Alyssa Caridis Partner, Intellectual Property
Los Angeles; Santa Monica
Los Angeles; Santa Monica
Los Angeles; Santa Monica
Alyssa represents companies in all stages of litigation — from pre-suit investigation, through trial, and on to appeals court. In 2023 alone, she was a key member of Orrick teams that won two jury verdicts, three ITC proceedings, and numerous IPRs and dispositive motions.
She draws upon her engineering degree from Harvey Mudd College to engage with technical professionals and quickly grasp new technologies. She brings experience with technologies ranging from medical devices, streaming media systems and software to projects in the aerospace, automotive, and nuclear energy industries. She also has experience in litigation under the Hatch-Waxman Act, successfully defending generic challenges to patents protecting blockbuster medical therapies. Most recently, Alyssa has been involved in both litigation and counseling involving the legal questions raised by the rapid growth of AI.
The Daily Journal recognized Alyssa as one of the Top Women Lawyers in California in 2023 and both Bloomberg Law and Daily Journal named her to their 40 Under 40 lists.
For Alyssa, IP protection is more than business; it’s personal. For more than a half-century, her family patented mechanical technologies that they developed into a thriving business, inspiring her love of science and technology as well as her desire to protect innovative ideas. Alyssa calls Southern California home, but remains loyal to the sports teams of her Bay Area childhood.
Santa Monica
Alexandra advises companies at all stages of growth on corporate formations, general corporate governance matters, venture capital financings and exit transactions.
Alexandra received her J.D. from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law, where she served as a Managing Editor for the Journal of Law and Technology. Prior to law school, Alexandra graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Vassar College where she earned her B.A. in Psychological Sciences and Political Science.
New York
Marsha’s broad transactional practice includes advising clients on complex securities and financing transactions, including initial public offerings, follow-on offerings and other equity offerings, high yield and investment-grade notes offerings, tender offers and exchange offers, mergers and acquisitions and de-SPAC transactions, as well as corporate governance and SEC compliance and disclosure matters.
Prior to joining Orrick, Marsha was at Kirkland & Ellis LLP and Cahill & Gordon LLP.
Marsha has been recognized in Super Lawyers Rising Stars (2016–2023).
Milan
Chiara assists the team in advising companies and individuals in investigations in relation to white-collar crimes (such as anti-money laundering, financial crimes, corporate crimes, bankruptcy crimes, tax crimes, environmental crimes, occupational health and safety crimes).
Chiara participates in carrying out internal investigations aimed at strengthening the internal control systems of leading national and international companies.
Chiara also collaborates on an ongoing basis in advising major companies and corporate groups in managing potential compliance risks, in particular in relation to the Organisational, Management and Control Models adopted pursuant to Legislative Decree no. 231/2001.
Chiara has been appointed as member of Supervisory Body (Organismi di Vigilanza) of Italian companies.
Since November 2024, Chiara is a PhD student at Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore of Milan (PhD in business, labour, institutions and criminal justice).
Since 2023, Chiara has been teaching assistant in Business and Corporate Criminal Law at Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore of Milan.
Chiara graduated with honours from Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore of Milan following a study period spent at the University of California - Berkeley.
Chiara is fluent in English, French and Spanish
Rome
Alessandro's activity focuses on European and competition law, European and Italian, with a particular focus with respect to FDI screening procedures and in State aid matters. He also focus on administrative law related matters, assisting Italian and foreign clients in the areas of public procurement, energy and environment, urban planning and construction and infrastructure, both in and out of court.
Prior to joining Orrick, he worked for an important Italian firm. He also worked as a Blue Book Trainee at the European Commission, DG Competition.
Alessandro graduated with a master’s degree in law at "Roma Tre" University in Rome. He has also earned an LL.M. in Competition and Innovation Law from LUISS School of Law in 2021.
He is qualified as a lawyer in 2020 and has been a member of the Rome Bar Association since 2021.
Austin
Trudie advises renewable energy developers, private equity funds, and investors on complex transactions across the renewable energy sector, with a focus on debt and tax equity financings, joint ventures, and project acquisitions and sales.
Sacramento
Nick handles matters related to pay practices for global tech corporations, including a nationwide FLSA collective action seeking damages for up to 40,000 workers, multiple putative California class actions and a regulatory compliance matter, each affecting thousands of employees. When helping clients navigate these challenging cases, Nick draws upon his range of litigation experience. Prior to focusing on employment, Nick handled breach of contract, fraud, and unfair competition law cases in both federal and state courts, and was a member of an Orrick trial team that secured a $52.8 million verdict in a trade secrets trial.
To help his clients avoid litigation, Nick walks them through the most recent employment laws, case trends and ways to mitigate potential loss.
Before attending law school, Nick served seven years as
an infantry officer and instructor in the United States Marine Corps.
Rome
As expert in Italian Administrative and Public Law, she has focused her career on advising private and public Italian and foreign companies, corporations and public administrations on public law regulatory and litigation matters, providing particular assistance in M&A transactions.
Mariangela has extensive experience working in all the areas of administrative law, especially in public contracts, urban planning and real estate, electronic communications, energy, aerospace and defense, life sciences, transportation and infrastructure, regulated services and also in litigation before Administrative Judge, Constitutional and European Court.
In 2025, she was appointed by the European Commission as member of the Stakeholder Expert Group on Public Procurement (SEGPP),” which supports the Commission in the reform of EU public procurement directives.
With an extensive background litigating before administrative law judges, Mariangela is a recognized leader in shaping public law policy in Italy. She has collaborated with the Italian Chamber of Deputies, the president of the Commission for Administrative Reform, overseeing the drafting of bills, parliamentary reports and regulatory proposals.
During her career, she has worked in both international and Italian law firms, as well as in boutiques specialized in administrative law.
She is a member of the Scientific Committee of the Italiadecide Association and oversee the Observatory on Public Contracts of the Association. She teaches at Master’s degree courses in administrative law as well as courses in public institutions
She is also an author of numerous publications in the field, rapporteur at conferences and public seminars and a researcher for private and public associations.
She is authorized to practice in the higher courts.
In 2021 Mariangela has been included by Top Legal among the best lawyers specialized in public procurement and concessions. In 2022 she was named infrastructure and PPP lawyer of the year by Legalcommunity.
New York
He represents lenders, including banks and other financial institutions, and corporate borrowers in a range of secured commercial financing transactions, including syndicated transactions, asset-based financings, private equity acquisition financings, cross-border transactions and refinancings. Taylor also supports other practice groups, including the Mergers & Acquisitions/Private Equity group, the Technology Companies Group and the Restructuring group, on financing matters for clients.
Prior to joining Orrick, Taylor was an associate at Linklaters LLP.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Steve knows how to minimize risk while delivering a client’s business objective, either by defeating an opponent’s case in court or by negotiating the best possible settlement. His ability to pinpoint the argument that will resonate with each judge and jury has enabled him to protect cutting-edge technology involving medical devices, automotive components, telecommunications standards, digital and 3D imaging, guest engagement systems, and semiconductor devices and manufacturing processes. He has also used those same skills in litigating numerous antitrust, unfair competition, and complex tort and contract cases.
For the last 20 years, Steve has focused on guiding Japanese and other Asia-based companies through patent litigation before the U.S. District Courts, ITC and Federal Circuit. He is one of only two lawyers ranked in the Chambers Global guide for having Foreign Expertise in Intellectual Property for Japan. Steve consistently has been described as a “great negotiator who is excellent at creating litigation strategy.” Clients recently interviewed by Chambers also noted, “Steve is a really fantastic tactical thinker with good legal instincts. He is also very collaborative.” Other clients have stated that “his command of the law is evident in his ability to understand it and also apply it across a wide variety of situations,“ while still others have praised his ability to make “very quick and sound tactical decisions.”
Milan
Claudia advises banks, private debt funds, sponsored investment vehicles, large corporations, and SMEs on domestic and cross-border leveraged and acquisition finance transactions, as well as corporate finance and refinancing transactions.
Before specializing in banking and finance, Claudia was also involved in M&A transactions, and she gained some experience in assisting Italian and foreign companies and private equity funds both in the corporate and in the financial aspects of acquisition and investment transactions.
Washington, D.C.
Olivia advises clients on a wide range of regulatory and compliance matters.
Prior to joining Orrick, Olivia was a Paralegal and Summer Associate at Buckley LLP. During law school, she was an extern at the Eastern Virginia Legal Aid Society and worked with clients through William & Mary Law School's Immigration Clinic.