People

Aerielle Pendleton Managing Associate

New York

Aerielle represents clients in complex litigation matters in both federal and state courts.  With significant experience in high-stakes litigation matters, Aerielle litigates cases on behalf of technology companies, investment firms, banks, and individuals.  Aerielle has extensive experience defending clients in mass torts, product liability matters as well as working with teams guiding clients through government and investigations and enforcement actions.  Aerielle also has experience working with a team in a high-profile intellectual property matter.

Aerielle is also active in pro bono matters, primarily focusing her practice on a wrongful death action against an ICE subsidiary.

Andrew Pennacchia Senior Counsel

New York

He frequently advises mortgage companies, fintechs, lead generators, consumer and commercial lenders, banks and other financial services companies on key federal and state consumer financial laws, safety and soundness regulations, multistate licensing requirements, and government agency lending and servicing guidelines. Andrew also assists clients with enforcement actions brought by federal and state regulators and conducts comprehensive regulatory assessments in connection with potential acquisitions designed to identify regulatory gaps and systemic compliance control deficiencies.

Andrew has assisted clients in facilitating compliance with the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA), the Truth in Lending Act (TILA), the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA), the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA), unfair, deceptive or abusive acts or practices (UDAAP), the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), the Gramm-Leach Bliley Act (GLBA), the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing Act of 2003 (CAN-SPAM), Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), and other key federal laws.

His work also includes assisting clients in developing compliance management systems and vendor management programs that meet regulatory expectations, and in preparing for and managing examinations by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), federal prudential regulators, and state regulators. In addition, he represents clients in investigations initiated by the CFPB.

Prior to joining Orrick, Andrew was senior counsel at Buckley LLP. He also worked in Morgan Stanley’s Legal and Compliance Division, where he provided advice on various regulatory compliance requirements affecting securities-based, commercial and institutional lending, and assisted in the development and implementation of a risk-assessment process for retail lending products. Andrew was also a member of Morgan Stanley Credit Corporation's Mortgage Compliance Committee. Prior to his tenure at Morgan Stanley, he served as vice president of legal affairs for Premium Capital Funding LLC.

Joseph Perkins Partner

Silicon Valley

In the fast-paced and unprecedented blockchain and cryptocurrency markets, Joseph helps companies develop innovative and comprehensive legal strategies to achieve their goals of bringing to market disruptive and transformative technologies. From DAO and NFT creation, general corporate and fundraising strategies, to navigating complex and changing regulatory regimes, Joseph has become a go-to advisor for companies in the blockchain and virtual currency ecosystem.

As a member of Orrick’s Technology Companies Group, Joseph assists cutting-edge technology companies and investors with general corporate counseling, private venture capital financing, and M&A services. Joseph has had the opportunity to work with some of the most iconic companies in Silicon Valley, advising on corporate strategy and fundraising matters.

Joseph plays a key role in connecting the Silicon Valley and Japan tech and venture ecosystems. He advises Japanese technology companies and corporate venture capital funds, leveraging his Silicon Valley background to support their growth. Fluent in Japanese, Joseph maintains strong ties to Japanese businesses and collaborates closely with Orrick’s Tokyo practice.

Yael Perl Partner

Silicon Valley

Yael has extensive experience with advising founders, investors and boards of tech and life sciences companies at all stages and advises on cutting edge deals and complex transactions, with a focus on venture capital financings, debt financings, mergers and acquisitions and corporate governance. She practices across a variety of industries, including software and technology, energy, gaming, healthcare and life sciences. Yael’s practice also includes advising venture capital firms and strategic corporate investors in their investments into technology and life sciences companies.

Yael’s broad-based domestic and international experience also includes advising Israeli venture capital funds, high-tech firms and startups while practicing at some of the top-rated firms in Tel Aviv.

Jessica Perry Partner

Silicon Valley

Jessica defends employers from discrimination and harassment claims on the basis of gender, race, religion, disability, age and other protected categories. She recently defeated class certification in cases alleging discrimination against women in technical roles for Microsoft and Twitter, earning her The American Lawyer’s "Litigator of the Week” award. She also won a complete defense verdict for Kleiner Perkins in the highly publicized gender discrimination and retaliation case Pao v. Kleiner Perkins, which the Daily Journal named the year’s ‘Top Verdict.’ Her trial victories also include winning defense judgments in cases involving claims of religious discrimination, retaliation and wrongful termination. Jessica also specializes in pay equity matters, including in designing analyses and advising on compliance and risk mitigation. Clients interviewed by Chambers note, “She's very thorough and knows the details and procedure, without allowing anything to fall through the cracks."

Jessica has a winning record in beating back class certification in high stakes wage-and-hour actions in federal and state court, including those brought under the Private Attorney General Act. Having led over 150 high-stakes wage-and-hour class action matters, Jessica has broad experience on virtually every theory of relief. She also offers strategic guidance to help businesses avoid wage-and-hour litigation, particularly companies in the gig economy industry which can be significantly impacted by such matters.

In addition to litigation and counseling, Jessica has successfully guided clients through investigations and audits by the Department of Labor, California Division of Labor Standards Enforcement and California Employment Development Department, and helped develop compensation policies and measures to reduce potential exposure.

Jessica is also an authority in generational workplace issues and frequently speaks on employment engagement in a multi-generational workforce.

Randolph Perry Partner

Los Angeles

Randy has assisted opportunity funds, operators/developers, pension funds, pension fund advisors, investment banks, financial institutions, non-bank financial institutions and private equity funds in the acquisition and disposition of real property, sale of distressed loan portfolios, and mezzanine and permanent financings.

He is recognized as a key lawyer in Real Estate in the Chambers Southern California Real Estate 2024 directory, described by clients as “an excellent attorney... very commercial and a deal maker” who “understands our needs and is able to execute on them."

Jessica S. Pers Counsel

San Francisco

Jessica has handled both jury and non-jury trials and injunction proceedings in federal and state courts and has extensive experience in extraordinary writ practice and appeals before California and federal courts.

Additionally, she has advised clients in the computer industry and various manufacturing and service fields on trademark, copyright and antitrust issues, including issues relating to domain name use on the Internet. She has handled cases for major franchisers in the automotive service and home health care industries as well as state and federal antitrust actions against Microsoft and many television and movie studios. Recently, Jessica has had primary responsibility for large consumer class actions settlements arising from antitrust litigation against Microsoft.

Before joining Orrick, Jessica was a shareholder at Heller Ehrman LLP. She was Managing Partner of that firm from 1992 to 1995 and Chair of the Promotion Evaluation Committee from 2001 to 2007.

Jeremy Peterman Senior Associate

Seattle

Jeremy represents clients from a wide range of industries in high stakes appeals across numerous subject areas. He has helped major tech companies, biomedical manufacturers, universities, and state governments successfully resolve appeals with novel issues involving intellectual property, employment law, administrative law, class actions, criminal law, sovereign immunity, and securities law.

Jeremy is especially experienced in intellectual property appeals where he employs his generalist background to simplify complex technology for generalist judges. He helped develop the successful appellate strategy in what legal observers have dubbed “The World Series of Copyright Suits.” He also draws from his administrative law background to develop novel strategies for clients to challenge the PTO’s administration of the inter partes review process.

Jeremy has authored merits briefs, cert. petitions, and briefs in opposition in the U.S. Supreme Court, dozens of briefs in both federal and state courts of appeals, and dispositive motions in trial courts. He also maintains an active pro bono practice.

Prior to joining Orrick, Jeremy served as a law clerk to Judge David Tatel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit and to Judge David Hamilton of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.

Kristin Petersen Of Counsel

Washington, D.C.

She also counsels clients on antitrust-related topics throughout the deal process, including providing guidance on pre-closing diligence, information sharing, and planning.

Additionally, Kristin’s experience includes consideration of foreign merger control filing requirements, preparing responses to government-issued requests for information and advising more generally on antitrust compliance considerations and policies.

Cody Peterson Partner

Los Angeles; Santa Monica

Cody works with founders at every stage, from early formation to financing rounds, acquisitions, and IPOs. He has a particular focus on first-time founders navigating the complexities of startup life, helping them make informed decisions without getting lost in legal jargon.

Before becoming a lawyer, Cody was the COO of a health and fitness e-commerce startup in Las Vegas. That entrepreneurial experience shaped his approach—he brings a “nothing is impossible” mindset and a deep understanding that legal matters are just one piece of the puzzle for founders. His advice is always practical, actionable, and tailored to the realities of running a fast-moving business.

Cody represents both startups and venture funds across industries including e-commerce, fintech, climatetech, future of work, edtech, life sciences, and biotech. He also leverages Orrick’s deep industry focuses and innovative legal tools to help high-growth companies navigate financings, IPOs, and M&A transactions.

An active member of the LA startup community, Cody regularly mentors and coaches founders, including participants in the Plug In Accelerator, a program supporting Black and Latinx early-stage entrepreneurs.

Cody earned his law degree from Northwestern Pritzker School of Law and his bachelor’s degree from Pomona College. Before joining Orrick, he was a partner and co-founder of Gunderson Dettmer’s Los Angeles office.

Martina Pfaffinger Senior Associate

Munich

She has particular experience in representing Asian clients from the automotive sector in DIS arbitration proceedings. Clients benefit from her background as corporate / M&A lawyer and her experience with shareholder disputes, management liability cases, post-M&A disputes and other contentious commercial matters. As a trained business mediator, Martina also advises clients on the extrajudicial settlement of conflicts and the avoidance of disputes at an early stage when negotiating and drafting contracts.

Prior to joining Orrick, Martina worked at the Munich office of a leading U.S. law firm and the Munich / New York City offices of a renowned German law firm.

Martina currently writes her doctoral thesis on a subject relating to management liability.

Erin Pham Of Counsel

San Francisco

Erin's practice focuses on water, wastewater, public power, solid waste, airport and port financings, primarily in California and the territory of Guam. In addition, Erin has experience working on complex public-private-partnership (P3) transactions.

Erin also serves on the Board of Directors of the Asian Americans in Public Finance.