People

Thora Johnson Partner

Washington, D.C.

Thora works with medical device, pharmaceutical, biotech and digital health companies, helping them navigate the increasingly complex patchwork of state and federal health privacy laws. One client described her to the Legal 500 as a “very practical” advisor providing “exceptional guidance” on health information privacy and HIPAA compliance matters.

Her breadth and depth of experience enable Thora to assist clients in harnessing the power of artificial intelligence and executing data-sharing arrangements, all while protecting health data. As a result, Thora spends much of her time counseling pioneering startups and high-growth companies on responsible innovation in healthcare and life sciences.

Thora brings extensive experience counseling clients, including Fortune 500 companies and brick and mortar providers, on the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and other state and federal health privacy and regulatory compliance regimes including:

• Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology’s interoperability and information blocking regulations
• Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Service’s (CMS’s) interoperability and patient access regulations
• Part 2 confidentiality requirements applicable to substance abuse records
• State health information privacy laws
• State consumer privacy laws with special controls for health data
• Medicare/Medicaid compliance
• Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA)
• Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA)
• Affordable Care Act (ACA) compliance
• Regulatory requirements of the Employer Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), the Internal Revenue Code, HIPAA, and the ACA as they apply to employer health and wellness plans

Thora routinely helps companies and large employers prepare for and respond to privacy and security incidents involving health information. She also defends clients in government investigations initiated by the OCR, OIG, DOJ, FTC and State AGs, among others.

Anna Booth Associate

Boston

Anna advises clients on meeting the complex requirements of federal, state, and international privacy frameworks, with particular focus on the needs of cross-border projects.

Prior to joining Orrick, Anna practiced as a barrister in London for ten years, representing clients in cross-border disputes and enforcement proceedings, both in court and international arbitration. Her experience has included matters in India, Japan, Russia, Egypt, Australia, Thailand, and Europe.

Georgia C. Ravitz Partner

Washington, D.C.

Georgia also has extensive experience in assisting clients with product recalls, crisis management and government enforcement. Her practice in this sector includes assisting manufacturers, distributors, retailers and importers on all types of FDA regulated products including pharmaceuticals, medical devices and software, wearables, health and wellness products, cosmetics, cell and plant based foods, conventional foods, ag tech, compounded drugs, and dietary supplements.

Georgia’s deep experience and ability to provide practical guidance in FDA and FDA-adjacent regulatory matters allows her to work closely with innovative companies looking to minimize regulatory burdens and maximize U.S. marketing opportunities in the life science and health tech industry verticals. She also conducts regulatory due diligence for private equity and public company transactions involving life science, medtech and innovative companies.

Georgia is a frequent speaker at conferences and events who contributes regularly to leading trade and consumer media outlets.

Manaf Triqui Partner

Paris

Manaf advises investors (debt funds, insurance companies, financial institutions, etc.), arrangers and issuers (corporates, fintechs and start-ups), in connection with debt transactions such as Euro Private Placements (Euro PP), Eurobonds, sustainability and sustainability-linked bonds, corporate hybrids, establishment and update of EMTN programs, French commercial paper and liability management transactions.

Manaf contributed to the Euro PP (Euro Private Placement) working group composed of several professional organizations under the leadership of Banque de France, the French Treasury and the Paris IDF Chamber of Commerce and Industry, designed to facilitate financing for intermediate-size enterprises (ISE) and SMEs to define a more harmonized legal framework for Euro PP transactions.

Prior to joining Orrick, Manaf worked for several years at leading international law firms in Paris. At his previous firm, he was the head of its Paris Debt Capital Markets practice.

Marc Diab Maalouf Senior Associate

Paris

Marc advises investment funds, industrial groups, listed companies, and startups, both French and international, on all aspects of business law, particularly in the context of acquisitions, disposals, mergers, reorganizations, and strategic partnerships. 

He is particularly active in the infrastructure, renewable energy, and new technology sectors, both in France and internationally.

In 2025, the international guide Legal 500 EMEA named him in the Key Lawyer category in Private equity: LBO and commented "high-quality deliverables; clear, didactic communication; strong proposals; proactive" and "serious while being relaxed in interactions, appreciable in the execution phase under pressure".

Livia Maria Pedroni Partner

Milan

With a wealth of experience and a deep understanding of the technology and innovation market, Livia regularly advises early and late-stage companies on both single and multi-tranche investment rounds, secondaries, bridge financings, LBOs, buyouts and other types of exits, mergers, and corporate reorganisations. She has worked with international innovative companies from their inception and has also advised many of the key venture capital and private equity investors in the Italian and international markets.

Alongside her focus on technologies, she has acquired specific experience in the healthcare sector by working alongside one of the world-leading group in the laboratory analysis sector, since its entry onto the national scene until consolidating its leadership position in Italy through M&A transactions.

Robbie Manhas Partner

Washington, D.C.

Robbie has achieved significant victories in areas including patent law, statutory and regulatory interpretation, administrative law, and personal and appellate jurisdiction. He specializes in patent appeals before the Federal Circuit, where he has presented oral argument seven times. His winning arguments include a complete, precedent-setting victory for a leading tech company in an appeal and cross-appeal of a PTAB decision, where he secured affirmance of the PTAB's decision to strike down some patent claims and reversal of the PTAB's decision to uphold the remainder.

Robbie has represented clients across a wide variety of industries, including semiconductors and electronics, software, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, and sporting goods. His work has also involved a number of U.S. agencies, including the Patent and Trademark Office, the International Trade Commission, the Food and Drug Administration, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Labor, and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Before joining Orrick, Robbie was a lawyer at Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP, where he was a member of its Appellate and Supreme Court Litigation, Intellectual Property Litigation, and Government and Regulatory Litigation groups. Before that, Robbie was a law clerk for the Honorable Richard G. Taranto of the Federal Circuit.

Matthew Gemello Partner

Silicon Valley

A seasoned deal lawyer, Matthew guides global technology companies and their financial sponsors through transformational domestic and cross-border transactions. These deals range from private company buyouts and public takeovers in the United States and around the world, to complex, multi-jurisdictional spinoffs and business carveouts.

Matthew has been recognized as a leading lawyer by numerous publications, including Legal 500 and he was selected by the San Francisco and Los Angeles Daily Journal as one of the top 10 Innovative Corporate Lawyers in California.

Colleen McDuffie Partner

Washington, D.C.

She brings a deep understanding of what drives innovative companies and a market reputation for efficiently and effectively getting intellectual property transactions and other complex commercial deals done.

Colleen counsels companies at all stages, from startups to Fortune 100, on the technology license and development agreements that drive their businesses, the strategic alliances that grow their industry relationships, and any other technology- and IP-driven agreements that are needed so companies can meet their business goals.

Colleen has extensive experience drafting and negotiating a wide variety of complex commercial agreements, including: intellectual property and data licenses; software development and license agreements; IT-focused services agreements, including consulting, development, hosting, and various “as-a-service” agreements; manufacturing and distribution agreements; joint venture and joint development agreements; and technology and intellectual property acquisition and disposition agreements. She also provides advice in connection with intellectual property and technology matters attendant to M&A and other corporate transactions.

She brings deep experience in the mobility technologies space, from connected vehicles and their supporting IT platforms to clean fuel technologies. She also has extensive experience in semiconductor design and fabrication, satellites and space technologies, telecommunications, and adtech.

Colleen has been involved in numerous pro bono activities, including: volunteering with voting rights and voter protection organizations; advising Georgetown’s Halcyon House social entrepreneurship fellows on intellectual property matters; hosting a start-up IP licensing webinar; and drafting and negotiating agreements for a PSA supporting equal wages for women.

Before becoming an attorney, Colleen spent several years working as a computer hardware and software engineer and performing research at a scientific think tank.

Sarah Schaedler Partner

San Francisco

Sarah’s practice focuses on structuring and negotiating the intellectual property aspects of complex corporate transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, business divestitures and commercial transactions where software and technology are the principal assets. Sarah also advises on intellectual property and technology contracts related questions in the context of Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Sarah routinely advises on carve-outs and business separation transactions and helps clients with structuring and implementing their intellectual property and technology separation roadmap.

Sarah has counseled several companies in their preparation for a divestiture and understands the issues a buyer is focused on in the context of intellectual property matters. She regularly helps companies implement remediation steps around their intellectual property assets to help them to a successful closing.

She has significant experience advising private equity funds on investments involving companies that are driven by technology & innovation, as well as intellectual property reliant consumer product companies and companies that are stepping into digitalization.

Sarah is also a member of Orrick’s AI leadership group and involved in thought leadership projects related to AI matters on corporate transactions.

Educated and trained in Germany, France and the United States, Sarah’s international experience provides her with additional knowledge on cross-border transactions and international matters.

Faraaz Samadi Partner

London

He has significant experience in identifying and resolving issues which arise in cross-border technology transactions involving Europe, the U.S. and Asia, having worked in London, Singapore and Shanghai.

Faraaz regularly advises clients on technology service agreements, website terms and conditions, data privacy, renegotiations, intellectual property Iicensing and strategic alliances.

He has represented companies in a wide range of industries including software development, satellite and space, mining and resources, mobile, healthcare, digital marketing, automotive, ride-hailing and logistics.

Alice Hoesterey Senior Associate

Seattle; Silicon Valley

Alice represents public and private companies in complex employment litigation, with experience across industries including technology, entertainment, automotive, and retail. She has successfully defended employers in high-stakes class and representative actions, including those brought under the Equal Pay Act, Washington’s Equal Pay & Opportunities Act, PAGA, the WARN Act, and wage and hour laws in both Washington and California. In addition to class actions, Alice regularly defends employers in sensitive single-plaintiff cases involving discrimination, retaliation, and whistleblower allegations—often brought by senior executives or other high-profile employees. She also advises companies navigating employee mobility disputes, including those involving alleged trade secret misappropriation, breach of contract, or the enforcement of restrictive covenants.  

No matter the case, Alice crafts an approach that is both efficient and effective. A trusted advisor, she partners closely with clients to develop a practical, business-focused solution to litigation in any venue, including federal and state courts, arbitration, and in government investigations. Clients depend on Alice for clear guidance, vigorous advocacy, and successful resolution of their most challenging employment disputes.

Alice maintains an active pro bono practice, focusing primarily on issues relating to criminal justice reform.  

Prior to joining Orrick, Alice worked as an associate in Latham & Watkins’ Century City office. She earned her Juris Doctor degree from Harvard Law School where she graduated cum laude.