have remained good friends since I’ve moved over to SoftBank.” Shortly after starting at MoFo, Stephen began working closely with the members of the San Francisco Corporate and M&A department—especially Eric, Jackie, Rob Townsend, Brandon Parris, Suz Mac Cormac, and Mike O’Bryan—on deals for a range of MoFo clients, but SoftBank always stood out as the client relationship he was most excited by, given the complexity, pace, and nature of the deals. “I worked closely with Rob, Ken Siegel, Brandon Parris, and Jeff Jaeckel representing SoftBank in connection with the Sprint/T-Mobile merger, which gave me great insight into how the SoftBank/MoFo relationship was truly unique.”
I’ve been able to not only maintain, but further strengthen my relationship with the firm on a range of transactions that we’ve engaged MoFo on since I joined SoftBank.
In 2018, Stephen was busy working on a project when Rob knocked on his door. “He told me, ‘I’ve got good news and bad news,’ and I said, ‘give me the bad news first.’” Rob, Stephen’s closest mentor at MoFo, told Stephen he was leaving MoFo and joining SoftBank as its first chief legal officer. The good news? Rob wanted Stephen to join him. “I was doing very well at MoFo. I was working hard and felt I was on a path to become a partner. Did I really want to branch and take an in-house position now?” But with strong support and encouragement from the MoFo team, it was ultimately an easy decision for Stephen. “I’ve been able to not only maintain, but further strengthen my relationship with the firm on a range of transactions that we’ve engaged MoFo on since I joined SoftBank.” Stephen’s biggest takeaway from the MoFo experience is that law, like virtually any other industry, is a relationship business. “You really have to surround yourself with great mentors and I was fortunate to work with some outstanding people at MoFo. It led me to where I am today.” For the next year, Stephen worked closely with Rob at SoftBank’s Bay Area office to build a legal team, in addition to managing the company’s legal affairs. After Rob’s retirement, Stephen was named SoftBank Group International’s general counsel in 2020. After spending several action-packed years in that role based in New York, Stephen moved out to Singapore in 2023.
“At the time, I became increasingly involved in working with our leadership in Tokyo and saw that I should be working more closely with my colleagues in Asia. Singapore—where my family could also build a happy base—stood out as the perfect place for me to do so.” Growing a Career Taking the general counsel’s office at the young age of 33 created a learning curve for Stephen. He’s had to adapt and grow his skills for the job. “I’ve learned that there are nuances to managing and motivating employees at different levels,” he says. “Overseeing a younger person at the start of their career is different from an older employee. The most important skill is to be authentic and empathetic.” “Employees want to work for people who look out for them and are true to their word. Also, you’re not always going to get complete agreement with everything you do, and that’s a good thing. If everyone agrees with you, you may be too concerned about pleasing everyone, which leads to poor leadership.” Stephen’s workdays are a mix of legal duties, including managing SoftBank’s transactions and litigation, overseeing the business of the legal department, including personnel matters, and managing staffing for projects. To connect with everyone in his department, he has very early mornings and late nights to accommodate the various time zones. As a managing partner for SoftBank, Stephen also assists in guiding the organization as a whole through his role on the management and investment committee. His advice to associates just starting their careers is to remember that every senior attorney working with you is a guide. “Try to learn from everyone, because good lessons will strengthen your skills. And don’t be afraid of putting in the hard work.” He and his wife have adapted to their international lifestyle and have been busy with their newborn son. In his spare time, Stephen enjoys fitness challenges and cooking, as well as exploring Singapore. “There are so many different cultures here; that diversity is a huge benefit and strength. It’s inspiring to see so many folks here from throughout Asia, Europe, and the U.S. who are working on interesting projects and creating this great hub of ideas.”
Aramide recently participated in MoFo Asia’s #EmbraceEquity, Intersectionality in the Workplace webinar in celebration of International Women’s Day. View the recording of the webinar on mofo.com.
Senior Vice President and General Counsel of Gap Inc.
Yolanda Sanders
ALUMNA SPOTLIGHT
The Move to the Corporate Side Sanders returned to MoFo in general litigation and joined the labor and employment team. She built up experience as a go-to attorney on class actions as well as race and gender discrimination cases. After eight years at the firm, however, she was ready for a new challenge. Sanders left to start her own consulting business, assisting employers with the creation of employee handbooks and serving as an external investigator who can do a neutral probe of a problem within an organization. “I was getting plenty of referrals from people I had worked with; it was nice to know that I had built a good reputation.”
Partners
Zainab Abdullah is a San Francisco-based partner in the Emerging Companies + Venture Capital Group. She focuses on representing fast-growing companies throughout their life cycles, from incorporation to exit, and advising venture capital and private equity funds on various investment transactions and portfolio company matters.
San Francisco
New MoFo
Zainab Abdullah
Ryan Adams
Scott Behar
Crescent Moran Chasteen
Bindu Donovan
Tommy Felix
Peter Fusco
Dan Harris
Alexander Israel
Scott Jalowayski
Todd Krause
Jan Lang
Ryan Adams is a Washington, D.C.-based partner in the Public Company Advisory & Governance Group. His practice focuses on securities regulation, SEC reporting and compliance, proxy and shareholder issues, corporate governance, and corporate transactions, including M&A.
Washington, D.C.
Scott Behar is a New York- and San Francisco-based partner in the Corporate Group. He focuses on complex M&A transactions for technology companies and represents public and private technology companies in a range of strategic transactions, including mergers, stock acquisitions, asset acquisitions, carve-outs, and divestitures.
New York | San Francisco
Crescent Moran Chasteen is a Boston-based partner and co-chair of the Executive Compensation + Benefits Group. She is a seasoned attorney who is recognized for her extensive experience in all aspects of executive compensation, including tax, securities, and accounting issues.
Boston
Bindu Donovan is a New York-based partner in the IP Litigation Group. She specializes in patent litigation in U.S. federal district courts and has a broad range of experience in life sciences, representing clients in matters related to biologic and small-molecule drugs, medical devices, recombinant proteins, and vaccines.
New York
Tommy Felix is a San Diego-based partner in the Capital Markets and Public Company Advisory & Governance Groups. He guides clients through complex transactional matters, including initial public offerings, debt and equity offerings, leveraged buyouts, mergers and acquisitions, SPAC transactions, and cross-border deals.
San Diego
Peter Fusco is a New York-based partner and co-chair of the Emerging Companies + Venture Capital Group. He represents venture funds and tech companies throughout their life cycles, from pre-incorporation planning to angel, seed, and growth rounds to exit transactions.
Dan Harris is a San Francisco-based partner in the Emerging Companies + Venture Capital Group. He advises innovative consumer products and consumer technology, AI, marketplace, and other tech companies in financing and M&A transactions, and as general counsel throughout their life cycles.
Alexander Israel is a Brussels- and Berlin-based partner in the Antitrust Law practice and chair of the European Competition practice. He focuses on cartel and abuse of dominance investigations brought by the European Commission and the German Federal Cartel Office, as well as related litigation before the European and German courts.
Brussels | Berlin
Todd Krause, Ph.D., is a New York-based partner in the IP Litigation Group. He brings a profound understanding of the scientific aspects of his cases and has more than 25 years of experience successfully litigating patent cases for leading global pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies.
Jan Lang is a Brussels- and Berlin-based partner in the Antitrust Law practice. He focuses on merger control proceedings, cartel investigations, and abuse of dominance cases. He represents clients before the European Commission and the German Federal Cartel Office, and in related proceedings before European and German courts.
Scott Jalowayski is a Singapore-based partner in the Corporate Group. He advises private equity funds, their portfolio companies, and other global and regional investment managers on complex investments and M&A transactions in Southeast Asia, China, and Japan.
Singapore
Big Matters
Xiaoxi Lin
James Lee
David Newman
Jesse Nevarez
Alyssa Monsen
Aileen McGrath
Jason Sanderson
Greg Salathé
Frank Paz
Richard Nugent
Jae Zhou
William Wilson
Brian Sylvester
Rachel Faye Smith
Brian Sylvester is a Washington, D.C.-based partner in the FDA + Healthcare Regulatory and Compliance Group and head of Food Regulatory. He advises across the full life cycle of regulated products, serving global brands, startups, life sciences companies, investors, and trade associations.
Rachel Faye Smith is a Boston-based partner and co-chair of the Executive Compensation + Benefits Group. She advises a wide range of clients in the areas of employee benefits and executive compensation. She specializes in ERISA and employee benefits, both in the context of M&A and in the complex regulatory requirements for benefit plan operations.
Jason Sanderson is a San Francisco-based partner in the Emerging Companies + Venture Capital Group. He assists innovative companies in navigating corporate and transactional matters, including formation and general corporate governance, operations and commercial transactions, and financing and M&A transactions.
Greg Salathé is a Tokyo-based partner in the Corporate Group. He has represented private funds in downstream investments, regulatory compliance, and fund raising across Asia. His funds practice includes private equity acquisitions and buy-outs, real estate and infrastructure, and credit lending.
Tokyo
Frank Paz is a New York-based partner in the Emerging Companies + Venture Capital Group. He advises first-time and veteran founders, venture capital firms, and startup, venture-backed, and growth companies across industries on financing transactions, general corporate representation and counseling, and corporate governance.
Richard Nugent is a New York-based partner and chair of the Tax Group. He advises on the tax aspects of complex transactions, including public and private M&A, spin-offs, joint ventures, internal restructurings, and financings and capital markets transactions. He also advises debtors and creditors within and outside of bankruptcy.
David Newman is a Washington, D.C.-based partner and co-chair of the National Security and Crisis Management Groups. A former senior DOJ and White House official, he draws upon deep experience in representing clients in high-stakes matters involving national security, geopolitical risk, emerging technology, and crisis management.
Jesse Nevarez is a New York-based partner in the Emerging Companies + Venture Capital Group. He advises startups, growth-stage, and later-stage companies primarily in the technology, healthcare, and life sciences industries on entity formation, financings, growth equity investments, M&A, SEC compliance, IPOs, and other capital markets transactions.
Alyssa Monsen is a New York-based partner in the IP Litigation Group. Specializing in life sciences patent litigation, she has a robust track record of representing innovator pharmaceutical companies in high-stakes litigation, with a focus on therapies related to oncology, ophthalmology, and infectious diseases.
Aileen McGrath is a San Francisco-based partner in the Appellate + Supreme Court practice. Recognized as an exceptional writer and effective strategist, she leads high-stakes appeals in the U.S. Supreme Court and appellate courts across the country, with a particular focus on courts in California.
Xiaoxi Lin is a Hong Kong-based partner in the Corporate Group. He advises private equity and investment fund clients on their most complex and strategic transactions, including control and leveraged buyouts, growth capital investments, and public takeovers.
Hong Kong
James Lee is a New York-based partner in the Corporate Group. He focuses on complex M&A and private equity transactions across industries and advises private equity funds, venture capital funds, private investment firms, and high-net-worth family offices, along with their portfolio companies, on domestic and cross-border transactions.
Jae Zhou is a New York-based partner in the Emerging Companies + Venture Capital Group. She advises emerging technology companies in all stages of the startup life cycle, from formation to exit, and provides strategic advice to founders and investors in connection with complex transactions and other corporate issues.
William Wilson is a New York-based partner in the Technology Transactions Group. He advises startups, corporations, and venture capital and private equity investors on business and technology transactions, including counseling, as well as structuring and negotiating deals across industries, including fintech, software, and technology.
LITIGATION
TRANSACTIONS
MoFo has advised Rivian Automotive on the formation of an equally controlled and owned joint venture with Volkswagen Group to create next-generation software-defined vehicle (SDV) platforms to be used in both companies’ future electric vehicles. The partnership will accelerate software development for Rivian and Volkswagen Group. It would be expected to allow both companies to combine their complementary strengths. Rivian’s proven in-market zonal hardware design and integrated technology platform are expected to serve as the foundation for future SDV development in the joint venture. Both companies aim to launch vehicles benefiting from the technology created within the joint venture in the second half of the decade.
Rivian Automotive
MoFo advised Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC, in its strategic partnership with global eyewear leader EssilorLuxottica, the parent company of renowned brands like Ray-Ban, Oakley, Persol, and Oliver Peoples. The partnership, including an exclusivity arrangement of up to 10 years, focuses on the development, manufacture, and distribution of next-generation, AI-powered smart glasses, merging cutting-edge technology with stylish, wearable design.
Meta Platforms Technologies
MoFo is advising the iconic rock band KISS and its co-founders Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley in the sale of all assets comprising KISS to Pophouse Entertainment Group AB. This groundbreaking transaction at the intersection of music and technology includes the music catalog, brand name, and likeness, including the world-famous face paint designs as well as trademarks, of the iconic American rock band KISS. Working closely with KISS, Pophouse is committed to nurturing the close relationship between KISS and its devoted fans moving forward. As part of the partnership, Pophouse will create digital versions of KISS that will allow the band and their unique personas to live forever.
KISS
A multi-practice team at MoFo obtained a near-complete victory in the Ninth Circuit for its client F5 Inc. Affirming the dismissal of a host of claims against F5 and other defendants, the panel adopted MoFo’s arguments on issues ranging from California statute-of-limitations doctrine, to federal copyright law, to obscure questions of Russian statutory law. F5 owns NGINX—the world’s most-popular web server software. Lynwood Investments, a Cyprus-based holding company controlled by Russian oligarch Alexander Mamut, filed suit in June 2020 against F5 and 12 other defendants, asserting 26 causes of action and seeking over $750 million in damages and the rights to NGINX. A divided Ninth Circuit panel agreed with MoFo across the board that Lynwood’s state law claims were untimely. Finally, a unanimous panel affirmed the dismissal of the lion’s share of Lynwood’s copyright claim.
F5 Inc.
In August, Carrie Cohen was appointed to serve as the Independent Transformation Monitor for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). In November 2023, The Wall Street Journal reported on allegations of sexual harassment, discrimination, retaliation, and other forms of workplace misconduct at the FDIC. The FDIC then retained an outside law firm to conduct an independent investigation of the FDIC’s workplace culture, make remedial recommendations, and issue a report that included the recommendation that the FDIC engage a “Transformation Monitor” to assess the effectiveness of the FDIC’s planned remediation. As Monitor, Carrie will audit the FDIC’s ongoing efforts to implement its Action Plan for a Safe, Fair, and Inclusive Work Environment, including recommendations from an independent third-party review of the agency’s workplace culture, and report monthly to the board and employees.
FDIC
After four years of litigation, a cross-office trial team secured a complete defense jury verdict on September 27 in a long-running commercial dispute between UPS and a former high-volume customer in state court in Washington County, Oregon. The plaintiff asserted claims for fraud, breach of contract, and other claims, and sought punitive damages of $100 million, arising out of a multi-year dispute concerning shipping charges. Prior to trial, the court entered judgment for UPS on its own claims for $1.5 million and an award of costs and attorneys’ fees of $275,000, most of which we collected prior to trial.
UPS
Outside of my JAMS work, my wife and I are hiking, traveling, and enjoying our adorable grandchildren. My bicycle mileage has also increased dramatically! What do you miss the most about your time at MoFo? My fabulous colleagues and friends. We did great work together and had a wonderful time doing it. What opportunities lie ahead for you, and what are you most excited about? I’m excited about my developing career as a neutral. I am handling significant disputes, like the complex cases we handled together at MoFo. When I contribute to the efficient resolution of a big, expensive case, I am applying the knowledge and skills I gained as a MoFo litigator—and that feels just right.
Retired partner Arbitrator and Mediator, JAMS
Michael Jacobs
For me, the joy of mentorship came from building a team that supported each other, learned together, and delivered great results.
Looking back on your 40-year career at MoFo, many significant cases come to mind, including your literacy-related pro bono work in California and numerous high-stakes tech trials. Is there a particular case or experience that stands out the most? SCO v. Novell was a standout case. The plaintiff, SCO, claimed it owned computer program code that had been copied into Linux, the open-source operating system. Our client, Novell, distributed Linux, and SCO accused Novell of “slandering” its “title” to the allegedly copied code. Hundreds of millions of dollars were at stake. We battled SCO for seven years, ending in 2011. We won on summary judgment, but that victory was reversed on appeal, so we went to trial before a jury in Salt Lake City. The jury ruled for Novell, and the result was affirmed. Because Linux was open-source software, the software development community followed the litigation closely. A blog called Groklaw was dedicated to reporting on case developments, and we became heroes of the open-source community. After each hearing, we’d eagerly check the blog to see how our arguments resonated with our sophisticated audience. At one point, the other side’s courtroom technology failed, to their considerable frustration. I turned to our trial tech and mouthed, “I love you.” The blogger caught it, read my lips, and published the exchange. Pretty funny! Eric Acker and I tried the case, along with former MoFo partner Sterling Brennan. Dan Muino, Matt Kreeger, and Paul Goldstein were also on the team, along with many wonderful MoFo alumni: Ken Brakebill, Marc Pernick, David Melaugh, Grant Kim, Patricia Svilik, and (now Central District Federal Judge) Maame Ewusi-Mensah. After our trial victory, the trustee for the by-then bankrupt plaintiff—himself a former federal district judge—told the press, “Morrison & Foerster are the best lawyers west of the Mississippi, and they proved that today.”
You are known for being an excellent and generous mentor. What impact did this role have on your career and the individuals you mentored? I had the privilege of working with wonderful mentees. They listened to my advice, worked extremely hard, and helped deliver excellent results for our clients. Equally, they provided feedback that helped me grow. Litigation is a team sport, which is one of the reasons I chose this career. What some may call “generous mentorship,” I think of as strong teamwork. We spend much of our waking hours at work, and the work itself is often high-stakes and high-stress. If we don’t feel like we are learning, growing, and contributing, if we aren’t able to laugh at ourselves and have some fun, then we’re wasting our time. For me, the joy of mentorship came from building a team that supported each other, learned together, and delivered great results. How have you been enjoying your time in retirement? I’m enjoying my work at JAMS as a neutral, handling arbitrations and mediations primarily in the IP and technology space. My many years as a MoFo litigator prepared me well for this new role; I’ve seen everything and know all the tricks of the trade. In my new role, I strive to be the kind of neutral I always wanted when I was in practice: a hard-working mediator who dives into the details of the case and a decision-maker who knows and enforces the rules, effectively and in a timely manner.
Co-executive Director and General Counsel for Our Children's Trust
Mat dos Santos
PRO BONO SPOTLIGHT
Finding Their Way in the World Mat’s career has always been on a steady trajectory toward public service. Born in Virginia, their father moved the family to Portugal when Mat was three years old to take a position with the U.S. embassy in Lisbon. Their parents hoped to expose them to the family’s Portuguese roots. The family then moved to Gulfport, Mississippi, when dos Santos was 11, which they describe as a significant culture shock. “I was an effeminate kid who didn’t speak English well, and it was difficult to adjust. I didn’t fit in,” they said. “After growing up in Europe with these images of the U.S. in movies and TV, Gulfport was disappointing. I wasn’t ready for the more challenging aspects of America like racism and wealth disparity.”
Alumni
Sejin Ahn joined Neurocrine Biosciences as Senior Patent Counsel in January 2025. At MoFo, Sejin was a Patent agent and Patent associate in the San Diego office from 2016 to 2023. Ali Assareh joined Cisco (through Cisco’s acquisition of Splunk) as Director, M&A and Investments in November 2024. At MoFo, Ali was a Corporate associate in the San Francisco office from 2014 to 2019. Julia Balas joined Scout Clean Energy as Senior Counsel in January 2025. At MoFo, Julia was a Corporate associate, of counsel, and partner in the Los Angeles office from 2013 to 2022. Brittara Blaine joined Liquid Death as Senior Counsel in September 2024. At MoFo, Brittara was a Corporate associate in the Palo Alto office from 2015 to 2017. Brooks Beard joined Omnissa as its Senior Vice President and General Counsel in December 2023. Omnissa is the former EUC Division of VMware, which was acquired by private equity firm KKR. Brooks was a Litigation partner in the San Francisco office from 1997 to 2014. Genevieve Burch joined the University of California Office of the President as Principal Counsel – Intellectual Property in August 2024. At MoFo, Genevieve was a Technology Transactions associate in the San Francisco office from 2001 to 2005. Neal Burstyn joined Rubrik as Senior AI Counsel in July 2024. At MoFo, Neal was a Litigation associate in the New York and Washington, D.C. office from 2018 to 2022. Rob Eber joined Asana as Global Head of Commercial Legal and Legal Ops in January 2025. At MoFo, Rob was a Technology Transactions associate in the San Francisco office from 1999 to 2006. Matt Fawcett joined DXC Technology as General Counsel in April 2024. At MoFo, Matt was a Litigation associate in the San Francisco office from 1995 to 1997. Ryan Gatzemeyer joined Trinasolar as Senior Intellectual Property Legal Counsel in August 2024. At MoFo, Ryan was a Litigation associate in the San Francisco office from 2016 to 2019. William Goodwin joined Oklo as Chief Legal and Strategy Officer in September 2024. At MoFo, William was a Litigation associate in the San Francisco office from 2012 to 2016. Steven Haines joined C3 AI as Deputy General Counsel, Litigation and Compliance in November 2024. At MoFo, Steven was a Litigation associate from 1995 to 2002 and a Litigation partner from 2003 to 2008 in the Los Angeles and Tokyo offices. Mark Hee co-founded OL Consulting in May 2024. At MoFo, Mark was a Corporate associate in the Singapore office from 2021 to 2023. Scott Hodgdon joined Anaergia as General Counsel in October 2024. At MoFo, Scott was a Corporate associate in the Arlington office from 2006 to 2008 and 2011 to 2012. Maya Ingram joined the consulting firm, Third Plateau, as a Director on the Democracy Team in April 2024. At MoFo, Maya was a Litigation associate in the San Francisco and Los Angeles offices from 2012 to 2016. Bela Karmel joined Rippling as Privacy and Marketing Counsel in August 2024. At MoFo, Bela was a Litigation associate in the San Francisco office from 2021 to 2023. Emiko Kurotsu joined Turn/River Capital as Head of Legal in January 2025. At MoFo, Emiko was a Corporate of counsel in the Palo Alto office from 2016 to 2021. Jeff Nisbet joined TikTok as Senior Counsel, Strategic Data Partnerships in June 2024. At MoFo, Jeff was a Technology Transactions associate in the Palo Alto office from 2014 to 2015. Benjamin Olson joined NVIDIA as Director, M&A Legal in January 2025. At MoFo, Benjamin was a Corporate associate in the San Francisco office from 2011 to 2012. Priyank Patel joined Wisk as Product Counsel in June 2024. At MoFo, Priyank was a Technology Transactions associate in the Palo Alto office from 2021 to 2022. Jonathan Perkel joined Esusu as Chief Legal Officer in May 2024. At MoFo, Jonathan was a Corporate associate in the New York office from 1999 to 2001. Alex Rosenberg joined Waymo as Commercial Counsel in December 2024. At MoFo, Alex was a Technology Transactions associate in the San Francisco office from 2017 to 2021. Andrea Scripa joined Omnissa as Senior Counsel – IP, Privacy, and Product in July 2024. At MoFo, Andrea was a Litigation associate in the New York office from 2020 to 2022. KC Waldron joined Empower as Chief Compliance Officer in May 2024. At MoFo, KC was a Litigation associate in the San Francisco and Palo Alto offices from 2006 to 2010.
MoFo
New
New alumni as of January 2025
Brennen Broderson joined Skye Bioscience Inc as General Counsel in June 2024. At MoFo, Brennen was a Corporate associate in the San Diego office from 2018 to 2021 and 2021 to 2024.
Eric Berger joined Databricks as Senior Counsel, IP and Litigation in August 2024. At MoFo, Eric was a Litigation of counsel in the San Francisco office from 2023 to 2024.
Charlotte Baskin-Gerwitz joined J.P. Morgan as Vice President of Global Sanctions Advisory in July 2024. At MoFo, Charlotte was an associate in the National Security practice group in the Washington, D.C. office from 2023 to 2024.
Galia Amram joined OpenAI as Associate General Counsel in June 2024. At MoFo, Galia was a Litigation partner in the San Francisco office from 2023 to 2024.
Chloe Chen joined Anchor Equity Partners as Legal Counsel in September 2024. At MoFo, Chloe was a trainee solicitor from 2021 to 2023 and a Corporate associate from 2023 to 2024 in the Hong Kong office.
Daniel Burkhart joined Japan Petroleum Exploration Co., Ltd. as Lead International Counsel in December 2024. At MoFo, Dan was a Corporate associate in the Tokyo office from 2022 to 2024.
Annalisa Cooper joined Microsoft as Corporate Counsel in July 2024. At MoFo, Annalisa was a Technology Transactions associate in the Palo Alto office from 2021 to 2024.
Chloe Cina was appointed in September 2024 as a Senior Associate Fellow by the Royal United Services Institute focusing on Security Policy. At MoFo, Chloe was a partner in the National Security practice in the London office from 2024 to 2024.
Tristan Davis joined Visa as Senior Associate Counsel in May 2024. At MoFo, Tristan was a Finance associate in the San Francisco office from 2021 to 2024.
Maria Francisca Cuoto joined Roquette as Antitrust & Compliance Counsel in January 2025. At MoFo, Maria Francisca was a Litigation associate in the Brussels office from 2021 to 2024.
Jonathan Hurowitz joined Paradigm as Counsel in January 2025. At MoFo, Jonathan was a Corporate associate in the Palo Alto office from 2022 to 2025.
David Grothouse joined Apple as Senior Litigation Counsel in April 2024. At MoFo, David was a Litigation associate in the San Francisco office from 2020 to 2024.
Jeffrey Lau joined Hong Kong Monetary Authority as Associate Fintech Director, Fintech Facilitation Office in December 2024. At MoFo, Jeffrey was a Corporate associate in the Hong Kong office from 2019 to 2025.
Kamran Jamil joined the U.S. District Courts, Southern District of California as a Law Clerk in December 2024. At MoFo, Kamran was a Litigation associate in the San Diego office from 2023 to 2024.
Stephanie Pong joined Serious Fraud Office (UK) as Principal Investigation Lawyer in January 2025. At MoFo, Stephanie was a Litigation associate in the London office from 2019 to 2024.
Emmanuel Perez joined Amazon as Associate Corporate Counsel in August 2024. At MoFo, Emmanuel was a Technology Transactions associate in the San Francisco office from 2021 to 2024.
Shawna Pasquale joined the UK Serious Fraud Office as Principal Investigative Lawyer in September 2024. At MoFo, Shawna was an Investigations + White Collar Defense associate in our London office from 2017 to 2024.
David Papas joined Warner Bros. Discovery as Senior Counsel, Legal - Employment in September 2024. At MoFo, David was a Labor and Employment associate from 2019 to 2021 and 2022 to 2024 in the Los Angeles office.
Laura Nofal joined Snowflake as Corporate Counsel II in October 2024. At MoFo, Laura was a Corporate associate in the San Francisco office from 2021 to 2024.
Ryota Nishikawa joined Amazon as Corporate Counsel, Payments in August 2024. At MoFo, Ryota was a Technology Transactions associate in the Tokyo office from 2020 to 2024.
Yaron Moszynski joined Wise as Legal Counsel in July 2024. At MoFo, Yaron was a Litigation associate in the Brussels office from 2022 to 2024.
the Move
Alumni on
David Alban was promoted to VP & Chief Counsel, Applied Water and IP & Innovation at Xylem in October 2024. At MoFo, David was a Litigation associate in the Palo Alto office from 2005 to 2008. Na An was promoted to Senior Counsel, Legal Pharma Partnering at Genentech in April 2024. At MoFo, Na was a Patent associate in the San Francisco office from 2017 to 2019. Lauren Bennett was promoted to Associate General Counsel, Global Affairs Legal at Gilead Sciences in July 2024. At MoFo, Lauren was a Litigation associate in the San Francisco office from 2017 to 2019. Patrick Bernhardt was promoted to Senior Director, Associate General Counsel for Privacy and Data Protection at Capital One in January 2025. At MoFo, Patrick was an associate in the Privacy and Data Security practice group in the Washington, D.C. office from 2013 to 2015. Catherine Chapple was promoted to Counsel, Competition Advisory – Regulatory Affairs at Google in June 2024. At MoFo, Catherine was a Litigation associate in the Washington, D.C. office from 2013 to 2019. Dustin Elliott was promoted to Senior Director of Legal at Trajectory Energy Partners in January 2025. At MoFo, Dustin was an Energy and Environmental associate in the San Francisco and Washington, D.C. office from 2016 to 2020. Betre Gizaw was promoted to Chief Counsel, Strategic Planning, Office of the General Counsel at Stripe in September 2024. At MoFo, Betre was a Litigation associate in the Washington, D.C. office from 2012 to 2016. Antonio L. Ingram II was promoted to Senior Counsel at the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund in July 2024. At MoFo, Antonio was a Litigation associate in the San Francisco office from 2014 to 2016. Jamie Kitano was promoted to Executive Director, Corporate Counsel – Head of Legal at Star Therapeutics in July 2024. Jamie joined Star Therapeutics in 2023 as their first legal hire. At MoFo, Jamie was a Litigation associate in the Palo Alto office from 2010 to 2013. Diana Luo was promoted to Divisional Vice President, Commercial Legal, Structural Heart and Heart Failure at Abbot in November 2024. At MoFo, Diana was a Litigation associate in the Palo Alto office from 2007 to 2013. Maggie Mayo was promoted to Vice President, Head of Litigation at BlackBerry in September 2024. At MoFo, Maggie was a Litigation associate from 2008 to 2020. Sam Song was promoted to Director, Senior Litigation Counsel at Palo Alto Networks in May 2024. At MoFo, Sam was a Litigation associate in the San Francisco office from 2006 to 2014. Kate Sum was promoted to Junior Partner and Counsel at AiiM Partners in October 2024. At MoFo, Kate was a Corporate of counsel in the Palo Alto office from 2019 to 2024. Chan-young Yang was promoted to Senior Corporate Counsel, SW & AIML Products at Apple in September 2024. At MoFo, Chan-young was a Litigation associate in the San Francisco office from 2019 to 2022.
Accomplishments
Daiske Yoshida joined Google in July 2024 as Senior Counsel, Regulatory Affairs APAC Defense, where he oversees government investigations including competition, privacy, and generative AI. At MoFo, Daiske was a Litigation partner in the Tokyo office from 2019 to 2024.
Mandi Williams joined Washington University in St. Louis as a Contract Specialist, Joint Research Office of Contracts in September 2024. At MoFo, Mandi was a Technology Transactions associate in the Boston office from 2023 to 2024.
Danielle Vallone joined Zoom as Product Counsel in May 2024. At MoFo, Danielle was a Litigation associate in the San Francisco office from 2021 to 2024.
Sara Tsai joined the U.S. District Courts as a Judicial Law Clerk in September 2024. At MoFo, Sara was a Litigation associate in the San Francisco office from 2023 to 2024.
Jessica Stern joined Sixth Street as Tax Counsel in June 2024. At MoFo, Jessica was a Tax associate in the San Francisco office from 2013 to 2024.
Olivia Sher joined Topgolf as Commercial Contracts Counsel in December 2024. At MoFo, Olivia was a Federal Tax associate from 2019 to 2021 in the San Francisco office and then from 2022 to 2024 in the Austin office.
Tom Schaad joined Luminova Capital as Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel in September 2024. At MoFo, Tom was a Corporate associate in the Denver office from 2022 to 2024.
Nathan Reilly joined the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey as First Deputy General Counsel in April 2024. At MoFo, Nathan was of counsel in the New York office from 2021 to 2024.
New alumni as of March 2024
MoFo Alumni Portal
We look forward to having you join us on the MoFo Alumni Portal, and we thank you for your support of the MoFo community. If you have any questions, please contact us at alumniportal@mofo.com.
Register
Stay connected with fellow MoFo Alums by joining the MoFo Alumni Portal! By becoming a member of the Alumni Portal, you will have access to:
A searchable database of MoFo attorney alumni and current MoFo attorneys
A job board listing in-house opportunities and the ability to post open roles at your company to the community
The ability to tailor your profile and connect with your fellow alumni
A communication feed, similar to social media platforms
Access to CLE offerings and additional resources
MoFo Next is the center for career advancement, providing opt-in, industry-leading career exploration and transition services to our entire MoFo community. Now extending those services to our alumni and friends of the firm, MoFo’s goal is to help former colleagues in support of their diverse career paths. Watch the video to learn more.
To get started please reach out to Hillary Mann, Director of MoFo Next, to schedule a 30-minute conversation.
Contact
Alumni Events
Over the past year, our alumni community came together in memorable gatherings across Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., San Diego, and Hong Kong. MoFo alumni had the opportunity to reconnect with friends and colleagues, and each event reflected the energy, pride, and lasting connections that define our alumni family. Explore the galleries below to take a look at our alumni celebrations. We look forward to hosting additional events in the near future and catching up with more alumni soon!
Los Angeles
On July 11, 2024, MoFo’s Los Angeles Alumni met at the Peek Rooftop of The Shay hotel to enjoy an evening of fun cocktails and delicious food with scenic views of West L.A.
On October 8, 2024, MoFo’s Washington, D.C. Alumni gathered to celebrate 45 years of MoFo in D.C. Alumni and MoFos celebrated this milestone with delicious food and drinks on the rooftop of the MoFo offices.
On October 13, 2024, MoFo’s San Diego Alumni spent the day connecting with friends and former colleagues at Snapdragon Stadium, where folks enjoyed the San Diego Waves vs. Houston Dash soccer game.
On March 26, 2025, over 60 MoFo lawyers and alumni attended our Hong Kong attorney alumni drinks reception. The evening was filled with engaging conversations, laughter, and a strong sense of camaraderie, reflecting the enduring bonds within our MoFo community. Once a MoFo, always a MoFo!
MoFo Next
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