People

Young Lee Partner

New York

Young is recognized as a Leading Lawyer by Chambers USA and Chambers Global (2010-2024), where clients state, “Young is a spectacular lawyer. She is smart, creative and commercial - a stand out person to work with,” she “provides expert representation in the development and financing of high-value and sophisticated infrastructure projects,” and is “very insightful and bringing a lot of practical experience to deals.”

Young represents sponsors, lenders and investors in the development, construction, financing and operation and maintenance of complex infrastructure projects and the acquisition and sale of projects and companies in the infrastructure sector. She has been involved in many of the largest U.S. PPP transactions that have achieved financial close in the past several years.

Young has acted as lead counsel in numerous project financings, acquisitions and other strategic arrangements in the United States and abroad. These transactions have involved, among other assets, toll roads, airports, port facilities, generation assets, telecommunications infrastructure, water and waste facilities, and companies owning portfolios of infrastructure assets.

Young also serves as Lead Director of Orrick's Board.

Janista Lee Managing Associate

Orange County

Prior to starting at Orrick, Janista spent a year as an Orrick Fellow at Community Legal SoCal in the Complex Litigation Unit, where she worked with community members to advocate for systemic change in Orange County. She earned her JD at the UC Irvine School of Law in 2020. While in law school, she externed for the Honorable Fernando M. Olguin in the Central District Court. She also participated in the Domestic Violence Clinic and committed over 200 hours to pro bono work. Janista served on the Executive Board of the UC Irvine Law Review as the Senior Articles Editor.

Jeeeun (Michelle) Lee Managing Associate

Silicon Valley

Michelle focuses on capital markets transactions, including representing issuers in initial public offerings, follow-on offerings and tender offers and advising clients on corporate governance and securities law compliance matters.

Daniel Lee Counsel

Houston

He represents corporate buyers, project sponsors, developers, and financial institutions in the negotiation of a broad variety of agreements:

• Virtual and physical power purchase agreements, REC agreements, and other long-term offtake contracts for wind and solar;
• Joint ventures, acquisitions, and divestitures of renewable energy project equity and assets;
• Engineering, procurement, and construction agreements;
• Major equipment supply contracts; and
• Interconnection, site control, and other project development transactions.

In addition to project development, Daniel has assisted energy clients in environmental, energy regulatory, restructuring, and financing matters.

Prior to joining Orrick, Daniel was a Senior Counsel at Vestas Development and a Senior Associate in an international law firm’s energy practice group. In these roles, he negotiated transactions involving over 3.5 GWs of renewable energy projects in matters ranging from utility scale to community solar.

Elizabeth Lefever Of Counsel

Silicon Valley; Washington, D.C.

She focuses on high growth technology companies and represents both public and private companies and venture capital funds in many areas, including corporate and securities law, venture capital financings, mergers and acquisitions, public offerings, public company representation and private equity.

Christophe Lefort Partner

Paris

Depuis plus de 30 ans, il conseille des opérateurs publics et privés, des entités gouvernementales, des constructeurs et des institutions financières dans la réalisation de leurs projets de construction et le financement de grands projets d'énergie (solaires, énergie renouvelables, biomasse…) et d'infrastructures (route, ferroviaire, portuaire et aéroportuaire, nucléaire…) en Europe, en Afrique et en Amérique Latine.

Il a notamment conseillé EDF, IFC et le gouvernement du Cameroun (en tant qu'investisseur) sur le développement et le financement du projet hydroélectrique de Nachtigal (420 MW) au Cameroun, l'un des plus grands projets hydroélectriques indépendants (IPP) prévus en Afrique ; Total Eren et Visolar sur le financement du projet de la centrale solaire photovoltaïque de Villarpando 100 Mwac en République Dominicaine ; Des institutions de financement d'un Groupement candidat pour l'attribution de la concession de l'autoroute A 412 "du Chablais" en France, a conseillé Bouygues Construction et Colas, un groupement d'offres confidentiel dans le cadre du financement, la construction et l'exploitation de la concession du Contournement Ouest de Strasbourg (A355).

Il dispose également d’une expérience notable dans le cadre d’acquisitions françaises et internationales dont notamment le conseil d’’Alkion Terminals France SAS, une filiale d'InfraVia Capital Partners, dans le cadre de son acquisition d'installations de stockage de liquides en vrac en France, au Portugal et en Espagne auprès de LBC Tank Terminals, conseil d’InfraVia dans le cadre de l'acquisition d'une participation substantielle dans une société ad hoc exploitant un aéroport européen.

Il est classé parmi les meilleurs avocats en matière de projets et d'énergie à l’international par le guide Chambers Global 2024 ainsi que dans le Top 100 Legal Powerlist de Jeune Afrique des avocats les plus influents d'Afrique francophone (2023).

Avant de rejoindre Orrick, Christophe a travaillé au sein d’un cabinet d’avocat de premier plan à Paris, et auparavant, fut Directeur Juridique de Bouygues travaux Publics et Responsable Juridique International Propreté et Transport pour Veolia Environnement (CGEA) pendant de nombreuses années.

Eliza Lehner Senior Associate

New York

Before joining Orrick, Eliza served as a law clerk to Judge Paul J. Watford on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, Judge Jesse M. Furman on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, and Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Elena Kagan. She also worked as a temporary Special Counsel to the Senate Judiciary Committee on the confirmation of Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. 

Lauren Leibovitch Senior Associate

Santa Monica

Lauren focuses on defending employers in complex wage-and-hour lawsuits, including class, representative, and collective actions in both federal and state courts. She is a persuasive writer and experienced litigator who leverages her substantial wage-and-hour knowledge to develop creative strategies and solutions. Lauren has been a key player in successfully defeating class certification and securing dismissals of PAGA actions. Through smart litigation, Lauren ensures favorable outcomes for her clients.

Lauren has authored numerous articles and client alerts, providing valuable insights on various aspects of employment law. Before joining Orrick, Lauren served as co-editor of Morrison & Foerster's Employment Law Commentary blog, which covers judicial, litigation, and legislative developments, their implications for employers, and strategies to ensure compliance and avoid lawsuits.

Lauren graduated cum laude from the University of California, San Francisco (formerly UC Hastings), where she was Senior Articles Editor for the Hastings Law Journal and received CALI Awards for earning the highest grade in Legal Writing & Research, E-Discovery, and Critical Studies I: Writing. During pursuit of her J.D., she served as a judicial extern for the Honorable Mary E. Wiss and the Honorable Curtis E.A. Karnow in the San Francisco Superior Court of Complex Civil Litigation, and for the Honorable Consuelo B. Marshall in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. In undergrad, Lauren was an NCAA Division I coxswain on UCLA’s rowing team.

Rachel Leigh Senior Associate

Londres

Rachel acts for early-stage and high-growth companies primarily in the technology sector.

Mayeul Lelievre Managing Associate

Paris

Mayeul accompagne les startups et les entreprises plus matures du secteur de la Tech dans leurs opérations de croissance, que ce soit lors de leurs levées de fonds ou lors de leur éventuelle cession. Il conseille les fondateurs dans le développement et la mise en oeuvre de stratégie de gouvernance d'entreprise ainsi que dans l'émission d'instruments de capital personnalisés selon leurs besoins.

Léo LEMAIRE Associate

Paris

Léo intervient principalement dans la résolution des contentieux de droit des affaires. Il accompagne des entreprises françaises et internationales dans le traitement amiable ou judiciaire de leurs différends.

Avant de rejoindre Orrick en qualité d'avocat admis aux barreaux de New York et de Paris, Léo était stagiaire au sein du département contentieux d'Orrick et a également réalisé d'autres stages au sein de différents cabinets internationaux de premier plan à Paris.

Grace Lentz Senior Associate

Houston

Grace advises clients on the successful execution of complex energy projects. She represents developers, sponsors and utilities in the development, acquisition and sale of energy assets, primarily renewable and conventional power technologies. 

Her practice spans the full project lifecycle, including engineering, procurement and construction, major equipment supply, and long-term offtake arrangements. She has significant experience in build-transfer transactions and supports clients through complex M&A and joint venture arrangements in the energy space.

Grace brings a practical, business-focused approach to every deal, helping clients manage risk and achieve their commercial goals in a dynamic sector.