People

Thomas Wyatt Laryea Counsel Banking & Finance, Governmental Affairs

Washington, D.C.

Thomas Laryea is a recognized international law and policy expert in sovereign debt restructuring and Africa-related finance and investment. While he has a special interest in Africa, his experience is truly global.

Thomas formerly served as Assistant General Counsel at the International Monetary Fund, where he was responsible for the IMF’s legal relations in finance and economic surveillance with each of its member countries.

His practice bridges legal and strategic advice on the transactional, public policy and dispute resolution aspects of international finance and investment.

Amy Lauren Senior Associate Technology Transactions, IP Counseling & Due Diligence

New York

Amy Lauren, a Senior Associate in the Global Technology Transactions practice, serves as a strategic advisor to large and small companies in all stages of their development within a wide range of industries and business models. Amy helps clients understand key business and legal risks involved in efficiently managing complex legal and technology issues in connection with contract negotiations, product development and business operations. 

Amy advises clients across a spectrum of continuously innovating industries, including software licensing and development (including artificial intelligence), blockchain networks, cryptocurrency, cloud services, IoT products, online and mobile payments, intermediary products and services, wearables, fintech, e-commerce, emerging technologies, consumer products, and digital media and entertainment.

Amy was previously American Express’ lead lawyer for its digital products and strategic partnerships business and worked closely on emerging payment products in North America, Latin America and India. Prior to American Express, she spent several years in-house as a digital music attorney (including EMI Music and Warner Music), handling digital music transactions and policy, including as the global head of Digital Legal & Business Affairs at EMI Music.

Nicholas Laveris Of Counsel Restructuring

New York

Nicholas Laveris, resident in Orrick’s New York office, is a member of the Restructuring Group.

Nicholas A. Laveris is Of Counsel in Orrick's Restructuring Group. Nick advises investment banks, commercial banks, broker-dealers, hedge funds and other financial institutions on legal issues related to the purchase and sale of domestic and international par and distressed assets, including bilateral loans, syndicated loans, loan participations and derivative structured products.

Nick also represents clients in the purchase and sale of claims in bankruptcy, including administrative claims and trade claims. In addition, Nick represents clients in the purchase and sale of securities and other equity instruments arising out of restructurings and bankruptcy proceedings. Nick has extensive experience in working on transactions under the LSTA and LMA regimes, as well as negotiating bespoke documentation. Nick's work involves transactions throughout Europe, Asia, Latin America, Australia and the United States. Nick is an active member of the Loan Syndications and Trade Association and the Loan Market Association.

Prior to joining Orrick, Nick was an associate at Mayer Brown LLP.

Joe Lawlor Managing Associate Renewable Energy, Oil & Gas

Houston

Joe represents clients in the energy industry and focuses his practice on oil and gas and renewables transactions.

He assists integrated oil and gas companies, global energy companies, private equity funds, and management teams with complex commercial transactions in the oil and gas and renewables industries. His experience includes upstream, midstream, and downstream acquisitions and divestitures and joint venture arrangements. He also assists clients in the development, repowering, purchase and sale of wind and solar projects.

Robert F. Lawrence Partner Energy, Infrastructure

Washington, D.C.

Robert has practiced environmental law in connection with energy project financing and other transactional matters for nearly 30 years. His clients include major energy players, many Fortune 500 companies and all of the major investment and commercial banking institutions active in project finance.

Bob's career covers project financing of electricity generation facilities and major infrastructure projects, as well as exploration and development, refining, pipelines, offshore production and shipping. He has represented project sponsors, lenders and investors in connection with all aspects of fossil fuel development and use, as well as solar, wind, biomass, waste-to-energy and other renewable technologies. He is an expert on siting, land use, permitting, federal and state environmental review, cultural resources, endangered species and other environmental regulatory aspects of development of greenfield sites. In addition, Bob's practice covers all aspects of management and reuse of contaminated property, including demolition of industrial facilities, redevelopment of brownfield sites, remediation of contamination and habitat restoration.

Bob has represented major companies in connection with all aspects of environmental regulation, including environmentally regulated chemicals and products, marketing and new product development.  He has represented companies before regulatory agencies in rulemaking proceedings, permit applications and appeals and enforcement actions. Bob leads Orrick's environmental due diligence teams, and serves as the lead on transactional negotiations involving environmentally regulated facilities and transactions, including cross-border transactions involving dozens of foreign jurisdictions.

Frances Lawson Managing Associate International Arbitration & Dispute Resolution, United Kingdom

Geneva

Frances Lawson is an English barrister with a wide range of common law experience. She specialises in international dispute resolution and has expertise in international climate change and environmental law.

Prior to joining Orrick, Frances spent six years as a self-employed barrister at Six Pump Court in London where she built a broad common law practice across civil, employment, public, regulatory, criminal, environmental and planning law. She has particular expertise in international climate change law and acts as a pro bono advisor to developing country parties to the UNFCCC through the Legal Response Initiative (LRI). As a member of the International Chamber of Commerce’s Taskforce on the Arbitration of Climate Change Related Disputes, Frances contributed to ICC’s work on climate change and also participated in its Working Group on a UN Global Pact for the Environment.

Erin Marie Boyd Leach Managing Associate Intellectual Property, U.S. International Trade Commission

Orange County

Erin applies her extensive experience as a primary patent examiner and Federal Circuit law clerk to assist clients with their most complex intellectual property and technology-related needs.

Erin is a litigator and appellate attorney in the firm’s Intellectual Property Group. She has represented clients in federal district courts throughout the country as well as before the International Trade Commission and the Patent Trial and Appeal Board.  Erin’s technical expertise covers a wide-range of technologies, including computer hardware and software, medical devices, wireless communications, and semiconductors. Arbitration, particularly involving FRAND licensing disputes, is also a regular part of Erin’s practice.

Alongside her intellectual property practice, Erin maintains an active pro bono docket representing veterans before the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims and on appeal to the Federal Circuit. As a member of a military family, Erin is particularly passionate about helping veterans protect their rights and secure treatment for their service-related injuries.

Prior to joining Orrick, Erin served as a patent examiner for many years and as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Sharon Prost, Chief Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. In addition, Erin spent several years practicing patent law in Washington, D.C. at a global intellectual property firm.

Barbara Jane League Partner Public Finance, Tax

Houston

Barbara provides tax advice in connection with tax-exempt financing transactions for cities, counties, states, school districts, charter schools, housing authorities, higher education authorities, state agencies and other tax-exempt organizations.

She also has significant experience representing nonprofit organizations. Formerly an attorney with the Chief Counsel of the Internal Revenue Service, Barbara has represented clients before the IRS in a variety of matters involving tax-exempt bonds, including audits and private letter ruling requests. She has participated in all facets of the tax analysis associated with the issuance of governmental purpose bonds, certain tax credit bonds, qualified 501(c)(3) bonds, qualified residential rental bonds and qualified small issue bonds.

Barbara has served on the Steering Committee and has chaired the Working Capital panel and the Bond Direct Purchase - Advanced Tax Topics panel for the Bond Attorneys’ Workshop, the oldest and largest annual gathering of bond lawyers.

Kathleen Leak Of Counsel Public Finance

San Francisco

Kathleen A. Leak, Of Counsel in the San Francisco office, is a member of the firm's Public Finance Department. She has considerable experience in public finance with special knowledge in health care and transportation financing.

Before coming to Orrick, Kathleen was an associate at Chapman and Cutler from 1985 to 1988.

Elizabeth J. Lee Managing Associate Complex Litigation & Dispute Resolution, Mass Torts & Product Liability

New York

Liz Lee is a Managing Associate in the Complex Litigation & Dispute Resolution group in Orrick's New York office. Liz has represented multinational corporation clients in all phases of complex, multi-party litigations in both federal and state courts across the country.

Prior to practicing law, Liz was a freelance interpreter with a M.A. in Conference Interpretation in English and Korean languages and has worked with numerous international organizations, governmental agencies, and private companies.

Betsy Wang Lee Partner Intellectual Property, Copyright, Trademark & False Advertising

San Francisco

Betsy Lee, a partner in Orrick's San Francisco office, is a member of the Intellectual Property Group. Her practice focuses on U.S. and international trademark and copyright counseling and prosecution, advising on branding strategies, and resolving trademark and copyright related disputes.

Previously, Betsy served as a Law Clerk at the National Center For Youth Law (Oakland). Prior to law school, she also worked as an Investigator with the New York City Department of Education and as a Legal Assistant at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP (New York).

Stephanie Gail Lee Senior Associate Employment Law & Litigation

Los Angeles

Stephanie helps clients navigate the intricate and rapidly evolving world of employment litigation.

Clients feel at ease knowing that Stephanie will work tirelessly to guide them through wage-and-hour class and representative actions, as well as single-plaintiff litigation involving claims of whistleblower retaliation, fraudulent inducement and breach of contract. Companies, particularly those in employee-friendly states such as California, must contend with an ever-changing array of procedural tools and laws, and rely on Stephanie to serve as a trusted advisor. In addition to legal nuances, the high-profile matters Stephanie handles are further complicated by reputational risk. To deliver a clear path through these complexities, Stephanie works with her team to carefully and creatively balance each case’s dangers, opportunities and impact.

She has managed matters from start to finish and has litigated cases in federal and state courts, as well as before various administrative agencies. She also helps her clients avoid litigation by counseling on wage-and-hour compliance, terminations and severance agreements, non-compete and non-solicitation covenants and employee handbook provisions.