People

Joanna Hernandez Senior Associate

Los Angeles

Joanna’s practice focuses on a variety of asset-backed classes, including credit and charge card receivables, and consumer loans. She regularly works with fintech companies assisting these clients with their financing needs.

Among her experience, Joanna represents issuers, sponsors and underwriters in connection with public offerings and private placements of asset-backed securities. She also has experience with transactions relating to the sale and financing of residential mortgage loans, including residential mortgage-backed securitizations, repurchase facilities and servicer advance facilities.

Prior to joining the firm, Joanna worked as an associate at a municipal law firm and represented public agencies in litigation and public finance matters.

Martin Howard Partner

Los Angeles

Marty is a securities, finance and securitization lawyer advising sophisticated financial institutions in the financing, purchase and sale, and securitization of financial assets. Marty advises issuers, underwriters, dealers, placement agents, collateral managers, servicers and investment funds in domestic and offshore securities offerings, both public and private, involving the securitization of mortgage-backed securities, collateralized loan obligations, collateralized debt obligations, manufactured housing contracts, residual interests and credit card receivables.

Marty has extensive experience advising clients with respect to a broad array of mortgage products, including prime and non-prime, closed-end second lien, home equity loans, non-performing and re-performing loans, and seasoned loans. Marty also represents investment banks, bank holding companies and investment funds on warehouse financings, whole loan purchases and sales, sales and securitization of servicing advance receivables and the day-to-day operations of servicing mortgage loans.

During the last 31 years of practice in the global financial markets, Marty has been involved with several innovations in financial products and has lectured to domestic and international audiences on the workings of the securitization process, including the rules and regulations of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

Sunny Hwang Senior Associate

Los Angeles

A natural advocate, Sunny has first chaired litigation from inception through favorable resolution and successfully briefed and argued dispositive motions and appeals. Sunny is adept at all stages of discovery, comfortable with cross-border disputes, and experienced in both government and internal investigations. Sunny also has particular knowledge regarding the nuances of alternative dispute resolution, including drafting and enforcement of both B2B and B2C arbitration provisions.

Sunny jumpstarted his career by honing his research and writing skills as law clerk to Chief Judge Kimberly J. Mueller of the federal District Court in Sacramento and judicial extern to the late Judge Harry Pregerson of the Ninth Circuit. Before law school, Sunny served for several years as a trade attache for the French government, covering the oenology and viticulture sector.

Sample engagements include:

• Representing the outside directors of one of the largest pharmaceutical distributors in the United States in multi-district opioid litigation
• Representing the co-founder of one of the largest ENDS companies in the United States in a government investigation and in multi-district vaping litigation
• Representing a special committee of the Board of Directors of a Bay Area startup in an internal investigation involving the founder and CEO
• Representing a Russian rail conglomerate against a former executive in multi-district trade secret litigation
• Representing a Chinese investor and entrepreneur in a dispute over control of a Delaware corporation
• Representing one of France's largest multinationals in a dispute over payment of an earnout

David Jonas Senior Associate

Los Angeles

David's practice centers on disputes over IP and other business interests.

He litigates patent cases against Fortune 500 companies from both sides of the “v.” and advises clients regarding best practices for protecting their IP. He has also helped corporate entities navigate investigations in criminal and bankruptcy contexts. Prior to joining Orrick, David worked as a litigation associate at Milbank LLP.

David also clerked for two years in the federal trial court for the Eastern District of Virginia. During his tenure in the fast-paced “rocket docket,” he was fortunate to assist Judge Allen in presiding over six jury trials and one bench trial. Also, while in law school, David worked as a full-time extern for Judge Kozinski at the Ninth Circuit and was a member of the Entertainment Law Review.

Katherine C. Jones Partner

Seattle; Los Angeles

She partners with investment funds, fund sponsors, real estate advisors, developers, public and private pension funds and institutional lenders on sophisticated real property acquisitions and dispositions, secured financings, hospitality, construction and development, joint ventures and other corporate real estate activities.

With a particular passion for the hospitality sector, Katie manages nearly all of Orrick’s hotel transactions throughout the United States. She has in-depth knowledge of the legal and contractual aspects unique to the hotel industry, including construction contracts, hotel management and franchise agreements, in addition to more standard loan documentation, joint venture and purchase and sale agreements.

Charnay Jones Managing Associate

Los Angeles

She drafts and negotiates documents for a range of commercial real estate matters, including acquisitions and dispositions, joint venture structuring, financing and development projects.

Charnay is also active in pro bono matters and spent a year as a Pro Bono Fellow with the global nonprofit Accion International, where she provided in-house counsel support and advised teams across the organization in a variety of legal matters.

Meghan Kelly Partner

New York; Los Angeles

Meghan approaches each representation with a problem-solving mentality and comprehensive legal strategy. In an industry where many cases are settled, she has established an impressive record at trial including for chemical, pharmaceutical, automotive, biotechnology, manufacturing and food companies in their most important cases. Drawing on her winning track record in front of juries, Meghan strategically prepares clients’ cases from the beginning to put them in the best position to achieve a favorable outcome.

Daniel S. Kim Partner

Santa Monica; Los Angeles; Orange County

Dan has a general business and corporate law practice, representing both emerging and public companies in a variety of matters, including corporate and securities law, venture capital financings, mergers and acquisitions, de-SPAC transactions, day-to-day general corporate matters, structured liquidity programs, public offerings, Securities and Exchange Commission reporting and compliance and corporate governance.

Dan began his legal career in Silicon Valley and works with a significant number of clients in Southern California, the San Francisco Bay Area and around the world.  Dan is also an Adjunct Professor at Loyola Law School. 

Dan’s current and former representations include:

• Beyond Meat
• Ceradyne
• Compellent Technologies
• GitHub
• Luminar Technologies
• Momentus
• Outward
• Pinterest
• Planet Labs
• Spectrum Pharmaceuticals
• ZestFinance

 Dan also has represented numerous venture capital and private equity investors including Founders Fund, Kapor Capital, Storm Ventures, Warburg Pincus, Wicklow Capital and many others.  

Betty Kim Managing Associate

Los Angeles

David Y. Lin Partner

San Francisco; Los Angeles

David assists major financial institutions and alternative lenders in effectively assessing legal risks in complex secured and unsecured commercial finance transactions. He advises on bilateral, club and syndicated financings for acquisitions, dividend recapitalizations, construction and refinancings. He has extensive experience in financings in the casino gaming (commercial and tribal) and technology sectors.

John Lu Partner

Los Angeles

Primary Focus & Experience

Dr. Lu’s practice focuses on patent, trade secrets, and life sciences litigation. He has represented clients in matters involving patent infringement, U.S.-China trade secret misappropriation, biosimilars, ANDA litigation, and licensing disputes. He also represents clients in connection with proceedings before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board. His clients have included Genentech, Tris Pharma, Rosenberger, and Natera.

Recognition & Accomplishments

Dr. Lu has been on the editorial advisory board for Law360 Life Science publications and was named to Benchmark Litigation’s “40 and Under Hot List,” which honors the achievements of the nation’s most accomplished litigators under 40. He was also named to the Southern California Rising Stars list by Super Lawyers.

Dr. Lu has authored a number of publications, including: “Thryv: opposing policies in the Supreme Court,” World Intellectual Property Review (June 5, 2020); “The Growth of Online Universities: How to Solve the Accreditation Dilemma, Protect Students, and Expand Access to Higher Education,” a chapter in “Education and Social Media: Toward a Digital Future,” MIT Press (2016); “Senate Gridlock Causes En Banc Uncertainty,” and “Intellectual Property Special Report,” The Recorder (July 15, 2013); and “Promotion and Market Share in the Proton Pump Inhibitor Market: A Case Study,” Journal of Pharmaceutical Marketing & Management, Volume 17, Issue 3, 39-59 (2007).

Dr. Lu is the chair of the board of directors for Asian Pacific American Dispute Resolution Center (APADRC), a nonprofit organization. He was also a Fellow of the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity.

Prior to private practice, Dr. Lu was a law clerk to the Honorable William Alsup of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.

Dr. Lu received his J.D. from Yale Law School, where he was Notes Editor of the Yale Law Journal and Executive Editor of the Yale Journal of Law & Technology. While in law school, he was an extern for the Honorable John T. Noonan of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, and an intern for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut.

Prior to law school, Dr. Lu earned his Doctor of Pharmacy, with highest distinction, from the University of North Carolina, and worked in pharmaceutical marketing.

Dr. Lu is conversant in Mandarin Chinese.

Christopher Lynch Senior Associate

Los Angeles

Dr. Lynch's practice centers on representing clients involved in patent litigation and appeals, as well as U.S. Patent and Trademark Office post-grant proceedings. His experience encompasses numerous aspects of the life sciences, including small and large molecule pharmaceuticals, cellular immunotherapies, medical devices, and diagnostics. He has represented biopharmaceutical clients of all sizes, from start-ups to multinational corporations.

Dr. Lynch also counsels clients on pre-litigation strategies relating to their intellectual property, offering advice on matters including patentability, freedom-to-operate, patent prosecution and portfolio management, and licensing.

Dr. Lynch received his J.D. from Loyola Law School, where he graduated #1 in the evening program and top 5% overall while working for another international law firm.

Before law school, Dr. Lynch earned his Ph.D. in cell biology from Columbia University. His dissertation examined the biophysical aspects of cellular motility using advanced microscopy and imaging techniques.