SUMMER ASSOCIATES

Antitrust & Competition Law

What I love about our antitrust practice is the intellectual challenge. In the course of a week, I will work on a wide variety of matters for clients in a range of industries, e.g., high technology, life sciences, consumer products. In order to help these clients solve their business and legal problems, I need to learn, often very quickly, how their businesses work and how competition operates in their markets. The practice also involves many different types of projects, e.g., representing clients before federal agencies on multi-billion dollar mergers, counseling clients on intellectual property licenses, advocating before courts across the U.S. including the Supreme Court. Every day presents brand-new intellectual challenges, and that's what makes it fun.

Land Use & Environmental Law

I am co-chair of Morrison & Foerster's Land Use and Environmental Law practice group and have practiced in this field for over 20 years. I chose it because I like to work with government and public policy issues and because it involves tangible things, such as where buildings get built and what they look like, and how various activities and products affect the air we breathe, water we drink, and quality of life in our communities. In addition, land use and environmental law practice at Morrison & Foerster involves a cross-disciplinary mix of administrative law, litigation, counseling, and transactional work which keeps it interesting, and allows me to exercise a variety of skills. It also often involves negotiation and consensus building, allowing me to help craft strategies and solutions that address our clients' objectives and may make the world a better place.

Intellectual Property

I have been practicing law at Morrison & Foerster for over 20 years. I find that statement surprising -- no, shocking. When I started out as a cub associate, I couldn't have imagined that I would find the work so exciting and my colleagues so enjoyable, and that I would thus be practicing -- and practicing in the same firm -- for so long.

It's all serendipity. Coming out of law school, I knew so little about law firms, clients and practice areas. I had a vague notion that I wanted to be what was then called a "computer lawyer." That meant mostly copyright law and the drafting of software licenses. But then a major case came in the door -- the IBM/Fujitsu operating system software copyright arbitration -- and I was drafted onto the team.

I learned, though, that litigating intellectual property matters was, well, my calling. The science and technology is fascinating, and the clients are working to solve the most important problems. The computer industry is changing the way we work and live our daily lives, while the life sciences industry, in which I now spend much of my professional time, is changing the way we cure diseases. The legal issues both sectors raise are now at the top of the legal agenda -- as evidenced by the number of intellectual property cases in the Supreme Court. And litigating these cases presents unique challenges: to understand and then explain complex matters to lay judges and juries.

And I love it.

Financial Services Law

Most law school graduates, I suspect, do not dream of becoming a financial services regulatory lawyer. But I have to confess that the idea of developing expertise in this somewhat arcane area of law was quite compelling. One of my professors at the University of Michigan Law School, understanding my interest in financial regulation and commercial law, suggested that the New York Fed might be a good fit for me. And so it was. Since then I have had the good fortune to practice financial services law during a period of significant changes in the industry. As a young lawyer I had the opportunity to assist clients in chartering new banks, from the initial filing of applications with the state and federal regulators to the final step of helping the Mayor of the City of New York cut the ribbon on opening day. Over the years, my practice evolved to focus on international banks doing business in the United States. This has given me the opportunity to understand financial systems in both hemispheres, and how U.S. law and U.S. regulators have responded to the global marketplace. An added benefit of my practice is that I have the chance to work with attorneys and bankers from many countries and cultures. Although the law and regulations remain detailed, complicated, and changeable, there is great satisfaction in working with our small and collegial financial services bar and forging long-term, counseling-type relationships with clients.

Life Sciences

It's hard to believe that I have been at Morrison & Foerster as a partner for 19 years. I started out as a scientist in academia, and had no idea that I would one day use that scientific background in the practice of law. Science itself is challenging, as is the law, and then add to that mixture the business aspects and skills needed in dealing with people, and that is what keeps me fascinated with what I do. Much of my work is with small to medium sized companies on their patent portfolios and the underlying strategy. Most of these companies are trying to bring health related products, such as vaccines and other therapeutics and diagnostics, to the public. My job is to help protect the companies from competitors, and to help them determine whether they can bring their products to market without being sued. I also work with investors who are interested in these types of companies. Intellectual property, and particularly patents, are a very significant aspect in how these companies are/will be valued, and often, whether they will survive. Doing this type of work allows me to be at the forefront of science, and at the same time to feel that I am helping in the growth of a company that will bring needed products to the public.

Morrison & Foerster is a great place to do this type of work. It encourages the lawyers in different practice areas to work together. I can ask for help from transactional and corporate lawyers and litigators in the work that I perform for the companies. In return, I am also asked to work on other types of matters, including litigation. As a result, each day brings new and interesting work, and I get to do it with people whom I enjoy working with. It's a great life!

Litigation

Want to be a trial lawyer? Want to go to court? Want to learn about advocacy and how to handle client matters putting the client first? I wanted to do all of these things over 50 years ago when I started and I still want to do them now.

Morrison & Foerster has provided me and many others with the wherewithal to develop courtroom skills. Every firm is different. Our firm has always promoted courtroom advocacy.

There is a lot of mentoring here. We were one of the first firms in the country to have clinical trial programs in-house. Our lawyers try many civil and criminal cases. The diversity of our litigation practice is well established.

Diversity in your law practice will help maintain your interest over time as it has for me. After all of these years, the question arises, "Why do I keep practicing?" My answer is intellectual curiosity. You never know what new case will come in or what new story will unfold as part of your case.

If you do come to our firm, bring a copy of this statement and remind me of it. I will stand behind every word.

Trial Practice

I graduated from Harvard Law School in 1985 and have been with MoFo ever since. I never thought I would stay with a large law firm for over two decades. But here I am, peering at the wonderful Bay Bridge. Why have I stayed? Probably because my job challenges me, enables me to learn new things, and allows me to give back to my community, both financially and with my legal skills.

Unlike most lawyers in large law firms, I have chosen not to specialize in any one substantive area. Instead, I am an Old School trial lawyer who can walk into a courtroom and try any case. I have successfully defended a reputable businessman accused of fraud in a billion dollar case involving the Oakland Raiders; I have defended a semiconductor company accused of stealing trade secrets; and I have tried a case where one of our nation's largest banks was sued for more than a billion dollars. In my practice, I have had to learn about oil wells, accounting rules, banking regulations, dietary supplements, the food industry, semiconductors, medical devices, and even breast implants. For a trial lawyer, every case is different.

What I enjoy most, however, is the ability to represent poor clients in defense of our Constitution. I have had the privilege of trying seven civil rights cases. There is nothing more rewarding than having a jury return a verdict in defense of the Bill of Rights. At that moment, I know I chose the right profession.

Securities Litigation, Enforcement and White-Collar Defense

Mostly, I do securities litigation. So, I spend my time dealing with alleged fraud. This is fun because while our clients are always wrongfully accused (well, at least on the major counts), they are almost always interesting people with quick minds, which you need to survive in the financial markets and get to a point where people think it is worth their time to sue or investigate you. Many of the things I work on are a bit like reading mystery novels, trying to unravel issues of motive and intent and make very complex transactions understandable and justifiable to those with overly suspicious attitudes. Of course it helps that I work in New York, which is the financial center of the world and thus the locale of many of the largest and most challenging financial litigations. And since I don't like divorce work and thus don't get to litigate about sex, fighting over large pots of money is the next best thing.

Technology Transactions & Outsourcing

I focus on the transactional side of technology and intellectual property: the business deals that companies do involving cell phones, computer software, semiconductors, networking equipment, video games and the like and the deals involving related patents and other rights. In other words, I handle the "marriage" side--as opposed to "divorce" side--of technology and intellectual property.

I think it's one of the best legal jobs in the world. The technology changes at light speed; the clients have great ideas and ambitions, and are always trying to figure out new ways of structuring things; and the courts regularly make decisions that change the landscape. The result is work that is both fascinating and intellectually challenging. More important, there's no better place to do that work than MoFo. It's critical in what I do to work with other specialists (such as those focused on litigation, patent prosecution, antitrust and corporate matters) who are the best in their fields and who are committed to working together as a team (both because I need their help and because I learn a great deal by being involved in the matters on which they're taking the lead). We have--and work hard at keeping--that kind of teamwork and commitment to the highest quality of practice at MoFo.

I joined the firm over 25 years ago after a clerkship out of law school and still feel lucky that I made the choice I did.

Real Estate

I started out working at MoFo (yes, despite the marketing department's best efforts at a rebranding, that is still how everyone refers to the firm) as a summer associate after my first year of law school. Why did I choose MoFo? Well, let's be honest, I was just happy to have a job at a big firm after my first year.

Why have I stayed at MoFo since then? I am still here through two years as a summer associate and eight years as an associate because I really like the work I do and the people I work with.

What do I do other than write type for the firm's recruiting website? I'm a partner in the real estate group in New York. We primarily represent lenders and developers in financing and acquiring real estate, as well as representing lenders making loans to real estate companies, both nationally and internationally (I wish this meant that I could predict whether it's a good time to buy a house, but no such luck). This ranges from construction loans for several different office towers in Times Square to loans to private equity funds to buy dozens of golf courses in Japan. It is great to work with a tangible subject matter that one can actually see (or work in - we represented the lender who did the financing for the building that our office is in). The work requires a lot of negotiations, strategic thinking and fresh approaches (as well as a loud voice to be heard over yelling New York City developers).

Tax

Morrison & Foerster has a growing federal tax practice. Our practitioners advise an expanding network of international clientele, with an ever-increasing global reach, on all aspects of U.S. federal income tax law, including sophisticated derivatives and financial products, cross-border transactions, mergers and acquisitions, investment funds, joint ventures and tax controversy. My own practice focuses on specialized derivatives, financial products, and other innovative capital markets transactions. In a complex and sophisticated world, understanding tax law and being able to interpret, analyze and apply the law to novel structures takes the skill of a logician and is intellectually challenging in and of itself. To be truly effective, however, a tax lawyer needs to speak the language of an investment banker, understand accounting principles, have a facility with financial modeling, provide the fresh perspective of a consultant, write with precision, be creative and imaginative thinker and possess deal-making instincts and Wall Street smarts. Members of the federal tax group at Morrison & Foerster work closely with clients and with corporate lawyers in a team environment on a diverse set of transactions, and these are the skills they develop and bring to the table on a daily basis.

Capital Markets

There are MoFo attorneys who represent computer and software inventors. And there are MoFo attorneys who represent biotech inventors.

As a Capital Markets attorney, I represent financial inventors.

It's not enough for our group's clients to simply repeat their prior successes with a tried and true transaction structure. Even more so, they want to be first to the market with new innovations, new securities, and new ways to meet the financial needs of their own corporate clients.

In order to properly serve our clients in this area, it's not enough to have mastered the last transaction. The members of my group have to constantly watch the market, following developments as they occur. We have to understand the problems that our clients are trying to solve, and help them to reach the finish line first.

If I have properly played my role, I will have helped to build a better mousetrap.

Corporate

I am the mother of two little boys and I often find myself explaining to family and friends why I chose to practice corporate law. The hours can be long and the job is unpredictable and demanding. However, I find the rewards make it worth my while. And at MoFo, unlike most other firms, my fellow partners respect my efforts to find some balance between the rigors of the practice and the demands of motherhood.

So what is it about corporate law that I find so compelling? First, I enjoy working with our corporate clients to help solve their business-related problems and avoid litigation. We counsel a wide range of companies: from small start-ups to mid-sized private and public enterprises to large Fortune 500 companies. We provide advice to the board and key executives to help these companies operate within the requirements of the corporate code adopted by individual states (in my case, by California, Delaware and New York). We attend board and committee meetings and interface directly with the in-house legal department and key executives. For many of my smaller clients, there are no in-house lawyers, and so I serve as the de facto general counsel.

Second, I enjoy doing "deals" -- both negotiating the business terms and drafting the documents. Associates and partners in the Corporate Group at MoFo can engage in many types of transactions. The majority of the deals on which I work involve either the sale of equity through private placements or public offerings or the sale of the company itself (through the sale of assets or stock). Corporate lawyers work closely with bankers and the company clients to negotiate business and legal terms for a transaction. It is then our job to create documents that reflect agreed-upon terms. Unlike litigators who write their briefs persuasively to try to convince a judge (and possibly a jury) of the veracity of their client's point of view, legal drafting is more like writing a "how to" manual for the operation of an automobile.