Arturo trusts junior associates — as a first year, I was taking and defending depositions; as a second year, I was examining witnesses at trial; and as a third and fourth year, I have managed national multidistrict litigation. I credit Arturo with providing me such opportunities, always giving it to me straight, and sincerely taking an interest in my professional development.
I met Alexis when she was a summer associate. She expressed an interest in trial work and I told her that if she came to MoFo we could try cases together. Since she joined the firm we have done just that. We make efforts to train our lawyers so that they can perform at trial. It has been great watching Alexis apply that training in the courtroom and with clients.
I first met Jill as a summer associate. After sitting in on my first conference call with her that summer, she surprised me by asking me to draft a financing term sheet for a proposed wind farm based on the details of the call we’d just had! I was immediately attracted to the complexity of the transaction and wanted to do more. We’ve been working together ever since.
When I worked with Wayne as a summer associate, he showed a keen enthusiasm and understanding of my work in the area of renewable energy financing. I knew I wanted Wayne to work with me, and I convinced him to join the Financial Transactions Group. We have been practically joined at the hip since he arrived at the firm and Wayne has become the “go-to guy” for many of our clients.
I was thrilled when, as a junior associate, Mark gave me the opportunity to work in the Tokyo office for a couple of years. I’ll never forget one of the most interesting business trips I’ve ever taken — when Mark and I traveled to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, for client interviews. I have learned a lot from working on cases with Mark and observing his style of getting things done in an efficient and effective manner.
I was taught that when the phone rings, you pick it up, and do whatever the client needs, even if it is outside your box. That captures Aramide. She allowed me to recruit her from our San Diego to our Tokyo office, where she put clients at ease and honed strong skills in complex fact investigations. While she’s now back in San Diego, I still call on Aramide to put her skills to use on my international cases.
I have had many opportunities to develop my practice and skills as an attorney. Barry has been instrumental in that development. From the moment I joined MoFo, Barry has provided interesting and challenging work assignments with his clients, while offering valuable advice and insight along the way. I have since moved to another MoFo office, but continue to apply the things I learned.
When Sandy first interviewed with us, she expressed a desire to move to another part of the country during her career, and we were able to accommodate her wish without interrupting her growth as a lawyer and career path within the firm. We were lucky to have Sandy working with us as long as we did, and we were just as happy that she could satisfy her desire to move to another part of the country while remaining a member of the firm.
Diversity at MoFo comes in many forms. Shortly after I arrived at the firm, Wes clued me in to an important part of the firm’s culture: MoFo likes interesting and even quirky folks. Whether you enjoy annual vacations in Germany (Wes) or exploring caves (me), whether your politics are more libertarian (me) or Marin County (Wes), you will find a welcoming environment at MoFo.
Coming out of law school, I did not believe that I could fit into a blue-suit, big-firm environment. But MoFo seemed different. It still is. We believe that people perform at their best when they are free to be themselves. We welcome those who are different. Even “cavemen” like Dan!
I have worked with Thomas across our offices in two continents: initially out of Palo Alto and now Hong Kong. Thomas has been an instrumental part of my legal career. He has always been there step-by-step for me as a mentor and confidant. I look forward to continuing to build our relationship, as well as our business travels across various cities throughout Asia to service potential and existing clients.
I have had the good fortune of being associated with Eddy Chan since the beginning of his legal career. Eddy is an excellent colleague. His positive and friendly attitude towards everyone he meets, diligent work ethic, and intelligence in finance matters has helped him make enormous individual contributions to the success of our practice in Asia.
I can always count on my mentor, Ben, to make time for me, be honest, and give me great professional advice. I especially appreciate that, though we are very different in many respects, Ben and I have found common ground and share hearty laughs and numerous conversations about life in general. His perspective and willingness to share his experiences with me have enriched my experience at the firm.
I met AC when she was a summer associate and now am lucky enough to be her mentor. It is always great when you work with intelligent people, even better when they have a cheerful personality and positive outlook. Despite being the mentor in our relationship, I have learned much from AC. What started out as a working relationship has become a friendship as well.
Karen was one of the partners who interviewed me when I applied to join the firm as a lateral associate. Since then, we have enjoyed sushi together many times, pitched a company, and worked together on several cases. As a senior associate, I appreciate that Karen gives me great latitude in doing my work but is always available when needed. I feel fortunate to consider Karen as both a mentor and a friend.
Before the end of the interview I knew that Richard would be a terrific colleague and a pleasure to work with. Whether working together on a client pitch, a complaint, or a cross-examination outline, I know I can count on Richard to do his best. And that I can share sushi with someone who is not only a valued colleague but also a friend is an added bonus.