New York
In recognition of Peter’s career trial work, he was inducted into the American College of Trial Lawyers in 2015. Juries have compared him favorably to Johnnie Cochran and F. Lee Bailey. Clients laud Peter, telling Chambers USA 2020-2022, “He’s a standout trial lawyer and an outstanding advocate overall. He appreciates the client’s needs and advocates for them everywhere.” Another client notes, “He is brilliant in the courtroom under the most intense pressure,” “a master of seeing the full chessboard.” That praise is echoed by sources saying, Peter is “one of these lawyers that really turns big cases; he’s a real trial lawyer,” and calling him “one of the most gifted trial lawyers that I have ever seen.” Clients go on to applaud his trial experience and strategic approach saying, “Peter really knows his way round a courtroom. He's a great trial tactician.” “He is an outstanding advocate who appreciates the client's needs and reputational questions involved.” A peer in the trial bar told Law360, “What is most impressive is his ability as a true Field General – calmly directing his team’s efforts.”
With precedent-setting trial wins in intellectual property, commercial and products liability litigation, Peter has amassed honors from annual top rankings in Chambers USA, Legal 500, and Benchmark Litigation, to awards for excellence, such as New York “Litigation Star,” “Law360 MVP,” “Litigator of the Week,” and “Top 100 Trial Lawyers in America.”
It is Peter’s versatility that sets him apart. He brings a combination of deft courtroom skills, strategic acuity and team leadership. In July 2023, a leading company in the biotech agricultural space, Corteva Agriscience, retained Peter as lead trial counsel in a high profile intellectual property lawsuit Corteva filed against Inari Agriculture, Inc. and Inari Agriculture NV to protect its highly valuable patent protected genetically modified seeds. As noted in the complaint, the lawsuit "…seeks to prevent Inari from continuing its brazen efforts to steal Corteva's groundbreaking work." Specifically, the lawsuit alleges that Inari deliberately used a third-party agent to obtain protected Corteva seeds, illegally exported the seeds out of the United States, made slight genetic modifications of the biotech traits and is seeking U.S. patents for those modified traits. The case is pending in the U.S. District Court, Delaware and is in discovery. In May 2022, when faced with a headlining trial over control of the leading international model and talent company, Elite Worldwide Group, the company and its Chairman tapped Peter as lead trial counsel to parachute in just 45 days before trial. Our complete trial win for the client earned Peter and the team Litigators of the Week Runner-Up honors from the American Lawyer. Louis Dreyfus Company turned to Peter recently as lead trial counsel once they saw that a massive, high stakes trial was on the horizon with over $1 billion at stake amid class action claims alleging manipulation of the cotton futures market. DISH Network brought Peter in shortly before trial when the FTC and various state attorneys general sought $700 billion in damages and penalties for alleged telemarketing violations. He achieved an astounding trial victory for DISH limiting recovery to less than one percent of the exposure. For Johnson & Johnson, Peter has been part of a small group of market-leading outside counsel overseeing the defense of more than 15,000 talc-related cases, including product liability trials, consumer class actions, and cases brought under California’s Prop 65; handling multiple trials, SEC, DOJ, and AG investigations; and representing senior executives in major depositions, at trial, and before Congress.
Peter served as co-head of the firm's Global Litigation practice and is a former member of Orrick’s Board and Management Committee. Before joining Orrick, Peter was a partner at Donovan Leisure. He captained his college tennis team to a national ranking, has successfully competed in major national sailboat competitions, and serves on the Board of the Harlem Junior Tennis and Education Program. With his wife Linda, he has three children: Avery, Isabelle and Phoebe.
Silicon Valley
No stranger to the courtroom and having handled complex litigations for technology giants including Synopsys, Brocade, Applied Materials and Oracle, Denise seamlessly and efficiently manages large teams to secure victory. Clients appreciate her transparent collaboration and instinct for developing a strategy that ensures the right evidence is presented in the best manner.
The jury verdict Denise’s team obtained in the Netgear v. Ruckus Wireless patent trial, for example, surprised most because the team took over the case just weeks before jury selection, earning the number one place on that week’s “Top Jury Verdicts.” Prior to the Ruckus trial, Denise’s team similarly received accolades as “Top Verdict of the Year” for its jury win on behalf of Brocade against A10 Networks involving patent and copyright infringement. These victories were preceded by a trade secret win for MGA in the “Barbie v. Bratz” epic battle against Mattel, which earned Denise the “California Lawyer of the Year” award for her contributions.
In addition, Ms. Mingrone has led numerous software piracy matters, obtaining full relief whether through negotiation or litigation. Her work in this area encompasses both confidential as well as public investigations, all designed to ensure clients secure the protection of their intellectual property rights and receive appropriate relief when those rights are infringed.
As a former law clerk to several federal judges, Denise appreciates that cases do not turn on facts alone. She has waged and won numerous courtroom battles both obtaining and defending pre-trial injunction motions. As one opponent noted, “She’s a fierce advocate who will go to the mat for her client’s position.”
Orange County
She focuses on innovating creative solutions for all types of utility scale renewable power purchase agreements and carbon offset and removal agreements. This work includes virtual, physical, master-confirm portfolios, block delivery, aggregation, 24/7 hourly delivery, load following, battery storage, REC agreements, on-site solar, and green tariff direct agreements. Lana leverages her deep sell-side experience as Senior Counsel to one of the largest renewable energy developers in the world, with her extensive corporate buy-side knowledge, and background in electrical engineering, to advise effectively and close deals swiftly. Lana and her team at Orrick are at the forefront of corporate renewable energy procurement and are setting the industry standards for implementation of energy justice and Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance (ESG) considerations.
Prior to joining Orrick, Lana was a Senior Associate at an international law firm where she managed portfolio growth for leading corporate purchasers and developers representing over 3.5 GWs of renewable transactions. She also served as Senior Counsel to Avangrid Renewables, a subsidiary of Iberdrola Renewables, for 8 years, where she was responsible for its entire US portfolio of power purchase agreements (7.5 GWs). Before her legal career, Lana managed a product engineering team in the development of a new cutting-edge wireless technology for consumer electronics.
Wheeling, W.V. (GOIC)
Wheeling, W.V. (GOIC)
Mr. Colonna works with litigation attorneys and third party vendors to manage the review and production of documents relevant to investigations and litigation. This work includes using early case assessment technology to analyze, categorize, and cull data. He also manages teams of skilled professionals performing document review, redaction, analysis, production, and drafting privilege logs. Daniel assists the litigation team to prepare for trial, including drafting deposition summaries, factual memoranda, and exhibit charts. He also works with practice office attorneys on transactional tasks, including contract review and due diligence.
Daniel has dedicated significant time to pro bono matters, including assisting trial counsel representing abused and neglected children.
Paris
Laurent intervenes alongside his clients with legal and financial issues, both in terms of advice and litigation situations perspective.
Laurent deals with numerous issues in various fields: the tax consolidation system and, more generally, intra-group relations, the handling of bilateral tax treaties, the taxation of financial transactions, property taxation and local taxation, etc.
His recognized experience in the avoidance of abuse of rights enables corporate tax directors, financial investors and individuals to better secure their investment choices and structuring their transactions. In addition, his intimate knowledge of tax litigation is a major asset for clients.
Laurent has advised many ministries and public institutions on legislative and regulatory developments and their implementation, which gives him an extensive practical vision of both public and private law. His past experience has allowed him to manage and draft legislative bills, which makes him an authority on administrative and parliamentary machinery.
Before joining Orrick, Laurent was a judge of the Conseil d’État and assessor at the Court’s ninth Chamber of the litigation section of the Conseil d’État, worked as deputy Chief of staff of Marylise Lebranchu, the French Minister for the Civil Service, State Reform and Decentralisation and Chief of staff of Anne-Marie Escoffier, Deputy Minister of Decentralisation.
London
Caitlyn helps clients achieve their clean energy goals and leverage the energy transition, primarily through supporting them in negotiating renewable energy PPAs.
Caitlyn has also acted for clients on the acquisition, disposal, formation, structuring and operation of energy and critical infrastructure projects. This experience includes advising on renewable and conventional energy projects, electricity transmission regulations, natural gas exploration, transportation and storage, mining and resources projects, and the operations of major railways and ports.
Santa Monica
Prior to joining Orrick, Lauren was an associate at Buckley LLP. Previously, she was a law clerk at a Beverly Hills boutique firm.
New York
Prior to joining Orrick, Brian was counsel at Buckley LLP, where he served as a member of the firm’s Pro Bono Committee. He also previously worked as a litigation associate at O’Melveny & Myers LLP, clerked for the Honorable Richard J. Sullivan in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (SDNY) and was an associate with Winston & Strawn LLP. Brian also has served as an adjunct professor of law at Fordham University Law School.
Tokyo
Kane advises U.S., and Japanese companies on cross-border M&A, joint venture, strategic investments, technology licensing, and energy related transactions, as well as compliance, corporate governance, and general corporate matters.
In addition to transactions between U.S., and Japanese companies, Kane works on a variety of multijurisdictional transactions involving entities and assets in Asia and Europe.
Kane has gained client-side experience from his secondments to a U.S. and Japan joint venture appliances company from 2015 to 2016, a Japan subsidiary of a U.S. based elevator and escalator company in 2016, and a Japan electric utility company from 2019 to 2020.
Kane worked at Orrick’s Silicon Valley office from 2010 to 2012, where he focused on technology sector M&A.
Orange County
Orange County
Catherine represents individuals and companies across a broad range of industries in criminal, civil, and regulatory matters in federal and state court, and in investigations brought by the U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. She also maintains a robust pro bono practice.
Prior to joining Orrick, Catherine served as a law clerk to the Honorable Joel M. Carson of the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit and the Honorable James A. Parker of the United States District Court for the District of New Mexico. Before law school, she worked in business advisory services at a public accounting firm in New York City.
Orange County
Orange County
Prior to starting at Orrick, Janista spent a year as an Orrick Fellow at Community Legal SoCal in the Complex Litigation Unit, where she worked with community members to advocate for systemic change in Orange County. She earned her JD at the UC Irvine School of Law in 2020. While in law school, she externed for the Honorable Fernando M. Olguin in the Central District Court. She also participated in the Domestic Violence Clinic and committed over 200 hours to pro bono work. Janista served on the Executive Board of the UC Irvine Law Review as the Senior Articles Editor.
Boston
Laura’s litigation experience spans the gamut from initial pleadings through trial and everything in between. She represents numerous clients in the technology, automotive, retail, consumer products, and real estate industries. Her clients appreciate her diligence, effective communication, and excellent strategic judgment. At Orrick, Laura leads the Women’s Initiative for the Boston office and co-chairs the firm’s Middle East & North African inclusion network. She also co-chairs the Boston Bar Association’s Intellectual Property section.
Laura served as a Special District Attorney for Middlesex County in 2014. In that capacity, she prosecuted felony and misdemeanor criminal cases, trying jury and bench trials to final verdict and arguing dispositive and evidentiary motions. In 2010–2011, Laura completed a yearlong fellowship at the Political Asylum/Immigration Representation (PAIR) Project in Boston, where she assisted individuals who were affirmatively seeking asylum as well as defended individuals who were in removal proceedings in front of the Immigration Court. Through her pro bono practice, Laura continues to be committed to working to help individuals with various immigration matters.