People

Andrea Mezzetti Of Counsel

Rom

Andrea has been working for 20 years in the Information Technology & Communications sector advising national and international clients on both regulatory and commercial issues.

Andrea is well recognized in the market for his commercial and transactional skills in Tech transactions. He works alongside leading Tech players with a focus on the regulatory aspects of new technologies and the drafting and negotiation of strategic contracts for the launch of new types of services and industry-specific agreements.

As a recognized expert, Andrea is often invited to take part to technical committees established at independent Authorities and Ministries and is a member of several sector-specific associations. He is also regularly invited to give speeches on technology law issues by prestigious Italian Universities.

Andrea is the author of numerous papers and in-depth studies on the matter. He regularly contributes to numerous national and international journals, writing articles on topics related to telecommunications, consumer protection and technology. He participates as a speaker in several conferences, seminars and master's degrees concerning the TMT sector in Italy.

Benedikt Migdal Partner

Düsseldorf

Benedikt Migdal berät bei der Strukturierung und Verhandlung von IP-Themen in Unternehmenstransaktionen, einschließlich M&A, Divestments und Venture-Investitionen, sowie sonstige Transaktionen, bei denen IP-Rechte und Know-how von wesentlicher Bedeutung sind. Seine Arbeit umfasst zum Beispiel IP-Lizenz- und Technologietransferverträge, Verträge über technische Dienstleistungen, Transition Service Agreements, F&E-Kooperationen und IP-Aspekte von Verträgen im Life-Science-Bereich.

Benedikt Migdal verfügt zudem über langjährige Erfahrung bei der Führung von Patentverletzungsprozessen und Verfahren wegen der Verletzung von Geschäftsgeheimnissen. Er hat deutsche und internationale Mandanten aus einer Reihe von Branchen in komplexen Streitigkeiten vertreten, insbesondere im Zusammenhang mit Patenten und Know-how aus den Bereichen mobile Telekommunikation/Konnektivität und Life Sciences.

Aufgrund seiner Erfahrung sowohl bei IP-Transaktionen als auch bei streitigen Auseinandersetzungen hat er ein umfassendes Verständnis für die vielfältigen rechtlichen und wirtschaftlichen Fragestellungen, mit denen technologiegetriebene Unternehmen im Zusammenhang mit geistigem Eigentum konfrontiert sind. Dazu gehören auch kartellrechtliche Fragen an der Schnittstelle zum Recht des geistigen Eigentums, insbesondere betreffend standardessentielle Patente und deren faire, angemessene und nicht-diskriminierende (FRAND) Lizenzierung.

Anri Nakamoto Partner

Tokio; Washington, D.C.

Anri brings a combination of unique skills and attributes which, collectively, make him essential to both maintaining and growing Orrick's longstanding successful practice representing Japanese clients in high-value IP litigation matters as well as serving Orrick's clients worldwide who have needs in Japan.  Unlike the limited role of most lawyers in Japan who focus on U.S. IP litigation to client relationship management, Anri is adept at both client relationship and substantive litigation work including briefing and taking witness at trials.  

In addition to many patent cases at district courts, USITC and before the US Patent and Trademark Office, Anri is also an experienced practitioner in international arbitration practice. Most recently, he played a huge role in a massive international arbitration matter, which resulted in a complete victory for his client.

Rachel Nghe Associate

Silicon Valley

Rachel's practice is focused on her client's transactional technology and intellectual property needs. Rachel represents clients at all stages of their life cycles and in a variety of technology-driven industries, including SaaS, artificial intelligence, gaming, entertainment, and media. Rachel has experience drafting commercial, licensing and other intellectual property and technology agreements. She also assists clients with intellectual property issues in connection with mergers and acquisitions.

Prior to joining Orrick, Rachel spent three years working on the commercial and product counseling teams at Dropbox, Inc., and two years with the Department of Justice Anti-trust division. She was also an active member of the ChIPs Network focusing on advancing and connecting women in technology, law and policy while she was in law school.

T. Vann Pearce, Jr. Partner

Washington, D.C.

Vann litigates in forums throughout the country. He has won several inter partes review proceedings before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board. He has secured favorable jury verdicts in Federal and state courts in Delaware, Florida, Maryland, and Texas. Multiple wins on behalf of his clients at the U.S. International Trade Commission in Section 337 investigations have earned recognition with “Disputes Deal of the Year” awards. And he has crafted winning strategies and briefs in precedent-setting Federal Circuit appeals.  

A chemical engineer by training, Vann is a member of the Patent Bar. His representations involve a broad range of technology fields, including semiconductors, artificial intelligence, consumer electronics, 3D printing, automotive technologies, digital imaging, cryptocurrency, and batteries. His clients are based worldwide, including a significant portion from Japan and China. Vann frequently travels to Asia to speak on key developments in intellectual property law.

Patent infringement litigation is central to Vann’s practice, but he also has handled breach of contract, trade secret misappropriation, antitrust, tortious interference, false advertising, civil theft, and bankruptcy matters. Many of his matters involve a complex mix of claims and counterclaims across legal disciplines, where he employs his strategic judgment to navigate competing risks.

While his practice focuses on litigation and dispute resolution, Vann also advices clients on patent licensing, portfolio development, and intellectual property due diligence. Vann co-founded Orrick’s cross-practice 3D printing initiative.

Vann has served the Firm in key leadership roles. In 2022-2023, Vann served as the Chief Practice Officer for the firm's IP & Litigation Business Units, which comprise nearly 400 attorneys globally. His responsibilities included oversight of the units' financial performance, business planning and execution, and lawyer recruiting. Vann also previously served as the firm’s U.S. Law School Hiring Partner, overseeing entry-level hiring nationwide.

Radhika K Raman Managing Associate

Santa Monica; Los Angeles

She serves as a strategic advisor to emerging companies and venture capital funds, helping them navigate complex challenges in various industries, including digital media and entertainment technology, artificial intelligence services, and crypto/blockchain infrastructure.

Radhika’s practice includes:

• Drafting, reviewing, and negotiating a wide range of commercial contracts
• Brokering, negotiating, and drafting strategic alliance and partnership deals and agreements
• Advising startups through venture funding rounds and strategic growth initiatives
• Supporting venture funds during investments by completing intellectual property and commercial due diligence on portfolio companies
• Providing counsel on buy-side and sell-side mergers and acquisitions based on intellectual property and commercial considerations
• Advising on product development, commercialization, and data privacy strategies
• Navigating intellectual property licensing and protection

Radhika adopts a practical approach, focusing on delivering business-driven legal advice tailored to her clients' risk tolerance and stage of growth. Her hands-on involvement fosters strong relationships, enabling clients to concentrate on innovation while she addresses their legal needs efficiently and effectively.

Before her legal career, Radhika worked in the technology sector, where she held both hardware engineering and sales engineering roles. She also practiced as an intellectual property litigator, equipping her with a strong foundation in IP strategy and risk management.

Taylor Ranfos Associate

Boston

Taylor represents clients at all stages of their life cycles and in a variety of technology and science-driven industries, including cleantech, SaaS, gaming, energy, hardware, entertainment, Internet, media, semiconductor and media.

Taylor has experience drafting commercial, licensing and other intellectual property and technology agreements. She also assists clients with intellectual property issues in connection with a range of large commercial transactions, including mergers and acquisitions and strategic investments

Faraaz Samadi Partner

London

He has significant experience in identifying and resolving issues which arise in cross-border technology transactions involving Europe, the U.S. and Asia, having worked in London, Singapore and Shanghai.

Faraaz regularly advises clients on technology service agreements, website terms and conditions, data privacy, renegotiations, intellectual property Iicensing and strategic alliances.

He has represented companies in a wide range of industries including software development, satellite and space, mining and resources, mobile, healthcare, digital marketing, automotive, ride-hailing and logistics.

Sarah Schaedler Partner

San Francisco

Sarah’s practice focuses on structuring and negotiating the intellectual property aspects of complex corporate transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, business divestitures and commercial transactions where software and technology are the principal assets. Sarah also advises on intellectual property and technology contracts related questions in the context of Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Sarah routinely advises on carve-outs and business separation transactions and helps clients with structuring and implementing their intellectual property and technology separation roadmap.

Sarah has counseled several companies in their preparation for a divestiture and understands the issues a buyer is focused on in the context of intellectual property matters. She regularly helps companies implement remediation steps around their intellectual property assets to help them to a successful closing.

She has significant experience advising private equity funds on investments involving companies that are driven by technology & innovation, as well as intellectual property reliant consumer product companies and companies that are stepping into digitalization.

Sarah is also a member of Orrick’s AI leadership group and involved in thought leadership projects related to AI matters on corporate transactions.

Educated and trained in Germany, France and the United States, Sarah’s international experience provides her with additional knowledge on cross-border transactions and international matters.

Dr. Christian Schröder Partner

Düsseldorf

Dr. Schröder berät Mandanten zu den Auswirkungen neuer Technologien im Recht der Daten. Dies betrifft Datenschutzrecht, Cyber, IP und die zahlreichen neuen EU-Vorgaben für den Umgang mit Daten sowie der künstlichen Intelligenz. Außerdem unterstützt er sie bei ihren Compliance-Programmen und hilft ihnen, in aufsichtsbehördlichen Verfahren oder vor Gericht. Ein besonderer Schwerpunkt seiner Arbeit liegt auf internen Datenübertragungsvereinbarungen, externen Datenübertragungen mit externen Anbietern und Produkteinführungen, die internationalen Datenschutzstandards entsprechen, sowie auf den Datenschutzanforderungen für vernetzte Autos. Darüber hinaus berät er Unternehmen in Fragen des Datenrechts bei der Entwicklung, dem Erwerb, der Nutzung, der Lizenzierung und dem Verkauf von Technologien, Daten und geistigem Eigentum, einschließlich M&A-Transaktionen und Joint Ventures mit Schwerpunkt auf geistigem Eigentum. Weiterhin unterstützt er bei Verträgen über Hard- und Softwarelizenzen und IT-Projekte (Informationstechnologie).

Dr. Schröder unterhält enge Arbeitsbeziehungen zu deutschen Datenschutzbehörden und EU-Aufsichtsbehörden, die für Fragen des Datenrechts zuständig sind. Er verteidigt Unternehmen effektiv bei Untersuchungen von Aufsichtsbehörden und auch bei Fragen zur Cybersicherheit und zum Datenschutz. Er verhandelt mit Behörden im Namen seiner Mandanten und hilft ihnen, Verfahren und mögliche Rechtsstreitigkeiten zu vermeiden. Wenn sich ein Rechtsstreit nicht vermeiden lässt, verteidigt Dr. Schröder seine Klienten mit Nachdruck.

Unternehmen, die mit globalen Cybersecurity-Vorfällen konfrontiert sind, hilft Dr. Schröder bei der Krisenbewältigung. Dies umfasst unter anderem die Beratung zu Datenpannenmeldungen, Koordination von Medienstrategien und die Vertretung vor Datenschutzbehörden bei entsprechenden regulatorischen Untersuchungen.

Dr. Schröder schreibt regelmäßig nützliche Beiträge für internationale Medien und deutsche Datenschutzbücher und -zeitschriften. Er ist Autor des Kapitels V (Internationale Datenübermittlung) des führenden deutschen GDPR-Kommentars Kühling/Buchner (4. Auflage) und Mitautor des Handbuchs Betrieblicher Datenschutz. Als aktives Mitglied der Sedona-Conference treibt Dr. Schröder die Entwicklung und das Verständnis von grenzüberschreitendem Datenschutz voran. Er ist regelmäßig Gastgeber oder Moderator von Vortragsreihen zum Daten- Cyber- oder AI-Recht, die er mit Kollegen aus anderen Kanzleien, Mitgliedern von Datenschutzbehörden und anderen Akademikern abhält.

Legal 500 Deutschland hat Dr. Schröder zu einem der 15 besten Anwälte im Jahr 2023 ernannt und bezeichnet ihn als einen „Pionier auf dem Gebiet des Datenschutzes“. Dr. Schröder und Orrick werden für den internationalen Beratungsansatz gelobt und für ihre Fähigkeit jederzeit Thought Leaders unterschiedlicher Regionen zur Diskussion herausfordernder Anforderungen an einen gemeinsamen Tisch zu bringen.

Vor seiner Tätigkeit als Wirtschaftsanwalt absolvierte Dr. Schröder ein Praktikum beim deutschen Bundesdatenschutzbeauftragten und bei www.epic.org.

David Schulman Partner

Washington, D.C.

He provides strategic guidance on transactions involving mergers, acquisitions, collaborations, strategic alliances, licenses, capital markets, royalty and revenue-sharing and other financings for pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies and financial sponsors.

David is highly ranked for his life sciences work by Chambers USA and Chambers Global, with clients recognizing him as “one of the best business and corporate lawyers in the life sciences sector” with “a deep knowledge of the industry, which he successfully combines with great legal skills.” He has also been recognized by The Legal 500 and is listed as a “Life Sciences Star” in LMG Life Sciences.

Prior to joining Orrick, David was a partner with Dechert LLP, based in its Washington, D.C., and London offices and was a co-head of their Life Sciences practice. He is currently a member of the Board of Overseers of the School of Arts and Sciences of the University of Pennsylvania.

David Sharrow Partner

Boston

David brings a wealth of expertise, focusing on diverse cutting-edge technologies, including life sciences (biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, digital health, genomic technology), fintech, artificial intelligence, information technology (hardware, software, SaaS, and database solutions), edtech, renewable energy, sustainable technologies, AR/VR and cybersecurity.

He advises clients on corporate partnerships, strategic alliances and licensing agreements with leading U.S. and global entities, as well as major research universities and institutes. His experience includes navigating the IP and technology aspects of venture capital financings, public offerings and some of the largest M&A transactions involving venture-backed companies.

David has lectured at major institutions, including Tulane, Yale, Princeton, NYU, Columbia, Cornell and Fordham.