London
She has a wealth of experience in complex debt products, including in venture debt, leveraged finance, direct lending, corporate lending, acquisition finance, high-yield bonds, refinancings, restructurings, special situations and liability management exercises at all levels of the capital structure (including unitranche facilities, senior facilities, second liens, mezzanine debt, holdco PIK and convertible loan notes).
Mae is well versed in cross-border transactions and has been immersed in the European lending market for 15 years. Her prior experience includes an 18-month posting to Paris and in-house secondments at BNP Paribas, Goldman Sachs and Oaktree Capital. She is fluent in French.
Chicago; Peking
In addition to specializing in complex IP litigation relating to patent infringement, ITC 337 investigations, trade secrets misappropriation and unfair competition, Ethan has extensive experience advising clients on IP administrative disputes and reexamination, IP strategies, IP due diligence, and IP aspects of strategic transactions, including licensing or transfer, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and collaborations. His clients cover a wide range of industries, including medical devices, hardwares, softwares, internet, semiconductors, electronics, telecommunications, AI, automobile, chemical, materials, energy, etc. His recent clients include Baidu, Tencent, SMIC, JD.com, Micro-Tech, Vivo, Coolpad, Anker, OnePlus, Govee, LANHE, Lovense, Zhejiang Rongpeng, Sansi Electronic Engineering, Yaham Optoelectronics, CreateLED Electronics, Howshow Technology, Huayi Mechanical and Electrical, INFiLED Electronics, Applied Materials, Synopsys, Coilcaft, Hecate, etc.
Over the years, Ethan has represented dozens of Chinese companies in resolving their IP disputes in the U.S. Ethan and his litigation teams won a number of high-profile ITC investigations involving Chinese companies and earned clients’ long-term trust. In one investigation (337-TA-623), his clients are four subsidiaries of a large state-owned company in China, who were sued for patent infringement. The Commission reversed the late Chief Administrative Law Judge’s unfavorable decision and found that Ethan’s clients were not infringing and did not violate Section 337. In another investigation (337-TA-655), he represented the complainant and its subsidiaries in China suing a group of Chinese respondents for trade secret misappropriation. The ITC issued a 10-year exclusion order against these respondents. This landmark decision represents a new development of trade secret law and ITC jurisdiction in the U.S., and was upheld by the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Since then, Ethan has won case after case on behalf of his clients. He is also committed to resolving disputes in the most cost-effective and timely way. “Ethan always tries to resolve matters for clients at the lowest cost possible,” said a client who won a case as he recommended Ethan to his peers.
For instance, in 2017, Ethan successfully defended Shenzhen Howshow Technology against Kent Displays, Inc. in an ITC 337 investigation (337-TA-1035) involving alleged infringement of patents relating to liquid crystal e-writers and components. Orrick secured a complete victory for the client by forcing the complainant to unconditionally withdraw after four months of active litigation. The case was named “Deal of the Year 2017 – Disputes and Investigations” by China Business Law Journal.
In another case, Ethan successfully defended Sansi Electronic Engineering, CreateLED Electronics, Yaham Optoelectronics. and other Chinese respondents against Ultravision Technologies in an ITC Section 337 investigation (337-TA-1114) filed on 27 March 2018 involving alleged infringement of patents relating to certain modular LED display panels and components. The complainant was forced to withdraw the complaint unconditionally during the expert discovery period in November 2018, which led to a final termination by the ITC on 21 February 2019.
Prior to joining Orrick, Ethan served as Director of IP, Asia of a world leader in specialty glass and ceramics, where he was in charge of the company’s daily IP matters in China and throughout Asia. Before that, he was a partner and member of the Board at McAndrews, Held & Malloy in Chicago, Illinois. Ethan was the first non-US born lawyer of that firm.
In the past 20 years, Ethan has been committed to building bridges and facilitating understanding between China and the US on IP protection and exchange. In addition to being a frequent speaker at various seminars and conferences in China and the US, Ethan regularly publishes articles and has been interviewed by numerous media. He served as a committee member of the Asian Legal Committee of Intellectual Property Owners Association (IPO) for many years.
Ethan is also actively involved in the “One Belt One Road” and “Going Out” initiatives led by the PRC government and non-profit organizations. He participated in Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce’s “Going Overseas Service Portal” project, and acts as an expert of Shenzhen Overseas IP Protection and Assistance Expert Pool, a special advisor to Wisdom IP - Overseas Intellectual Property Alliance (WIPA), Nanjing, Jiangsu, an expert in Nanjing Overseas IP Think Tank, Zehjiang Dongyang IP Think Tank, Shanghai International Economic and Trade IP Protection Overseas Expert Pool, and one of the first batch experts in Shanghai Overseas IP Disputes Resolution Expert Pool.
San Francisco
Victoria serves as bond counsel and disclosure counsel on a variety of public finance transactions, including general obligation financings, conduit bond financings, sales tax revenue financings, and lease revenue financings for public agencies. Her practice spans across industries, with a particular focus on local government and affordable housing financings.
In collaboration with Orrick's Strategic Advisory & Government Enforcement group, Victoria advises financial institutions and community development practitioners on Community Reinvestment Act and fair lending matters.
Before practicing law, Victoria worked in outreach and operations for Mercy Corps' Community Investment Trust, an innovative communal ownership model designed to help local residents of all income levels invest in commercial real estate.
München
Er verfügt über langjährige Erfahrung in der Beratung von Private Equity Investoren, etablierten Unternehmen, Family Offices sowie Start-ups und Scale-ups bei komplexen und oft grenzüberschreitenden Transaktionen, Restrukturierungen, Joint Ventures und Buy-Outs und sonstigen Partnerschaften und Investements im Tech-Bereich und darüber hinaus.
Bevor er zu Orrick kam, war Damien Simonot mehr als acht Jahre für eine internationale Anwaltskanzlei in München und Frankfurt tätig.
Paris
Nicole has more than 20 years’ experience representing clients in international arbitration and all forms of dispute resolution. Dual trained in both civil and common law jurisdictions, Nicole has conducted arbitrations under all the main international arbitration rules including the ICC, AAA, SCC, UNCITRAL, ICDR and ICSID as well as local European arbitration institutions such as the Vienna Chamber (VIAC), CEPANI, Swiss Chamber and DIS. Her cases have spanned a variety of industries including oil and gas, nuclear energy, aviation, construction, technology, food and beverages, transportation, and insurance.
Nicole has worked on multi-billion dollar gas price review arbitrations for major European producers and several bet the company construction arbitrations, including an US$8 billion ICC arbitration for the world’s largest shipbuilder. She is frequently nominated to act as arbitrator and speaks and publishes regularly on questions of international commercial and investment arbitration, including The International Comparative Legal Guide to: Investor-State Arbitration 2019 – Country Questions and Answers: France. Nicole is a former member of the Executive Board and Global Boards of ICDR Y&I and practices in English, German, French and has a working knowledge of Spanish and Portuguese.
Prior to joining Orrick, Nicole practiced in one of the biggest law firms in the world in New York for six years, an Austrian firm in Vienna for five years and a major U.S. firm in Paris for seven years.
Washington, D.C.
She represents banks, first and second mortgage originators and servicers, reverse mortgage originators and servicers, fulfillment service providers, commercial lenders and servicers, bank holding companies, private equity firms, finance companies, debt collection companies, financial institutions and technology companies, payment processors, money transmitters and various related service providers.
Katy assists clients with matters before state regulatory agencies, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), federal banking agencies, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. She also provides strategic and tactical advice to help clients identify and secure the nationwide federal and state approvals necessary to achieve operational goals.
Prior to joining Orrick, Katy was a partner at Buckley LLP, where she was a member of the firm’s partner board.
Mailand
Daniela's practice covers cross-border corporate transactions and the so-called “special situations”, which include investments in distressed assets (non-performing loans, debt and/or equity in listed/unlisted distressed companies), buy-outs from insolvency proceedings and bankruptcy-related litigation. In recent years, she has assisted banks, Italian and foreign investors and debtors in complex deals of corporate restructurings relating to the financial indebtedness and concordato proceedings.
Prior to joining Orrick, Daniela was a member of Studio Legale Tributario in Milan, a law firm Associated with Ernst & Young International.
Seattle
Les is a Partner in the Public Finance practice group in Orrick’s Seattle office. He has served as bond counsel, disclosure counsel and underwriters’ counsel on public and privately placed tax-exempt and taxable debt issued by airports and ports, mass transit agencies, electric and water utilities, industrial development agencies and bond banks, higher education institutions and health care facilities. He has experience in advising clients in such financings in several states and U.S. territories, including Alaska, California, Guam, Nevada, New York, Oregon and Washington.
During the course of his practice, Les has worked on various types of financing structures, including standard general obligation and revenue bond financings, bond and grant anticipation financings, master trust indenture financings, conduit financings, pooled financings, variable rate bonds and current and advance refundings.
Prior to joining Orrick, Les was an associate in the Capital Markets practice group at Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft in New York, where he represented major foreign and domestic banks and boutique financial institutions as issuers, depositors, loan sellers, underwriters, initial purchasers and placement agents in connection with approximately $20 billion of public and private offerings of commercial mortgage-backed securities and collateralized loan obligations.
Houston
Ayshan Ibrahim focuses her practice on public finance matters with emphasis on tax-exempt bond financing and serves as counsel in various roles such as bond counsel, disclosure counsel, underwriter's counsel, lender's counsel, developer's counsel and borrower's counsel on an assortment of tax-exempt and taxable financing transactions. Ayshan has experience providing general counsel services for special districts in Colorado.
Los Angeles
Ramon has a wide range of experience in financings involving Native American tribes and tribal entities, including financings for new casino construction projects and casino expansions, and serving as lead counsel for some of the largest tribal financings on the West Coast.
San Francisco
Before his retirement as a partner, he was also the Partner-in-Charge of Lawyer Development for a number of years. While still practicing, he served at times as the firm’s General Counsel, Executive Director, Peer Review Committee Chair and member of the Partner Compensation Committee. He still acts as an advisor to the firm on matters affecting lawyer development.
Tom concentrated his practice in banking and commercial transactions. He represented banks and other financial institutions in a variety of transactions, including syndicated and single-lender credit agreements (both secured and unsecured), project financings, public finance transactions, and “synthetic” and other lease arrangements. As a lecturer and panelist, Tom frequently spoke at seminars on a range of topics related to his practice.
He served for several years as co-counsel of the International Bankers Association in California. He has been a member of the State Bar of California’s Business Law Section’s Financial Institutions Committee and Uniform Commercial Code Committee. In addition, he has been a member of the San Francisco Symphony’s Business Gifts Committee.
Before joining Orrick, Tom was Vice President and Counsel at California First Bank (now Union Bank of California) in San Francisco. He was a visiting attorney at Clifford-Turner (now Clifford Chance), Solicitors, in London.