People

Jake Cunningham Managing Associate

Washington, D.C.

Jake focuses on the development of natural gas infrastructure, including liquefied natural gas terminals and natural gas pipelines, and advises companies on securing permits and authorizations for major energy projects from FERC and DOE.

Jake's experience before FERC encompasses natural gas rate and tariff proceedings, enforcement and compliance matters, and applications for certificates and authorizations under the Natural Gas Act.

Wendy Butler Curtis Chief Innovation Officer

Washington, D.C.

Named the "Most Innovative Lawyer of the Year" by Financial Times in 2018, Wendy is celebrated by clients for her “fresh thinking, legal nuance and practical understanding of the courts.” FT editors noted that “rarely have our panel of judges so quickly homed in on a top candidate for innovative individual.” As Orrick’s Chief Innovation Officer, Wendy leads Orrick’s efforts to operationalize innovation through novel products, streamlined processes, technology and client consulting on tailored solutions. These efforts have contributed to Orrick being named the Most Innovative Law Firm in North America by the Financial Times from 2016-2018 and seven consecutive years being in the top three. In 2018, The American Lawyer also honored Orrick with its first-ever Legal Services Innovation Award.

Wendy leads an innovation team of lawyers, technologists, developers, project managers and business professionals. FT notes that Wendy “understand[s] the diversity of roles that make a team great” and has “introduce[ed] many new technologies and delivery models that have transformed the way the firm operates and works with clients.” She is also recognized by Chambers as a leading individual, nationally, in the area of eDiscovery. Wendy is the chair of Orrick’s eDiscovery and Information Governance Group. She has been engaged by Fortune 100 companies and major financial institutions to create and deploy eDiscovery and records management programs. Wendy has substantial experience in pharmaceutical, product liability and class action litigation. Her litigation experience includes multiple trials, supervision of regional and local counsel, management of complex discovery and meet-and-confer negotiations.

Hillary Dang Senior Associate

Washington, D.C.

Clients have relied on Hillary’s representation in multidistrict litigation, statewide coordinated proceedings, class actions, and government enforcement actions filed in federal and state courts throughout the country.  Additionally, Hillary has represented pharmaceutical companies and government contractors in False Claims Act litigation and government investigations.  Hillary’s litigation experience spans from initial case and dispositive motions assessment, to both bench and jury trials, and all fact and expert discovery, motions practice, and other trial preparation in between, including considerable work with company witnesses, medical and public health experts, and U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) regulatory experts.  Hillary has also advised clients on product liability exposure and litigation risk related to FDA regulations and guidance.

Hillary’s active pro bono practice includes advising clients on civil rights and immigration matters.  She has secured asylum for an individual from Cameroon and successfully argued for a renewed bond hearing for an unlawfully detained immigrant before the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.

Prior to joining Orrick, Hillary practiced at Arnold & Porter in Washington, D.C.  From 2020-2021, she clerked for the Honorable M. Casey Rodgers in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida.  While in law school, Hillary completed a judicial externship with the Honorable Tanya S. Chutkan in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.

Allen Davis Senior Associate

Washington, D.C.

Allen assists businesses in identifying, assessing, and mitigating risks related to competition matters, collaborating closely with clients to develop tailored compliance strategies, guiding them through the complexities of antitrust laws at both domestic and international levels. He represents clients in a broad range of antitrust issues arising from mergers and acquisitions (including Hart-Scott-Rodino (HSR) filings and second requests), complex civil litigation, government investigations (including civil investigative demands (CID)) and general counseling. Allen represents clients across a diverse range of industries, including consumer technology, digital advertising, pharmaceuticals, e-commerce, real estate, and energy.

Recent notable experience includes representing:

• A software company in a successful defense of Clayton Act § 7 litigation
• A large insurer in connection with allegations of price fixing in violation of Sherman Act § 1
• A technology company in connection with discovery in a number of enforcement actions against Google LLC
• A generic pharmaceutical manufacture in defense against Sherman Act §§ 1-2 claims

Behnam Dayanim Partner

Washington, D.C.

Behn advises gaming and gambling providers, large media companies, Fintech, blockchain and more traditional financial services participants, and other technology and consumer-focused companies on issues at the intersection of gaming, financial services, data privacy and governance and related regulatory areas. Clients turn to him for his ability to advise on the whole frame of issues they may encounter, and he is equally comfortable guiding emerging companies in the early stages of their lifecycles and mature, multinational public companies. Behn is at home in the courtroom – representing clients in cutting-edge gaming litigations, before regulatory bodies – helping the crypto industry address growing sanctions and other financial services obligations, and in the boardroom – assisting in the formation of significant commercial partnerships, brand licenses, acquisitions and other combinations.

Jonathan Direnfeld Partner

Washington, D.C.

Jon’s enforcement work involves helping clients navigate the patchwork of federal and state “consumer protection” rules and defending investigations and enforcement actions brought by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), State Attorneys General (AGs), and other state regulatory agencies. These matters cover a broad spectrum of B2C and B2B issues, including data privacy, cybersecurity, greenwashing, and so-called “unfair and deceptive” sales and marketing practices with a focus on representation of e-commerce platforms, marketplaces, gig economy, social media and fintech companies. In connection with these enforcement matters, Jon is able to leverage his substantial experience in crisis management by helping clients devise and implement coordinated regulatory, legislative, and media responses to these high stakes incidents.

Jon also helps companies identify and understand regulatory risks and opportunities associated with ESG marketing and goals by providing guidance on greenwashing and the FTC’s Green Guides to help clients avoid deceptive marketing for environmental responsibility and sustainability.

Jon also has substantial experience in the antitrust and competition space, including class action antitrust litigation, criminal cartel investigations and enforcement actions before the DOJ and international regulators, as well as mergers and acquisitions and conduct investigations before the DOJ and FTC. In addition, Jon also provides strategic public policy counseling to clients on consumer protection and data management matters before Congress and executive branch agencies, and he has an active complex commercial litigation practice in federal and state courts across the country.

Justis Dixon Junior Strategist

Washington, D.C.

Before joining Orrick, Justis gained diverse experience working with elected leaders at both the federal and local government levels.

Justis worked in the office of U.S. Representative Jared Golden (ME-02), where he focused on constituent communication, legislative research, and policy-focused writing. Prior to that, Justis worked with the Town of Topsham's Town Manager's Office, where he led efforts to survey the community about pressing issues. Justis also has experience supporting litigators advocating on behalf of victims of child abuse and domestic violence within a small nonprofit firm.

Justis is a graduate of Bowdoin College, where he received a B.A. in History and Government & Legal Studies.

Kyle Drefke Partner

Washington, D.C.

Kyle has represented clients in domestic and international financings, including syndicated credit facilities, private placements, and registered securities offerings. He has extensive experience in the development and structuring of long-term power purchase agreements with respect to thermal (nuclear, coal and natural gas) and renewable generation facilities. He has also represented clients in mergers and acquisitions (M&A), auctions, joint ventures, corporate restructurings and other general corporate matters.

Kyle has represented clients in various matters relating to the development, construction, ownership and operation of electric generation facilities in the United States, South America and Europe. His practice also includes the representation of clients seeking and obtaining substantial financing from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

Sarah Duncan Associate

Washington, D.C.

Sarah’s practice focuses on representing corporations and individuals in a variety of industries in complex business litigation and disputes. Sarah represents financial institutions, technology corporations, and other entities in a wide range of civil disputes.

Sarah has experience representing corporations in all stages of litigation, including pre-suit demands, motions to dismiss, fact and expert discovery and depositions, trial preparation, and trial.

John Eliason Partner

Washington, D.C.

John advises major financial institutions (tax equity investors and infrastructure funds), lenders, developers, and sponsors, particularly those in the wind, solar, storage, biomass and energy tech space. He helps clients structure financings for their projects to take advantage of federal and state tax incentives, like the Federal production tax credit (PTC), energy investment tax credit (ITC) and accelerated depreciation (MACRS and “bonus”) using partnership flips, sale-leasebacks, public/private partnerships, and other structuring options. He has been particularly focused on providing clients with the latest guidance and opportunities relating to the Inflation Reduction Act, including with respect to Section 6418 tax credit transfers and Section 6417 direct pay opportunities.

Recognized by Chambers USA and Chambers Global in Band 2 for Projects: Renewables & Alternative Energy, clients describe John as “extremely knowledgeable, flexible and can put technical jargon into plain terms.” Client sources also state “he knows the tax equity markets very well and is very commercial.”

Prior to law school, John founded an information management company based in Austin, Texas. He is also a veteran of the Texas Army National Guard.

Shari Esfahani Senior Counsel

Washington, D.C.

A substantial part of Shari’s practice involves aiding life sciences (pharma, medical device, and biologic) and healthcare companies with internal investigations and working with clients on compliance with government investigations, subpoenas, and investigative demands, as well as the defense of whistleblower qui tam suits involving the False Claims Act and the Anti-Kickback Statute. Shari has also managed litigations and helped lead trial teams involving diverse fields of science and technology including pharmaceuticals, various medical fields, and seals used in the semiconductor industry. She specializes in mastering complicated science and technologies and explaining them to judges and juries.

Shari regularly represents companies with FDA-regulated products and healthcare companies on strategic regulatory counseling matters. She also regularly conducts regulatory due diligence for private equity funds, acquirers, sellers, and underwriters in corporate transactions.

Shari also has substantial experience advising clients on complex advertising/promotion issues, including claim substantiation, disputes before the National Advertising Division of the BBB National Programs (NAD), and advertising lawsuits under Section 43(a) of the Lanham Act. She also regularly advises consumer product companies on Consumer Product Safety Commission related compliance.

Upon graduation from Harvard Law School, Shari clerked for the Honorable Frank A. Kaufman, United States District Court for the District of Maryland, who sat by designation on the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, the Fourth Circuit, the Seventh Circuit, and the Eleventh Circuit.

Lauren Estell Managing Associate

Washington, D.C.

Her practice focuses on project finance and development, mergers and acquisitions and general corporate matters with a particular focus on renewable energy. Lauren advises clients in debt and tax equity financings, development of solar and wind projects, and infrastructure projects.