january 2015 mofo women · laboratories, intel, jazz pharmaceuticals, marvel semiconductor,...

This special edition of MoFo Women highlights some of the accomplishments achieved by Morrison & Foerster’s women lawyers, as well as the programs that support their professional development, in 2014.

As a firm, MoFo is committed to creating a working environment that women lawyers will choose to call their professional home. When talented women lawyers make such a choice, it underscores a shared commitment

to the advancement of women in a way no words or program can.

Consider, for example, our recent partner classes. Women represented 50 percent of our new partners in 2014 and 45 percent in 2015. The diverse and successful careers of these outstanding women lawyers make a strong case for MoFo’s investment in providing real opportunities for women lawyers to thrive and advance.

Throughout the year, the Women’s Strategy Committee works closely with firm leadership to develop strategies to strengthen our efforts to attract, develop, nurture, and retain talented women lawyers, including helping them manage work and family responsibilities.

We’re proud to co-chair this committee, whose members include Karin Arnold, Erika Drous, Sonia Girgis, Kimberly Gosling, Karen Hagberg, Janet Herman, Jessica Hernandez, Suz Mac Cormac, Craig Martin, Alistair Maughan, Judy Mok, Cheryl Moser, Tritia Murata, Jay Plum, Obrea Poindexter, Bita Rahebi, Shirin Tang, Colette Verkuil, Claudia Vetesi, and Catherine Young Hagerty.

We hope you’ll enjoy learning more about MoFo’s exceptional women and some of the programs in place to support them.

Mika and Steve

MESSAGE FROM THE WSC CO-CHAIRS

KEEPING INFORMED, KEEPING IN TOUCH

January 2015

MOFO WOMENA newsletter about the women lawyers at MoFo and highlights from the Women’s Strategy Committee

@MoFoWomen Highlights of the important work, accomplishments, and pursuits of MoFo’s women lawyers, as well as industry trends related to women

MOFOWOMEN An online publication profiling MoFo’s senior women lawyers and their accomplishments

Ask the WSC An opportunity to share your comments and questions with the WSC co-chairs

IN THIS ISSUEPitch Perfect Page 2Starting at the Top Page 2Cutting Edge Page 2Playing the Long Game Page 3Partners for Gender Equality Page 3MoFo Summit for Women In-House Counsel Page 4Building a WIB of Influence Page 6Pioneers for Justice Page 7Our New Associates Page 7New to MoFo Page 8Meet MoFo’s New Women Partners Page 102014 Women Partners Retreat Page 12Promoting the Next Generation of Women Leaders Page 13Partner Profiles Page 14Affinities Page 16Our Summer Associates Page 17The WSC Report Page 18Awards + Recognition Page 19

http://www.mofo.comhttps://twitter.com/mofowomenhttp://www.mofo.com/docs/pdf/MOFO-Women-Book/http://talktoleadership/ttlhomewic.aspx

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MoFo New York Tax Insights Volume 3, Issue 2, February 2012

MoFo Women January 2015

PITCH PERFECTHow do you get to Carnegie Hall?

Pitch. Pitch. Pitch.

In October, of counsel Melissa Hager, partner Jamie Levitt, and associates Erica

Richards and Samantha Martin showcased their business pitch skills at a meeting of the New York International Women’s Insolvency and Restructuring Confederation’s New York chapter at New York’s famed Carnegie Hall.

This was the second annual mock pitch event put on by the organization, and this time it focused on pitching for creditors’ committee-side bankruptcy work, a particular strength of our Business Restructuring & Insolvency Group.

The MoFo team, which also included business development director Lacey Laken, successfully handled some tough questions from a diverse panel of seasoned veterans.

STARTING ATTHE TOPMoFo’s Larren Nashelsky took part in the program, “It Starts at the Top: What Law Firm Leaders Can Do to Impact the Success of Women in Their Firms.” Sponsored by the Women in Law Empowerment Forum (WILEF), the event took place on October 30 at the San Francisco offices of Latham & Watkins.

The program examined the importance of developing mentorship and sponsorship programs that cut across gender lines; fostering opportunities for women to build books of business; and championing women to take on leadership roles with law firms.

Other participants included Robert Dell, Latham & Watkins; Peter Devlin, Fish & Richardson; Elizabeth Sharrer, Holland & Hart; and Merle Vaughn, Major, Lindsey & Africa (moderator).

Founded in 2007, WILEF provides educational and networking opportunities for women in law firms. MoFo is a founding sponsor of the organization.

CUTTING EDGEOn October 17, WSC co-chair Mika Mayer took part in the 2014 Cutting Edge Leadership Conference, held at Gap headquarters in San Francisco. Claudia Vetesi, an associate in our San Francisco office, also attended the conference.

Mika was part of a panel that examined how to build and leverage successful women’s and diversity initiatives. Other panelists included Kit Chaskin, partner at Reed Smith; and Sarita Soldz, marketing director and global chair of the Women’s International Network at Ashland Chemical.

The Cutting Edge Conference is part of Women’s Leadership Edge, an initiative of the Center for WorkLife Law at UC Hastings College of the Law. The conference gathers corporate and law firm professionals committed to better supporting the advancement of women within their organizations.

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PLAYING THE LONG GAMEOn June 11, MoFo’s San Francisco office hosted “Playing the Long Game: Positioning Yourself for Career Success,” a business development and leadership

program produced by the Women in Law Empowerment Forum (WILEF). More than 80 women lawyers from law firms and companies in the Bay Area attended.

The featured speakers included Mika Mayer, partner in MoFo’s Palo Alto office and co-chair of the Women’s Initiative Committee; MoFo alumna

Angela Padilla, deputy general counsel at VMware; Tammy Albarrán, partner at Covington & Burling; and Katherine Kelly Lutton, principal at Fish & Richardson.

Now in its eighth year, WILEF educates women in law firms and corporate law departments on how to become leaders in the workplace and community by building, exercising, and implementing a sense of empowerment.

MoFo has partnered with WILEF since 2009, and three of our partners sit on WILEF’s advisory board: Suz Mac Cormac, Mika Mayer, and Deanne Maynard.

PARTNERS FOR GENDER EQUALITYOn May 22, Suzanne Graeser, the West Coast chair of MoFo’s Emerging Companies and Venture Capital Group, and Janet Herman, MoFo’s director of attorney development, attended the corporate partner meeting of the Michelle R. Clayman Institute for Gender Research at Stanford University.

Founded in 1974, the Clayman Institute offers insights into barriers to women’s advancement and provides innovative and workable solutions to help promote gender equality. Earlier this year, MoFo became the first major law firm to sign on as a corporate partner of the institute.

May’s corporate partner meeting included presentations on research and strategies for increasing the inclusion of women in the workplace. Janet spoke on a panel about best practices and challenges in recruiting and hiring women. Her co-panelists included executives Christina Dickenson (Intel), Sandy Hoffman (Cisco), and Yolanda Mangolini (Google).

1 6Adobe

American Express

Blue Shield of California

Charles Schwab

Cisco

Deloitte

eBay

Exponential Talent

Genentech

Google

Intel

McKinsey

Morrison & Foerster

NetApp

State Street

VMware

Number of Companies in the Clayman Institute’s

Corporate Partner Program

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Approximately 160 women lawyers, including general counsel and in-house counsel at 80 companies in the tech, life sciences, and banking industries, participated in the 2014 MoFo Summit for Women In-House Counsel, held in Half Moon Bay, California, on April 24.

Founded in 2012, the MoFo Summit for Women In-House Counsel is a day-long event by and for women about substantive legal issues.

“Law firm women’s events are rarely ‘substantive.’ They usually seem like cliché token women’s events,” remarked a MoFo alumna who attended the summit in Half Moon Bay. “[MoFo’s summit] really showed the deep bench of the amazing women attorneys at the firm.”

The 2014 summit opened with a panel discussion among women general counsel. Moderated by MoFo partner Mika Mayer, the panel included Beth Hecht (Auven Therapeutics), Ellen Oran Kaden (Campbell Soup Company), Karen King (Silver Lake), and Teresa Wynn Roseborough (The Home Depot).

“The insights and life experiences of the panelists were fascinating,” commented one of the attendees.

Throughout the day, participants attended sessions on current legal topics led by MoFo’s women lawyers, many of whom are recognized leaders in their respective practice areas. In addition, some of the panels featured women clients who offered their insights as members of corporate legal departments.

The panels included:

• Hot Topics in Privacy and Data Security: Christine Lyon, Stephanie Sharron, Miriam Wugmeister

• Everything You Need to Know About Cross-Border M&A: Ann Bevitt, Marcia Ellis, Jill Feldman, Roxann Henry

• Practical Solutions to Challenges During Internal Investigations: Vena Cheng, Demme Doufekias, Karin Retzer, Stacey Sprenkel

• Patent Law After the America Invents Act: NPEs, IPRs, and Others: Cary Miller, Bita Rahebi, Wendy Ray, Colette Verkuil

• Practical Tips on Key Corporate Issues Facing In-House Counsel: Suzanne Graeser, Jackie Liu, Janie Schulman, Tessa Schwartz

• The Attorney-Client Privilege: Ethical and Practical Tips: Erin Bosman, Rebekah Kaufman, Gloria Lee (McKesson Corporation), Rebecca Letourneaux (Fresenius Kabi USA)

• Leadership: What You Didn’t Know and What to Do About It: Julie Matlof Kennedy, Anna Erickson White

The program ended with a general session that explored the recent Supreme Court term and featured MoFo partner Deanne Maynard and Therese Stewart, chief deputy attorney for the City and County of San Francisco.

During dinner at a nearby restaurant, NPR legal correspondent Nina Totenberg gave a keynote address about her experiences covering the Supreme Court.

“MoFo has a long-standing commitment to the advancement of women lawyers,” noted Los Angeles partner Janie Schulman, who chaired the steering committee for the 2014 summit. “The continued growth of the summit underscores the importance of such events for women in our profession.”

MOFO SUMMIT FOR WOMEN IN-HOUSE COUNSEL

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Since 2012, more than 325 women lawyers have participated in the MoFo Summit for Women In-House Counsel.

This year’s attendees included women lawyers from Apple, Autodesk, Celgene, Clorox, Credit Karma, Fresenius Kabi, Genentech, Gilead Science, Impax Laboratories, Intel, Jazz Pharmaceuticals, Marvel Semiconductor, McKesson, Royal Bank of Canada, Salesforce.com, Yahoo!, and Zynga Game Network.

Participation of women general counsel and in-house counsel in the MoFo Summit for Women In-House Counsel

2012 74

902013

1152014

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On July 2, MoFo’s Tokyo office hosted its inaugural Women in Business Seminar on “Best International Business Practices.” Building on the success of the annual MoFo Summit for Women In-House Counsel, the program examined recent developments, trends, and challenges driving global business. Approximately 100 women executives took part in the seminar, which was followed by a dinner reception at Salt.

Tokyo partner Louise Stoupe, the driving force behind the event, provided opening and closing remarks.

Mami Indo, executive managing director and deputy general manager of the research division of the Daiwa Institute of Research, spoke about the lessons to be learned from the JAL turnaround.

Following the presentation, Louise moderated a panel discussion that addressed such topics as Investing in China, and Further Afield in Asia; Privacy and Compliance; and International Corporate Strategy and Problem Management.

Panelists included Mitsuri Claire Chino, executive officer and general counsel at Itochu Corporation; Marcia Ellis, partner in MoFo’s Hong Kong office; and Amanda Treleaven, an associate in our Tokyo office.

The program ended with remarks by Nami Abe, senior staff writer at Nikkei Shimbun, about the reform of employment practices and human resource management by Japanese companies.

The Women in Business Seminar provides a forum where women leaders can discuss substantive and current topics, which are not gender specific but of significant importance to the Japanese business community. The program further establishes a network for women executives and helps develop the next generation of women business leaders.

Participants in this year’s seminar included women leaders from Accenture, Alcon, BHP Billiton, Citi, Fujitsu, Hitachi, IBM, J.P. Morgan, Mitsubishi, Morgan Stanley, Nikon, Nomura, Novartis, and SoftBank, among others.

“I was a little nervous before I went to the seminar, as I wasn’t sure what kind of super-sharp businesswomen would be there,” remarked one of the attendees. “But talking with you, all [of] whom are on the front line yet are down to earth, gave me the energy to take on tomorrow.”

BUILDING A WIB OF INFLUENCE

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For 40 years, Equal Rights Advocates has dedicated itself to protecting and expanding economic and educational access and opportunities for women and girls. MoFo has partnered with ERA since its inception, so it seemed only natural that ERA would honor this commitment by presenting MoFo with the Pioneer of Justice Law Firm Award at its 40th anniversary gala luncheon on June 17.

MoFo most recently provided pro bono counsel in support of ERA’s efforts to ensure Title IX compliance in 116 schools. ERA hopes to issue a report and tool kit that will assist thousands of educators, parents, young women, and girls across the United States in promoting gender equity in education. The MoFo pro bono team on the case

includes Palo Alto partner Marc Peters, Palo Alto associates Anne Davis and Mike Kryston, and Los Angeles associate Debra Urteaga.

Palo Alto partner Mika Mayer, who recently joined ERA’s board of directors, and San Francisco partner Tiffany Cheung were members of the honorary steering committee for ERA’s anniversary luncheon, which featured Professor Anita Hill as its keynote speaker.

PIONEERS FOR JUSTICE

OUR NEW ASSOCIATESThis fall, MoFo welcomed 25 talented women lawyers to the firm as first-year associates. They are members of 11 practices in 12 of our offices.

*Includes D.C., Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, and San Francisco Litigation Groups

By Practice GroupBeijing

Berlin

D.C.

Denver

Hong Kong

London

Los Angeles

New York

Northern Virginia

Palo Alto

San Francisco

Tokyo

Capital Markets

Corporate

Financial Transactions

Litigation*

Patent

Tax

Tech Transactions

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9

17

3

2 21 21

1

3

12

212

8

1

By Office

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TO MOFOKarin ArnoldCorporate, Berlin, [email protected]

Karin was among the lawyers and staff who joined MoFo in 2013 to launch our Berlin office. She is both a lawyer and a notary. Karin advises German and international clients on corporate law issues, in particular on German stock corporation law and corporate restructuring. She represents corporate clients and international investors in the acquisition and sale of companies, and advises entrepreneurs, family-owned enterprises, and private clients on trust and estate planning. As a notary, Karin has high-level responsibility for drafting, executing, and registering legal instruments in large and complex corporate and real estate transactions.

Marcia EllisCorporate, Hong Kong, [email protected]

Marcia rejoined the firm as a corporate partner in our Hong Kong office. She left in 2008 to serve as D. E. Shaw’s chief legal officer for Asia. An accomplished M&A and private equity lawyer, she advises clients on private equity transactions and complex cross-border mergers and acquisitions in Asia. She also has extensive experience representing global funds in acquisitions and dispositions of real estate assets, investments in real estate development, and the establishment of real estate joint ventures.

Stephanie SharronCorporate, Palo Alto, [email protected]

A leading technology transactions lawyer, Stephanie recently joined our Palo Alto office. For more than two decades, her Silicon Valley practice has focused on assisting both emerging and mature companies across sectors (including by way of example, cloud services, online services, mobile, e-commerce, life sciences, hardware, software, semiconductors, and clean tech). Stephanie focuses on commercial, technology, and intellectual property transactions and related intellectual property, open source, and data privacy counseling. She also assists with the tech and IP aspects of mergers, acquisitions, asset spin-off transactions, and private equity investments; and large services and sourcing arrangements.

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Six highly accomplished women lawyers recently joined the firm as lateral partners in our Berlin, Hong Kong, Palo Alto, Shanghai, Sinagpore, and Washington, D.C. offices.

Lynn LevineLitigation, Washington, D.C., [email protected] The former director of the U.S. International Trade Commission’s Office of Unfair Important Investigations (OUII), Lynn recently joined our Intellectual Property Group as senior of counsel. During her 25-year tenure as OUII director, she supervised more than 500 Section 337 patent-based investigations, which frequently focused on sophisticated technologies in the computer, information technology, and telecommunications fields. In 2008, George W. Bush presented Lynn with a Presidential Rank Award for her sustained level of achievement. Last year, she was among the inaugural inductees into the ChIPs Hall of Fame for her work in the intellectual property area and efforts to promote the advancement of women in IP law and technology.

Shirin TangCorporate, Singapore, [email protected] Shirin is a highly accomplished corporate lawyer with deep experience in M&A, private equity, and joint venture transactions. Prior to joining our Singapore office as a partner, she practiced in the New York office of an international law firm for six years. During that time, she advised several Asia-based sovereign wealth funds and national investment companies in co-investments and joint ventures in the United States, Brazil, Chile, and Africa; Sanofi in numerous acquisitions and collaborations in China and Southeast Asia; various Asia-based private equity firms in investments and exits in China, Southeast Asia, and the United States; and a Japanese multinational in its proposed acquisition of a precision engineering firm headquartered in Singapore. Shirin is listed by Chambers Asia Pacific 2014 as a leader in her field for Corporate/M&A: International (Singapore), and is also cited in IFLR’s Guide to the World’s Leading Law Firms and Asia-Pacific Legal 500.

Maria WangReal Estate, Shanghai, [email protected] Maria recently joined the firm as a partner in our Shanghai office. Her practice focuses on real estate transactions, including complex mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, financings, disposals, and project developments and management. Maria has represented international and domestic real estate private equity houses, fund managers, financiers, and developers in various transactions, covering different stages from development and construction to the management, operation, and disposal of real estate projects in China.

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MEET MOFO’S NEW WOMEN PARTNERS

Michelle JewettTax, San Francisco, [email protected]

Michelle’s practice focuses on providing tax advice for structuring cross-border taxable and tax-free M&A transactions, domestic and foreign private equity investments, real estate investments by taxable and tax-exempt entities, mortgage-backed securities and other securitization transactions, leveraged leases, foreign investments in the United States, outbound investments by domestic companies, bankruptcy and debt workouts, energy and infrastructure investments, and life settlements. Michelle graduated from Harvard Law School and holds a B.A. from Stanford University.

Angela KleineFinancial Services Litigation, San Francisco, [email protected]

Angela’s practice focuses on complex civil litigation and enforcement, with an emphasis on defending and advising financial services companies in matters under banking, fair lending, consumer reporting, and unfair and deceptive acts and practices laws and regulations. In 2014, MReport Magazine named her one of the “Thirty-five Under 35” women rising stars in the mortgage banking industry. Angela received her J.D. from New York University School of Law.

Jennifer L. MarinesBusiness Restructuring + Insolvency, New York, [email protected]

Jennifer has experience representing chapter 11 debtors, creditors, investors, and other parties in interest in all aspects of complex corporate restructurings, including chapter 11 cases, out-of-court restructurings, and distressed acquisitions. She served as a law clerk to the Honorable Robert D. Drain, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge for the Southern District of New York. She earned her J.D. from Brooklyn Law School.

Tritia MurataEmployment + Labor, Los Angeles, [email protected]

Tritia’s practice includes a broad range of employment and commercial litigation in both state and federal courts. She is an experienced wage-and-hour litigator and has successfully defeated class certification in multiple actions alleging violations of state and federal wage-and-hour laws. She also has significant experience successfully litigating complex employee and customer raiding cases involving duty of loyalty, misappropriation of trade secrets, and unfair competition issues. In 2013, The Recorder named Tritia among its 50 “Lawyers on the Fast Track.” She received her J.D. from the UCLA School of Law, where she was an articles editor of the UCLA Law Review. She received her B.S. from UCLA, where she was a Regents Scholar.

mailto:mjewett%40mofo.com?subject=mailto:akleine%40mofo.com?subject=mailto:jmarines%40mofo.com?subject=mailto:tmurata%40mofo.com?subject=

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Bold, brilliant, and accomplished. These outstanding women lawyers represent the very best of MoFo.

Purvi PatelLitigation, Los Angeles, [email protected]

Purvi’s practice includes a broad range of complex multi-fora litigation, with a focus on defending retailers and other businesses in unfair competition, false advertising, data security, and privacy cases. In tandem with her litigation practice, she regularly counsels clients concerning potential privacy implications of business practices relating to the collection of customer personal identification information in a number of settings. Purvi served as a law clerk to the Honorable Consuelo B. Marshall, U.S. District Court for the Central District of California; and the Honorable Blanche M. Manning, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois. Purvi graduated magna cum laude from Loyola University Chicago School of Law, where she was a senior member of the Loyola University Chicago Law Journal. She has a B.A. with honors from the University of Chicago.

Wendy RayLitigation, Los Angeles, [email protected]

Wendy is a trial lawyer focusing in intellectual property litigation. She has handled a wide range of patent matters involving advanced technologies, including semiconductor chips, microelectromechanical systems, medical devices, video technology and software systems. Wendy was named one of the Top Women Attorneys in Southern California by Super Lawyers in 2013. Wendy received her J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center cum laude in 2002, where she was an articles and notes editor of The Georgetown Journal of Gender and the Law. Wendy earned her M.P.H. in health care policy and administration, with distinction, from Yale University, her B.S. in engineering from the University of Pennsylvania, and her B.S. in economics from the Wharton School of Business.

Jessica RiceFederal Tax, San Diego, [email protected]

Jessica advises both public and private companies on a wide range of executive and equity compensation and employee-benefits matters, including with respect to equity incentive plans, nonqualified deferred compensation arrangements, retention, severance and change-of-control arrangements, employment agreements, tax-qualified retirement plans, and other incentive and benefits arrangements. In addition, Jessica has substantial experience advising on compensation and benefits matters in U.S. and cross-border corporate transactions, including mergers and acquisitions and public offerings. She received her J.D. from Washington and Lee University School of Law, and her LL.M. from New York University School of Law.

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MEET MOFO’S NEW WOMEN PARTNERS

Stacey SprenkelLitigation, San Francisco, [email protected]

Stacey is a member of the firm’s FCPA & Anti-Corruption Task Force. She regularly advises clients on cross-border investigations and developing and implementing anti-corruption compliance programs. She also assists clients in conducting global anti-corruption risk assessments and anti-corruption due diligence in connection with acquisitions, joint ventures, and private equity transactions. Stacey has been named among the “Top Five Associates to Watch in California” by the Daily Journal, and among The Recorder’s “50 Fast Track Lawyers.” She has also been named a “Rising Star” by Super Lawyers every year since 2009. Stacey received her J.D. from Columbia Law School, where she served as editor-in-chief of The Columbia Journal of European Law. She received her M.Sc. from The London School of Economics and Political Science and her B.A. from UC Berkeley.

Stephanie ThomasCorporate, Sacramento, [email protected]

Stephanie focuses her practice on private equity fund formation, where she represents fund sponsors and institutional investors in connection with the formation of, and investments in, buyout funds, venture capital funds, secondary funds, debt funds, fund-of-funds, and other private equity funds, ranging in size and investment focus. Stephanie has been involved in several hundred significant fund formations, involving foreign and domestic funds, including many of the largest private equity funds ever formed. She routinely advises fund sponsors and investors on cross-border structuring alternatives, ongoing investment and co-investment activities, and regulatory compliance. Stephanie received her J.D. from the UCLA School of Law.

Each year, immediately following the MoFo Summit for Women In-House Counsel, the firm holds a retreat for women partners. In 2014, approximately 50 partners attended the retreat, which included programming on leadership development and an interactive cooking demonstration that promoted teamwork and collaboration. San Francisco partner Jill Feldman and New York partner Jamie Levitt co-chaired the 2014 retreat planning.

2014 WOMEN PARTNERS RETREAT

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PROMOTING THE NEXT GENERATION OF WOMEN LEADERS

Leadership Council on Legal DiversityPurvi is a 2014 fellow with the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD). Founded in 2009, LCLD is a growing organization of more than 200 corporate chief legal officers and law firm managing partners dedicated to creating a truly diverse legal profession. During her year-long fellowship, Purvi will participate in a learning program dedicated to developing the next generation of leaders within the legal profession.

MoFo has participated in the fellowship program since its founding in 2011. Previous MoFo fellows include Washington, D.C. partner Chris Ford, Los Angeles partner Sylvia Rivera, and San Francisco partner Eric Tate.

Impact CenterRuti has been named a 2014 women’s executive leadership fellow with the Impact Center, a leadership development organization for high-impact individuals and institutions. The program helps fellows develop management and leadership skills, identify their core strengths, enhance their professional visibility, and succeed in their careers.

Ruti joins a diverse group of women leaders from the fields of business, government, law, academia, medicine, and public service.

This is the second year that MoFo has participated in the Impact Center’s program. In 2013, Washington, D.C. partner Obrea Poindexter was a fellow.

MoFo has appointed Los Angeles partner Purvi Patel and New York partner Ruti Smithline to two fellowship programs in support of their development as leaders in the legal industry.

22MoFo women have taken part in the UC Hastings Project for Attorney Retention’s Leadership Academy since 2007

MoFo women partners sit on the advisory board of the Women in Law Empowerment Forum (WILEF). MoFo began participating in WILEF in 2009

MoFo women lawyers have participated in the biannual ABA Women in Law Leadership Conference since 2008

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PARTNER PROFILE:DEANNE MAYNARDLaw360’s Appellate A-List regularly profiles leading appellate litigations in the United States. In August, the magazine showcased MoFo’s Deanne Maynard, who has argued an impressive 13 cases before the U.S. Supreme Court. In the excerpt below, Deanne reflects on the importance of mentorship in building a successful practice.

[Deanne] says the most important lesson she has learned is that the people who find success are usually the ones who surround themselves with a constellation of dedicated mentors.

“My advice for women advocates is the same as it is for men: No successful lawyer has ever succeeded on their own,” she says. “We are all standing on the shoulders of people who came before us, and you need to reach out and surround yourself with mentors.”

Though she didn’t know any women lawyers personally during her childhood in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, she credits one famous attorney with turning her onto the idea of a career in law: Atticus Finch, the principled protagonist of Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird.

It wasn’t until she was a sophomore at the University of Virginia that [Deanne] would meet her first real-world legal mentor in notable economist Kenneth Elzinga, who was notorious for his unrelenting, rapid-fire Socratic approach and who initially asked [Deanne] to drop the course and re-enroll as a junior.

“There was talk he was going into government, and being a college sophomore I rather boldly said: OK, I’ll drop, but only if you promise me you’re not going

to go off and join the FTC,” she recalls with a laugh. “So he let me stay, but I got very prepared for the first day because I just knew he was going to grill me.”

[Deanne] aced that interrogation, and after attending Harvard Law School scored a remarkable string of clerkships that began with D.C. District Court Judge Stanley Harris and went on to include three different Supreme Court justices.

In her first year clerking at the high court, [Deanne] split time between retired Justice Lewis Powell — who regularly sat on the Fourth Circuit after stepping down — and Justice John Paul Stevens. The following year, she was asked to join the chambers of newly minted Justice Stephen Breyer.

Despite her high-profile clerkships, it was not until she left the courts for private practice with Jenner & Block LLP that she worked with her true guru in the form of current Solicitor General Donald Verrilli Jr., whose lessons in leadership have guided [Deanne] since she took the helm of MoFo’s appellate litigation practice group in 2009.

“Don is someone I’ve tried to emulate in a lot of ways, particularly in the way he was always looking for opportunities to push down responsibility to those working for him,” [Deanne] says. “He’s someone who gave a lot of us our first chance to really step up and show what we could do.”

“We are all standing on the shoulders of people who came before us, and you need to reach out and surround yourself with mentors.”

http://www.law360.com/articles/570798/mofo-s-high-court-maven-deanne-maynardhttp://www.law360.com/articles/570798/mofo-s-high-court-maven-deanne-maynard

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Tokyo partner Jay Ponazecki believes it’s important to be part of the broader community. Over the years, she has translated that belief into an extraordinary record of professional service, including most recently as president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan (ACCJ). Jay is the second woman president in ACCJ’s 67-year history and the only MoFo lawyer ever elected to any ACCJ leadership position.

Jay maintains that the best career advice she ever received was to love your job. “We spend a lot of time working, so it’s important to love what you do,” says Jay. “That also means taking responsibility for your career, finding mentors and sponsors, and seeking out opportunities to gain experience and skills that may not otherwise be available in the workplace.”

When she started her career, Jay sought out mentors in her daily practice, learning from everyone with whom she came into contact: partners and senior associates, lawyers on the other side, clients, and other service providers. She also became involved in the ACCJ after joining MoFo’s Tokyo office in 1997. A former colleague, who co-chaired the Legal Services Committee, asked Jay to co-chair a subcommittee focused on liberalizing the restrictions imposed on foreign-qualified lawyers in Japan. She went on to co-chair the Legal Services Committee and, in time, was elected to serve as a governor and then a vice president of the ACCJ’s board of governors. In January, Jay will begin her second term as ACCJ president.

Jay’s involvement with the ACCJ over the years has significantly contributed to her growth as a business leader. “In many ways, [the ACCJ] has given me a chance to develop skills that ordinarily you could only obtain by entering an international MBA program or attending a premier executive training program.”

The ACCJ is one of the leading business organizations in Japan, with over 3,000 members representing more

than 1,000 companies. As president, Jay has executive authority over the ACCJ’s affairs and interests. Among her numerous responsibilities, she sets the ACCJ’s annual agenda and strategic goals, which in 2015 include membership growth and engagement, creating new networking opportunities and ways of sharing information, and strengthening synergies within the organization’s advocacy initiatives.

2014 was a tremendous year for the ACCJ under Jay’s stewardship. In May, the ACCJ and U.S.-Japan Council co-hosted the largest — and perhaps most memorable — event in ACCJ history: the 2014 Women in Business Summit. The summit, which had more than 750 attendees, featured keynote addresses from Japanese Prime Minister Shinzō Abe, U.S. Ambassador Caroline Kennedy, “womenomics” pioneer Kathy Matsui, and Catalyst CEO Deborah Gillis.

In 2014, the ACCJ also established the Young Professionals Program, which helps individuals 35 and under develop the skills and networks they will need as future leaders in the ACCJ and the larger U.S.-Japan relationship. And in June, the ACCJ launched “Jay’s Vlog,” a video blog that is part of an initiative to find new ways of providing members with access to key information and increasing membership value.

Jay says that serving as ACCJ president is a “full-time plus commitment.” Still, she manages to find time to lead MoFo’s Life Sciences and Privacy Practice Groups in Asia, and to volunteer on weekends in Tohoku helping individuals rebuild their lives in the aftermath of the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011.

“The key questions for me are whether I enjoy what I’m doing, whether it’s meaningful and aligned with my core values, and whether I’m still growing professionally and personally,” explains Jay.

When it comes to giving back to MoFo, the ACCJ, and the broader community, the answers in Jay’s case appear to be “yes” three times over.

PARTNER PROFILE:JAY PONAZECKI

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AFFINITIESMoFo sponsors 22 firmwide affinity groups, 13 of which provide women lawyers with an internal support network and programs to help them advance in their careers.

Los Angeles Working Parents Affinity GroupOn September 27, the Los Angeles Working Parents Affinity Group hosted a picnic and family mini-session at the Manhattan Beach Pier, which was attended by 10 lawyers and their families. The group also played host to Mike Waxberg, a wealth management adviser with Northwestern Wealth Management Company, who presented a program on December 17 about financial planning strategies for parents with young children. Approximately 20 lawyers attended the presentation.

MoWomen LondonAlthough London’s MoWomen Group has existed for several years, it has flourished in 2014. Led by Sue McLean and Keily Blair, group members have proactively supported each other in business planning and mentoring, as well as numerous marketing initiatives. Last year, the group hosted several networking events — which proved extremely popular with clients — as well as a seminar on “Flexible Working in the City,” which was co-hosted by the European Professional Women’s Network.

In March, London women attended a screening of Miss Representation as part of the 2014 Women of the World Series. Miss Representation is a thought-provoking documentary about the representation of women and girls in mainstream media and the impact on the representation of women in positions of power and influence in the United States. A Q&A session followed the screening, and featured a panel of distinguished women that included the film’s director, Jennifer Newsom, and Cherie Blair.

On June 10, Sue, in her role as the affinity group chair, attended “Harnessing the Power of Diversity.” The program, sponsored by London’s Lord Mayor, focuses on how employees at different levels in a company can effect change and harness the business benefits of diversity and inclusion. Speakers included Helena Morrissey, CEO and founder of the 30% Club; Tanni Grey-Thompson, Paralympian and member of the House of Lords; Lord Bilimoria, founder of Cobra Beer and member of the House of Lords; and Steve Holliday, chief executive of National Grid.

Linda Cheung — a recognized thought leader on social media for business and co-founder of CubeSocial, a leading social media marketing company and CRM company — was the featured speaker at “Networking in the Digital Age: Social Media Is Just Another Way to Talk.” The session, held on September 10, provided practical tips on identifying which social media platforms are the most appropriate for your professional role; building and optimizing your social media profiles; and effectively using social media for networking.

New York Women’s Affinity GroupOn October 21, MoFo’s New York Women’s Affinity Group held its inaugural event, “Projecting a Powerful Presence: How to Make a Strong First Impression.” Approximately 50 women, including MoFo lawyers and clients, participated in an interactive workshop and networking mixer focused on improving women’s communication skills.

Marsha Redmon — a dynamic speaker, former practicing lawyer, and award-winning journalist —

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facilitated the informative program, which received rave reviews from MoFo lawyers and clients. She presented research-based insights and video clips regarding several topics, in each case focusing on issues that are relevant to professional women.

San Francisco WomenSan Francisco Women has recently been re-energized to promote relationship building and networking among women lawyers in the San Francisco office. The group, which is led by Clare Reilly and Lisa Wongchenko, notably created mentoring circles made up of two women partners and approximately four to six women associates and of counsel. The group hosts lunches and social outings for each mentoring circle throughout the year. In October, the group hosted a happy hour for women associates and of counsel.

San Francisco Working MomsSan Francisco Working Moms typically meets once every month during lunch to provide a supportive community for working mothers. The lunches provide a forum to discuss issues of importance to working moms, such as maternity leave, nursing, scheduling, and managing work expectations. The group has sponsored programs on such topics as estate planning

and Sheryl Sandberg’s Lean In; regularly hosts a summer happy hour; and is planning to create a mommy mentor/mentee program for women returning from maternity leave.

D.C./NoVa WomenOn May 13, 23 women lawyers from our Washington, D.C. and Northern Virginia offices attended a women’s network lunch sponsored by the D.C./NoVa Women Affinity Group. Following welcoming remarks from Obrea Poindexter and Steve Smith, the lawyers participated in a structured event moderated by partners and of counsel. In three consecutive 20-minute sessions, moderators led guided discussions that encouraged participants to describe their practices; explain the types of contacts that they typically seek and how they go about making such contacts; talk about other practices with which they work; and identify opportunities for cross-selling.

San Diego Women’s Affinity GroupIn March, the San Diego office created a new affinity group for its women lawyers. Associates Kate McElhone and Jessica Roberts co-chair the group. Erin Bosman and Cary Miller are the partner sponsors.

OUR SUMMER ASSOCIATESWith one of the best overall summer associate programs, MoFo continually attracts a high caliber of women law students from schools across the United States and Canada.

• Columbia

• Cornell

• George Washington

• Georgetown

• Harvard

• McGill

• Santa Clara

• Stanford

• UC Berkeley

• UC Davis

• UC Hastings

• UCLA

• University of Chicago

• University of San Diego

• University of Virginia

MoFo’s 2014 summer associate class includes 27 women from 15 different law schools, including:

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Supporting Working Moms Lawyers returning to work from maternity, paternity, or adoption leave may automatically work a reduced schedule for a period of one year. In 2013, we strengthened our commitment to working mothers by implementing a new transition time policy to assist in the transition to and from maternity leave.

The new policy, applicable in our U.S. and London offices, reduces the hours expectation by 50 percent during the four-week period immediately preceding an attorney’s leave and during the four-week period immediately following her return to the office.

We also maintain a Working Mom’s Resource List to support our attorney mothers. For several years, attorney mothers have volunteered to mentor colleagues and speak about their experiences being working moms.

The WSC ReportSince 2006, MoFo’s Women’s Strategy Committee has focused on ways the firm can support the professional and business development of women lawyers, enhance the recruiting and retention of talented women lawyers, and create a friendly work environment through programs such as our reduced-hours policy.

On December 3, approximately 150 lawyers and marketing and recruiting staff from our U.S. offices participated in “Getting LinkedIn,” a workshop facilitated by Adrian Dayton and sponsored by the Women’s Strategy Committee.

Adrian is an internationally recognized speaker on social media and business development. He writes a weekly column on social media for The National Law Journal and is the author of two books: LinkedIn & Blogs for Lawyers: Building High Value Relationships in a Digital Age and Social Media for Lawyers: Twitter Edition.

The 60-minute program, which was held in New York and livecast to our offices in California, Northern Virginia, and Washington, D.C., examined such topics as why it’s critical to have a distinctive profile; how to write your LinkedIn summary; how to handle endorsements and recommendations, including a discussion of the firm’s policy; and strategies for identifying, qualifying, and engaging prospective clients.

GETTING LINKEDIN

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WHAT’S UP, WSC?During the summer, the Berlin, Los Angeles, Palo Alto, San Diego, and Tokyo offices each played host to “What’s Up With the WSC,” a lunchtime presentation about recent successes and ongoing WSC initiatives. Facilitators included Los Angeles partners Tritia Murata and Bita Rahebi, Palo partners Mika Mayer and Colette Verkuil, and attorney development manager Erika Drous.

MOFO WOWWomen on Wednesdays (WOW) is an ongoing program in which MoFo women partners discuss their career paths and how they successfully navigate their roles as lawyers and leaders in the firm. The San Francisco office hosted a discussion between Anna Erickson White and Rebekah Kaufman in June, and the New York office hosted a conversation between LaShann DeArcy and Jamie Levitt in November. Both programs were livecast to our other U.S. offices, and a videorecording was made available to offices in Asia and Europe.

YALE LAW WOMENIn its 2014 survey of the law firms ranked in the Vault 100, Yale Law Women named MoFo to its list of the Top 10 Family Friendly Firms. Yale Law Women’s annual policy survey examines important indicators of family friendliness, such as billable hour requirements, part-time and flex-time options, parental leave policies, and the availability of childcare.

WORKING MOTHER AND FLEX-TIME LAWYERSWorking Mother magazine and Flex-Time Lawyers LLC recognized MoFo as one of the best law firms for women in the United States. The annual survey identifies the top 50 firms that have created and use best practices in promoting and retaining women lawyers.

HEALTHY MOTHERS WORKPLACE COALITIONFor the second year in a row, MoFo received a Gold Level Award for Excellence in Maternal Health and Equity from the Healthy Mothers Workplace Coalition.

AMERICAS WOMEN IN BUSINESS LAW AWARDSEuromoney Legal Media Group named MoFo the Best International Law Firm for Work-Life Balance at the third annual Americas Women in Business Law Awards. In addition, San Francisco partner Rachel Krevans took home the award for Best in Patent. This marks the second year in a row that Rachel has received this recognition.

EUROPEAN WOMEN IN BUSINESS LAW AWARDSLondon tax associate Sonia Girgis was selected as the 2014 Rising Star in Tax at Euromoney’s European Women in Business Law Awards.

CHAMBERS USA WOMEN IN LAW AWARDSAt the 2014 Chambers USA Women in Law Awards, Deanne Maynard received the award for Outstanding Contribution to Pro Bono Work.

DAILY JOURNAL TOP WOMENThe Daily Journal named Rachel Krevans, Mika Mayer, and Miriam Vogel to its 2014 list of California’s top women lawyers. This marks the seventh consecutive year that Rachel has made the list, Mika’s second consecutive year, and the third time that Miriam has been honored.

WOMEN OF INFLUENCESilicon Valley Business Journal named Palo Alto partner Mika Mayer one of its 100 Women of Influence. She is one of only 14 lawyers included on the 2014 list.

TOP 250 WOMEN IN LITIGATIONRachel Krevans, Deanne Maynard, and Nancy Thomas were named to Benchmark Litigation’s second annual list of the Top 250 Women in Litigation.

AWARDS + RECOGNITION

january 2015 mofo women · laboratories, intel, jazz pharmaceuticals, marvel semiconductor,...

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