Our Team (S) | Orrick Tech Studio

Christopher Sprado

I am a TCG Partner in Orrick's Dusseldorf office in Germany. I have a special focus on cross-border tech M&A (buy- and sell-side), complex corporate reorganizations (including mergers, spin-offs and company transformations) as well as late-stage VC and growth equity financings. Read More

I am a TCG Partner in Orrick's Dusseldorf office in Germany. I have a special focus on cross-border tech M&A (buy- and sell-side), complex corporate reorganizations (including mergers, spin-offs and company transformations) as well as late-stage VC and growth equity financings.

Clients I've worked with: Coatue Management | Deel, Inc. | Luxempart

Contact me Partner, Düsseldorf csprado@orrick.com +49 211 3678 7266

Full Bio

What inspires you about working with tech companies?

Orrick provides the perfect platform to work together with the most innovative and disruptive companies in the global tech market. Working together with these companies provides the opportunity to work together with extremely inspiring, intelligent, and hard-working people.
What inspired you to become an emerging companies and venture capital lawyer?

I am passionate about advising emerging companies through all stages of growth as it allows me to not only advise on corporate law aspects or on M&A or financing projects but it requires a more “holistic” approach helping clients with respect to all kinds of legal matters, almost serving as an “outside general counsel”.
If you weren't a tech lawyer, what would you do?

As I have already spent my early youth reading John Grisham novels and always wanted to become a lawyer, I would probably still be in the legal industry in another position if I wasn’t a tech lawyer.
What is your ideal weekend?

Spending some “offline time” with my family, ideally in combination with my other two passions which are travelling and any kind of sports (hoping I will be successful in getting my young kids enthusiastic about playing golf as well).

Ylan Steiner

I am a highly regarded strategic advisor, acting across private equity investing and specialising in venture and growth capital transactions for both companies and later-stage investors, including a full range of related exits. Read More

I am a highly regarded strategic advisor, acting across private equity investing and specialising in venture and growth capital transactions for both companies and later-stage investors, including a full range of related exits.

Clinets I've worked with: Vitruvian Partners | Currency Cloud | MFS Africa | Hopin | Warburg Pincus

Contact me Partner, London ysteiner@orrick.com +44 20 7862 4606

LinkedIn Full Bio

What inspired you to become emerging companies and venture capital lawyer?

I started my career with an anorak as a software engineer, so when I shifted to law, I was always going to leverage off my passion for technology and innovation.
Tell us about a favorite client or project.

It was a real career highlight to support the Currency Cloud from Series A financing in 2011 through 10 years of legal services including four further funding rounds and ultimately its £700m sale to VISA. The connection to the exceptional Currency Cloud team was the cherry on top.
Tell us something we'd be surprised to know about you.

I am Zimbabwean born and bred, and qualified to represent my country in table tennis at the junior Olympics.
What is your ideal weekend?

Family, friends, good food, good music and a game of padel (which I win).
If you could choose one superpower, what would it be?

To clone myself: I would love to be able to dedicate an extra bit of time to each of the activities taking up my day - there never seems enough time to do each one fully.

Guy Stevenson

As a Fintech regulatory lawyer, one of the things I love most about my job is getting to work with new innovative Fintech businesses on how best to launch their business in the UK. Each day is different as I advise across a broad range of regulatory and financial crime issues. I have particular Read More

As a Fintech regulatory lawyer, one of the things I love most about my job is getting to work with new innovative Fintech businesses on how best to launch their business in the UK. Each day is different as I advise across a broad range of regulatory and financial crime issues. I have particular focus on retail financial services, including advising on consumer credit, payments, crypto, insurance and financial crime issues.

Clients I've worked with: TerraPay | Paysend | Ego Death Capital | Dawn Wallet

Contact me Senior Associate, London gstevenson@orrick.com +44 20 7862 4734

LinkedIn Full Bio

What inspires you about working with tech companies?

It's fantastic to work with tech companies who are launching products that will disrupt the market. Working with them to best navigate complex regulation and applying old law to new concepts is very rewarding.
If you weren't a tech lawyer, what would you do?

A football referee. I used to do a lot of refereeing when I was younger (given I was so more at actually playing football). I still do it from time-to-time and learn new insults every time!
What is your ideal weekend?

You can often find me watching some kind of sport. In particular, I love cricket, horse racing and football. I am a long suffering Gillingham FC fan and my ideal weekend would be watching them win the FA Cup (maybe next year!).

Peter Sugden

I advise high-growth technology companies (and the investors who support them) at all stages of their life-cycle - that ranges from equity financings to M&A activity and exit events, as well as the day-to-day matters and broader commercial transactions that companies encounter as they scale. Read More

I advise high-growth technology companies (and the investors who support them) at all stages of their life-cycle - that ranges from equity financings to M&A activity and exit events, as well as the day-to-day matters and broader commercial transactions that companies encounter as they scale.

Clients I've worked with: Atomico | Systemiq Capital | Headline | TopHat | TerraPay

Contact me Partner, London psugden@orrick.com +44 20 7862 4603

LinkedIn Full Bio

What inspired you to become an emerging companies and venture capital lawyer?

I love the optimism and collaboration that is (more often than not) a characteristic of emerging companies/venture capital work. Legal negotiations tend to be less of a zero-sum game and more of a case of "how can we set this company up to be as successful as possible for the future?". I find that dynamic incredibly energising.
If you weren't a tech lawyer, what would you do?

Assuming that talent is not a barrier, trying to scratch a living as a sportsman of some (any!) kind - but in my dreams it would involve playing on Centre Court at Wimbledon!
Tell us something we'd be surprised to know about you.

I spent two months sleeping in a (very cold) tent in the Himalayas before starting law school.
What's your mantra?

The best motto for a long march is "Don't grumble. Plug on." (A quotation from Sir Frederick Treves which I use indiscriminately in many different scenarios, much to my kids' annoyance.)

Mike Sullivan

I help startups and their investors across a variety industries — cleantech, information technology, consumer products, software, gaming, life sciences and business services. In addition to working with them on formation and helping with financings, I work with our teams here at Orrick to assist Read More

I help startups and their investors across a variety industries — cleantech, information technology, consumer products, software, gaming, life sciences and business services. In addition to working with them on formation and helping with financings, I work with our teams here at Orrick to assist with employment, incentive equity, licensing, trademark matters and just about everything else that startups need, including counseling on business issues that often come up.

Clients I've worked with: Neptune Flood Incorporated | Quidnet Energy | Tempo Interactive | Marcy Venture Partners | Griffin Gaming Partners

Contact me Partner, San Francisco msullivan@orrick.com +1 415 773 5765

LinkedIn Full Bio

What inspires you about working with tech companies?

I love working with entrepreneurs who are often the smartest people in the world in their subspecialty, and guiding them through legal and business issues that are often totally new and unfamiliar to them.
If you weren't a tech lawyer, what would you do?

I'd work in renewable energy - maybe a solar or wind company - making a difference in the effort to battle climate change.
Tell us something we'd be surprised to know about you.

I'm the author of Trees of San Francisco, now in its 2nd edition. The book introduces the reader to what's interesting about the trees that you'd encounter if you walked down a typical street in the Bay Area.
What technology are you most excited to see develop?

Nuclear fusion - if we can make that work on a commercial scale, it would go a long way towards solving the climate crisis.
Tell us about a favorite book, work of art or piece of music.

Botany of Desire, by Michael Pollan. The book flips the humans vs. plant worldview, showing how some plants actually manipulate homo sapiens - advancing their agenda by ensuring they are attractive to human beings.

Kim Olivia Supe-Dienes

I advise young technology companies and their investors through financing rounds and beyond. My support extends from guiding startups through incorporation and initial financing rounds to navigating their growth phase and internationalization projects. Read More

I advise young technology companies and their investors through financing rounds and beyond. My support extends from guiding startups through incorporation and initial financing rounds to navigating their growth phase and internationalization projects.

Contact me Associate, Düsseldorf ksupe-dienes@orrick.com +49 211 3678 7312

LinkedIn Full Bio

What inspires you about working with tech companies?

I’m inspired by working with innovative people in the tech start-up scene who are passionate about growth and making an impact.
Where do you find inspiration in life?

I find inspiration in outdoor sports, where nature and movement fuel my energy and creativity.
If you weren't a tech lawyer, what would you do?

I dreamed of space travel, but when I got told that "space lawyers" aren’t a thing yet, I decided to become a tech lawyer and help others launch their ideas instead.
What technology are you most excited to see develop?

The development of AI in the legal field excites me, as it will streamline processes like contract analysis and case research, making legal services more efficient and accessible.