People

Dr. Karsten Faulhaber Partner

Düsseldorf

Karsten represents clients in international arbitrations under all the main arbitral institutions, including the ICC and DIS, frequently acts as sole and party-appointed arbitrator and also represents clients before national courts in Germany with experience in setting aside and enforcement actions.

As a former M&A transactional lawyer Karsten has solid grounding in pre-contractual and contractual negotiations and advises among others, energy producers and distributors, both traditional (oil and gas) and renewables (solar, wind) construction conglomerates, financial institutions, JVs and biotech companies.

Karsten is praised for his "proactive and skillful" approach (Chambers Global) and has been recognized by Best Lawyers in Germany 2020 and Legal 500.

Chimène Faurant Partner

Paris

Chimène advises French and international clients on all aspects of antitrust & competition law.

She has extensive experience in competition investigations, litigation concerning anti-competitive practices (cartels and abuse of dominant position), merger control, state aid law and foreign subsidy control.

Chimène specializes in the energy, infrastructure, industry, regulated professions, transport, agri-food and distribution sectors.

Prior to joining Orrick, Chimène worked for a leading French law firm, and before that for a prestigious Magic Circle firm.

Chimène is recognized as a “Rising Star” and “Leading associate” for EU, Competition and Distribution in Legal 500 EMEA, as “One to Watch” for Competition/Antitrust in Best Lawyers, and as a “Future Leader” in Competition in Lexology Index’s Who’s Who Legal.

Matthew Fechik Sr Distressed Trade Car Assoc

Wheeling, W.V. (GOIC)

The Restructuring Group advises banks, broker-dealers, hedge funds, and other entities on legal issues relating to the purchase and sale of syndicated loans, bankruptcy claims, and other alternative investments. Matthew's practice focuses on distressed debt trading.

During law school Matthew completed internships with Alcoa's Corporate Tax Department and Neighborhood Legal Services Association.

Debra Felder Chief Practice Officer of Fin

Washington, D.C.

As Chief Practice Officer, Debbie advises on strategic planning, operations, and management of Orrick's Banking & Finance, Public Finance, Real Estate, Restructuring, and Structured Finance practice groups, which comprise more than 200 attorneys globally.  Her responsibilities include oversight of the Finance Business Unit's financial performance, advancement of the Unit's strategic initiatives, business planning and execution, and lawyer recruiting.  

As a lawyer in Orrick's Restructuring group, Debbie represents secured and unsecured creditors, investors, lenders, asset purchasers, financial institutions, preference defendants, debtors and other parties in a wide variety of bankruptcy and restructuring matters, as well as in related litigation throughout the United States. In 2020 and 2021, Chambers USA named Debbie an Associate to Watch in the District of Columbia’s Bankruptcy/Restructuring category, and clients praised her as “extremely knowledgeable” and providing “very business-minded, practical advice in the most efficient manner possible.”

Debbie is currently the lead restructuring associate representing the court-appointed representative for future asbestos personal injury claimants in a complex Chapter 11 pending.

Debbie was the lead restructuring associate representing Toyota in the $30 billion bankruptcy of Takata Corporation. Takata and several of its subsidiaries filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the United States and sought bankruptcy protection in Japan and several other jurisdictions in the aftermath of a worldwide problem involving faulty airbag inflators that led to numerous deaths and the recall of millions of vehicles. Toyota was one of the largest creditors in the proceedings, with claims of over $7 billion. Orrick’s work in the Takata bankruptcy and restructuring matter – which included the sale of all of Takata’s assets except for the inflator business to the Chinese-owned, Michigan-based Key Safety Systems – was awarded the “2019 Cross Border Turnaround of the Year / Large” by Global M&A Network.

Debbie was also the lead restructuring associate in the representation of the Conflicts Committee of Seadrill Partners (SDLP) in the $14 billion Chapter 11 bankruptcy and associated restructuring proceedings of Seadrill Limited, SDLP’s parent company. This bankruptcy and related restructuring was awarded “2019 Cross Border Turnaround of the Year / Mega” by Global M&A Network.

Other recent notable engagements include representing counsel to a borrower in the restructuring of a toll road, representing financial institutions and others in the global Lehman insolvency proceedings, representing a lender in the restructuring of a performing arts center, representing a purchaser in a section 363 bankruptcy sale and representing a defendant in a preference and fraudulent transfer litigation.

Debbie is active in pro bono matters including advising distressed clients in corporate dissolution proceedings pursuant to state statutes. She recently drafted a white paper on “Pay for Success” (PFS) programs – a social services funding mechanism in which non-governmental investors fund social programs and receive returns on their investments from the government only if the programs are successful – which explores the feasibility of using PFS programs to provide civil legal aid to vulnerable populations. She also represents proposed guardians and adoptive parents in connection with guardianship and adoption proceedings involving abused or neglected children in the Superior Court for the District of Columbia.

In addition, Debbie serves as Orrick's Risk Management Counsel where she advises the Firm's management and more than 1,100 Orrick lawyers across the world on issues related to professional responsibility, risk management, and legal issues involving the Firm.

Debbie regularly presents CLE training programs to clients on bankruptcy-related topics, including best practices for creditors.

Prior to joining Orrick, Debbie was an associate at Swidler Berlin LLP. As an undergraduate, she spent four summers as an intern in the Clerk’s Office of the United States Supreme Court. During her time at the United States Supreme Court, Debbie researched and wrote a paper on the U.S. Attorneys General, which she presented to the U.S. Solicitor General.

Nick Feldman Partner

Los Angeles; Santa Monica

For more than a decade, Nick has guided high-growth companies from inception to exit, advising on formation, financings, mergers and acquisitions, and IPOs while serving as outside general counsel on day-to-day legal matters as they scale.

Leveraging Orrick’s sector-focused approach and legal innovation tools, Nick works with companies across a range of industries, with a focus on disruptive technologies—including fintech, Web3 and blockchain, artificial intelligence, healthcare and biotech, digital media, and consumer products. He also represents top venture capital firms investing in these sectors across equity, debt, and token financings.

Prior to joining Orrick, Nick was a senior counsel at Gunderson Dettmer.

Nick earned his J.D. from Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, where he was Editor-in-Chief of the Loyola of Los Angeles Entertainment Law Review and received the Otto Kaus Award for Excellence in Legal Scholarship.

Before law school, he built a career as a journalist, photographer, and publicist covering music, food, and the arts. A proud Husky, he earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Washington.

Jacob Felicetty Associate

Washington, D.C.

He has experience supporting litigation involving a wide range of technologies, including software, consumer electronics, semiconductor technologies, and automotive and aerospace technologies.

Jacob graduated from The Ohio State University, Michael E. Moritz College of Law. He also graduated from The Ohio State University with a B.S. in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering.

Patrick Ferguson Partner

San Francisco

Patrick is described by Chambers USA as “an excellent writer”, an “expert on the California power market", and “experienced across a range of assets including solar and geothermal power plants and transmission lines.” He works on commercial and regulatory challenges involving the transition of the electric power grid to renewable resources, and represents some of the country’s largest power producers in wholesale and retail energy and capacity market transactions.

Patrick advises solar, wind, geothermal, and energy storage project sponsors on site acquisition, transmission, and power purchase agreement negotiations. He also assists producers of new technologies that combat climate change, including renewable fuels, carbon capture, and carbon offset credits, in structuring novel commercial transactions.

Jacob Ferm Senior Associate

London

Jake regularly acts for banks and other financial institutions and professional services firms in connection with cross-border litigation, arbitration, investigations and regulatory enforcement matters.

Jordan Fernandes Senior Associate

New York

Jordan has represented clients in an array of intellectual property disputes, including those involving patent infringement, trade secret misappropriation, and trademark infringement. He has also represented clients in disputes involving intellectual property licenses. Jordan has practiced in various federal district courts, as well as before the Federal Circuit, the Patent Trial and Appeal Board, and the International Trade Commission, achieving successful outcomes for both plaintiffs and defendants at jury and bench trials alike.

In addition to his work in the life sciences sector, Jordan has substantial experience in the technology sector. He has litigated intellectual property disputes related to energy storage, OLED displays, base station antennas, fiber optics, and video game rendering. Jordan has also counseled clients on intellectual property licensing, patent prosecution and portfolio management, and intellectual property and information technology issues arising in commercial transactions.

Jordan maintains a robust pro bono practice and is currently involved in litigation concerning reproductive rights. He previously litigated claims of racial discrimination by police, which resulted in criminal justice reform within the police department. Jordan also helped exonerate a pro bono client, who had spent over 16 years in prison for a crime that he did not commit.

Benoit Feroldi Managing Associate

Paris

He advises clients on public, administrative, and regulatory law, with a particular focus on government contracts, including public procurements, concessions, and public-private partnerships as well as various regulatory matters. His practice includes litigation related to regulated industries such as energy, electronic communications, and transportation.

He advises both sponsors and lenders, and also works with public entities.

Before joining Orrick, Benoit spent nearly three years at a major American law firm and two years at a major French law firm. He also completed an internship at the Conseil d’État, the French Administrative Supreme Court.

Brenna Ferris Neustater Managing Associate

Washington, D.C.

Before joining Orrick, Brenna clerked on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit and the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. Prior to clerking, Brenna was an associate at Covington & Burling LLP, where she focused on litigation and investigations.

Brenna graduated from the University of Michigan Law School, magna cum laude, and was elected to Order of the Coif. During law school, Brenna served as the Managing Online Editor for the Michigan Journal of Law Reform, a research assistant to Professor Nina Mendelson, and a student-attorney for the International Refugee Assistance Project and Criminal Appellate Practice Clinic.

Giuseppe Fichera Managing Associate

Milan

Giuseppe regularly assists private equity funds, industrial players and families/entrepreneurs in M&A and Private Equity transactions in Italy, including in competitive auction processes, carve-outs, minority investments, exits, joint ventures and cross-border acquisitions. Giuseppe's notable transactions include the sale of the industrial group Fassi Gru to Investindustrial, CVC Capital Partners' purchase of Business Integration Partners S.p.A., Fondo Italiano d'Investimento's acquisition of Mecaer Aviation Group S.p.A., the sale of Salpa&Cherubini S.r.l. to Apheon, and Mitsubishi Chemical's acquisition of C.P.C. S.r.l.

He received his law degree cum laude from Università Commerciale Luigi Bocconi in 2019 and has been a member of the Milan Bar since 2022.