Mark Franke Of Counsel, Restructuring
New York; Boston
New York; Boston
New York; Boston
Recognized as a rising star by Super Lawyers and the Legal 500, the market has increasingly turned to Mark for advice on matters across a variety of industries, including aviation, shipping, oil & gas, chemicals, renewable energy, digital assets, agriculture & farming, construction & engineering, telecommunications, sports, commercial real estate, entertainment and leisure, and digital and traditional media.
Mark is highly practical, placing emphasis on commercial solutions to disputes while also at home in contentious litigation and contested motion practice. He thrives in contexts that require engineering creative approaches to problems involving multiple players with competing interests. In all things, he prioritizes relational and intellectual integrity with his colleagues and adversaries.
Silicon Valley
As a seasoned IP litigator and counselor, Diana’s practice has run the gamut from high stakes trials, to take-down and anti-counterfeiting campaigns, to employee departure and trade secret investigations. She represents clients in District and state courts and before administrative bodies including the ITC and the USPTO. For example, Diana tried and won a complex case in which the other side sought to extend the monopoly of an expired utility patent by claiming trade dress rights in a technical product feature. Drawing upon experience handling both complex patent and trademark matters, her team successfully argued that the intersection of patent and trademark policy prevented the other side from continuing its monopoly, clearing the way for her client to enter the market. With Diana at their side, companies can rest assured that their essential assets are protected, from their core technologies, to assets including their company name, logo, and website.
While at Orrick, Diana was seconded to the City and County of San Francisco, where she had the privilege to serve as an Assistant District Attorney, and first-chair several trials. She was also seconded to Salesforce, where she learned first-hand that the law comprises just one component of a company’s overall business strategy.
Diana is also passionate about her pro bono work. For example, she represented two detainees in Guantanamo in connection with their petitions for a writ of habeas corpus, and she is currently working with the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area. Before joining the firm, Diana worked for the Legal Aid of Cambodia where she assisted with the prosecution of former Khmer Rouge officials and represented individuals who sought to reclaim land rights.
Diana is a member of the International Trademark Association, of ChIPs: Advancing Women in IP and of the Harvard Club of San Francisco.
New York
In collaboration with the firm’s leadership team, she focuses on designing and implementing programs to recruit, inspire and advance the best legal and staff talent.
Siobhan previously served as Orrick’s Managing Director for Resources. In that role, she spearheaded the development of the firm’s innovative talent model—the first of its kind in a major law firm—which replaces the traditional associate lockstep advancement system with merit-based advancement. As chair of the firm’s Talent Committee, she oversees Orrick’s lawyer training and performance feedback program – which is one of the most rigorous in the market. She also has led the creation of a range of new lawyer and professional staff roles.
Siobhan brings to this role extensive experience on the front line of client service, having been a partner in the firm’s product liability litigation and mass tort defense group. For more than a decade, she was a member of the Orrick team that acted as National Counsel to Union Carbide Corporation in connection with asbestos-related personal injury lawsuits and served as lead trial counsel in cases across the country. Siobhan was one of the key trial counsel in the highly-publicized landmark trial in Texas State Court, Brazoria County, where Kelly-Moore Paint Company sued Union Carbide for $1.4 billion in compensatory damages and $4.2 billion in punitive damages that resulted in a complete defense verdict. In addition, she served as trial counsel for significant product liability cases for other clients including Wyeth and Flexible Products.
Los Angeles
Primary Focus & Experience
Dr. Lu’s practice focuses on patent, trade secrets, and life sciences litigation. He has represented clients in matters involving patent infringement, U.S.-China trade secret misappropriation, biosimilars, ANDA litigation, and licensing disputes. He also represents clients in connection with proceedings before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board. His clients have included Genentech, Tris Pharma, Rosenberger, and Natera.
Recognition & Accomplishments
Dr. Lu has been on the editorial advisory board for Law360 Life Science publications and was named to Benchmark Litigation’s “40 and Under Hot List,” which honors the achievements of the nation’s most accomplished litigators under 40. He was also named to the Southern California Rising Stars list by Super Lawyers.
Dr. Lu has authored a number of publications, including: “Thryv: opposing policies in the Supreme Court,” World Intellectual Property Review (June 5, 2020); “The Growth of Online Universities: How to Solve the Accreditation Dilemma, Protect Students, and Expand Access to Higher Education,” a chapter in “Education and Social Media: Toward a Digital Future,” MIT Press (2016); “Senate Gridlock Causes En Banc Uncertainty,” and “Intellectual Property Special Report,” The Recorder (July 15, 2013); and “Promotion and Market Share in the Proton Pump Inhibitor Market: A Case Study,” Journal of Pharmaceutical Marketing & Management, Volume 17, Issue 3, 39-59 (2007).
Dr. Lu is the chair of the board of directors for Asian Pacific American Dispute Resolution Center (APADRC), a nonprofit organization. He was also a Fellow of the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity.
Prior to private practice, Dr. Lu was a law clerk to the Honorable William Alsup of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.
Dr. Lu received his J.D. from Yale Law School, where he was Notes Editor of the Yale Law Journal and Executive Editor of the Yale Journal of Law & Technology. While in law school, he was an extern for the Honorable John T. Noonan of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, and an intern for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut.
Prior to law school, Dr. Lu earned his Doctor of Pharmacy, with highest distinction, from the University of North Carolina, and worked in pharmaceutical marketing.
Dr. Lu is conversant in Mandarin Chinese.
New York
New York
Dave has extensive trial experience at the state and federal levels, including in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, the Delaware Court of Chancery, and the Commercial Division of New York State’s Supreme Court, New York County. Dave also has experience representing and defending clients' rights and remedies before federal and state regulators. Among other of Dave's successful trial outcomes, Dave served as co-lead counsel and secured a complete victory for his client in a dispute between two joint venture real-estate development partners after completing a 23-day bench trial in New York County’s Commercial Division and authoring the post-trial brief.
A zealous advocate for his clients, Dave is particularly adept at developing overall litigation strategies and, where advisable, advising clients regarding litigation avoidance, such as resolving business disputes through negotiation and mediation. He is skilled in working efficiently on behalf of his clients by quickly assessing potential liability and exposure, including the viability of any available claims and defenses, and aggressively acting to use the same in helping his clients achieve the best outcome consistent with their practical business objectives. Where appropriate and necessary, Dave has utilized his broad experience in structuring varied agreements with outside litigation funding firms, enabling his clients to litigate or arbitrate meritorious claims while providing alternative sources of funding to pay for the expense of litigation.
Chicago
Alejandra advises sponsors, lenders and agents on all aspects of a project, from drafting, negotiation and review of traditional project documents, including EPCs, O&Ms and MSAs through procuring construction financing and term loans for the operation and maintenance of the asset. Her tax equity practice includes drafting and negotiating the traditional tax equity partnerships (for PFlip and TFlip structures) documentation, tax credit transfer agreements and advising construction and back leverage lenders in connection with tax equity portfolios.
Alejandra’s experience spans a range of power generating technologies and projects, from solar, wind and hydro to biofuel, carbon capture, oil and gas and LNG projects. She has also led financings for major international infrastructure projects such as airports, water treatment, power generation and toll roads.
A native Spanish speaker, Alejandra has worked extensively across Latin America, including Mexico, Chile, Uruguay, the Dominican Republic and Colombia.
Washington, D.C.
Lise assists clients with determining, ameliorating, and eliminating risk though either the channels of litigation or investigations. She possesses comprehensive knowledge of civil litigation and the process of discovery from filing of the initial complaint all the way through trial. Her work has spanned across industries and subject matters. Most recently, Lise was the only junior associate on a trial team that lead Zillow Group, Inc. in a successful full defense verdict against Real Estate Exchange, Inc. ("REX").
Lise's work also focuses on government-initiated investigations of corporations and individuals. She conducts internal investigations on behalf of boards, audit committees, and senior management. She has handled an array of matters, including FCPA violations, False Claims Act, insider trading, fraud, misconduct, and similar subjects in locations such as Saudi Arabia, India, Thailand, Russia, and more.
Prior to law school, Lise developed a robust knowledge of FCPA investigations and enforcement action working as a paralegal for matters involving technology and pharmaceutical corporations. She also has developed extensive technology-based legal experience working in-house at a multinational telecommunications conglomerate.
While at Orrick Lise has also served as a fellow at the Legal Aid Society of Washington D.C. where she advocated for clients affected by the COVID-19 public health emergency. During this time, she independently handled an expansive docket of clients and secured numerous victories litigating in both administrative court as well as the D.C. Court of Appeals.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
He is a skilled brief writer who focuses on simplifying complex concepts and crafting a compelling story that frames factual and legal issues in a way that is more likely to produce favorable results for clients. Cesar routinely drafts briefs in federal and state courts of appeals and in the U.S. Supreme Court, and is often embedded at the trial level to brief dispositive motions and to make sure that issues are preserved with an eye towards appeal.
Cesar advises clients on how to analyze executive actions and handles government-facing litigation, including challenges to the legality of federal and state laws and regulations. His work covers a wide range of substantive areas, including constitutional and administrative law, statutory interpretation, complex commercial litigation, federal preemption, and the False Claims Act. And although Cesar handles high-stakes cases across an array of subjects, his work tends to focus on the firm’s technology and life sciences sectors.
Before joining Orrick, Cesar was an attorney at the U.S. Department of Justice's Civil Division, Federal Programs Branch, where he represented the United States and its agencies in dozens of cases involving challenges to the legality of federal laws, actions, and programs. He argued and won dispositive motions in federal district courts nationwide. His experience included litigating cutting-edge matters involving the Appointments Clause; the Spending Clause; the Territory Clause; the First, Fifth, and Fourteenth Amendments; the separation of powers; the Administrative Procedure Act; the Federal Vacancies Reform Act; the Freedom of Information Act; and the Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act.
He also maintains an active pro bono practice, representing immigrants and veterans in their appeals to the federal courts of appeals and filing amicus briefs in precedent-setting cases of public interest. He is especially passionate about advancing the rights of the residents in the U.S. territories.
Cesar served as a law clerk to Justice Sonia Sotomayor in the October 2023 Term. Before that, he clerked for Judge José A. Cabranes of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and then-Presiding Judge of the U.S. Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of Review, Judge Rosemary M. Collyer of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, and Judge Jay A. Garcia-Gregory of the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico.
Chicago
With over a decade of experience, Peter has guided clients through joint ventures, investments, financings and acquisitions/dispositions across commercial, digital infrastructure, industrial, mining, retail, hospitality, and multifamily and single-family assets nationwide.
He brings a unique focus to data center and digital infrastructure assets with a broad perspective, advising on construction, M&A, leasing, customer and other contracts. From hyperscale facilities and colocation centers to enterprise and cloud-based solutions, he draws on his experience with industry stakeholders to deliver clear, confident guidance to clients navigating this increasingly dense space.
Beyond the office, Peter is committed to community service, serving as a board member for Rugby Ohio, an organization dedicated to supporting the growth and development of children and teenagers through the game of rugby. He is also an active member of the Urban Land Institute and the International Council of Shopping Centers.
New York
Ekaterina (Katya) Popoff is experienced in closing complex deals, acting for issuers and underwriters both in the U.S. and abroad in structured securities offerings across a broad range of asset classes including residential mortgages, credit cards, oil and gas assets and commercial loans, and structures, including public and private offerings, repos, CLOs and cost recovery bonds. Drawing on her background as an entrepreneur, she approaches her work with a pragmatic and solution-focused mindset, ensuring that clients receive efficient and practical solutions.
Katya is a passionate and dedicated mentor to junior associates, ensuring that her colleagues receive support and guidance to help them advance their skills and gain confidence. Her other areas of interest include designing, creating and refining deal management systems on complex deals, including learning new strategies, implementing workflows for the associate team to follow and refining approaches from prior deals.
Before joining Orrick, Katya practiced in structured finance at a leading national firm in Canada. Prior to that she founded a specialty tea producer and wholesaler that sold packaged tea blends into the U.S., Canadian and international markets. Under her leadership, the business won numerous awards for taste, packaging design and marketing. She is an avid reader and has recently rekindled her interest in cycling as a means to explore the outdoors and discover new places.
Miami
Ken is recognized as a Next Generation Partner by Legal 500 and named “Lawyer of the Year” in Miami for Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law by Best Lawyers.
Milan ; Rome
Milan ; Rome
Flavio coordinates the tax practice within the Technology Company Group of the Italian offices. An Italian Certified Public Accountant and Statutory Auditor (Dottore Commercialista), registered with the Rome Register of Accountants and Auditors (Ordine dei Dottori Commercialisti and Registro dei Revisori Legali), Flavio has gained extensive experience in both Italy and the United States working with leading law and accounting firms in the field of domestic and international taxation.
He has significant expertise advising technology companies and multinational industrial groups on tax matters, including start-up and scale-up phases, venture capital transactions, internationalization processes, and the taxation aspects of extraordinary operations.
As a tax advisor to business accelerators, VC funds, and numerous tech start-ups, Flavio closely follows developments in the Italian entrepreneurial ecosystem, fostering competitiveness and promoting a culture of risk-taking.
Flavio is also an adjunct lecturer in Financial Accounting at John Cabot University.
As Co-Founder of BAIA Italia – Business Association Italy America, he contributes to defining the association’s vision and strategy.
He is a member of the AIAF – Associazione Italiana degli Analisti e Consulenti Finanziari study group on innovative start-ups.
Flavio is the author of several publications on taxation and is a frequent speaker at conferences and workshops.
*Not an admitted lawyer