February.06.2020
We're delighted to announce the promotion of 17 lawyers to the firm’s partnership, effective January 1, 2020.
Orrick’s 2020 partner class reflects the firm’s focus on serving the technology & innovation, energy & infrastructure and finance sectors. Three of our new partners advise the tech sector, two practice in the energy & infrastructure space and three on finance, while nine are litigators focused on areas important to these sectors, including intellectual property, complex litigation, white collar, employment law and public policy.
The class also reflects Orrick’s efforts to innovate on talent. Exceeding the Mansfield Rule standard on candidate pools, 60% of the 2020 U.S. class members are diverse and/or women. Four of our new partners take advantage of the firm’s Agile Working programs, including three who use customized schedules and one who is based in a market where the firm does not have an office. Also, four in the class took advantage of Orrick’s industry-leading parental leave program – which offers 16+ weeks to all new parents – last year, including one mother who is currently out on leave.
“We are thrilled to welcome these superb lawyers to our partnership,” said Orrick’s Chairman & CEO Mitch Zuklie. “This class reflects our global sector focus, commitment to diversity and inclusion, and emphasis on innovation. We are fortunate to have them as future leaders of our firm.”
This marks the seventh year in a row that Orrick has promoted 15 or more partners.
In addition, the firm welcomes tech and life sciences company advisor Albert Vanderlaan, who recently joined our Boston office from Gunderson, as partner.
TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION
ENERGY & INFRASTRUCTURE
FINANCE
LITIGATION & IP
TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION
John Harrison is a tech companies advisor, based in San Francisco. He counsels high growth technology companies and venture capital firms on corporate and securities law matters, debt and equity financings, mergers and acquisitions, international cross-border transactions, IPOs and strategic matters. John has represented companies such as Stripe, UpKeep, Coda, Second Spectrum, Dave, Wrike, Concord, Solugen and Sqreen, among others, and funds such as Coatue and Crosslink Capital. He earned his J.D., cum laude, from Georgetown and his B.S. from Salisbury University.
Daniel Lopez is an M&A and private equity practitioner, based in San Francisco. He advises private equity funds and their portfolio companies, as well as private and public companies in the tech, life sciences and energy sectors on strategic transactions, including debt and equity investments, acquisitions and dispositions. Daniel also counsels boards, investors and other key stakeholders on fiduciary duty, securities law and corporate governance matters. He earned his J.D., magna cum laude, from UC Hastings and his B.S. from Cornell.
Olivier Vuillod is a tech companies advisor, based in Paris. He advises startups and high growth technology companies throughout their life cycle, from formation and governance to financings, mergers, acquisitions and joint ventures, as well as investors and venture capital funds. Olivier also counsels on complex cross-border venture capital financings and M&A transactions in the tech sector. Outside his practice, he lectures on venture capital at the EDHEC Business School and the Paris Bar School. Educated in the U.S., France and Germany, Olivier earned an LL.M. from Georgetown and the University of Cologne, and his B.A. from the Université Paris I - Panthéon-Sorbonne.
Albert Vanderlaan recently moved to Orrick’s Boston office from Gunderson Dettmer and will join the class. Albert counsels private and public life sciences and high-growth technology companies across numerous sectors on public and private financings, mergers, acquisitions, securities law compliance and corporate governance matters. He also represents venture capital and investment banking firms in public and private financing transactions. Albert earned his J.D., magna cum laude, from Vermont Law School and his B.A., magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa, from Union College.
ENERGY & INFRASTRUCTURE
Louise Gibbons is a member of our Energy & Infrastructure team, based in San Francisco. She advises clients on debt and tax equity financings, equity investments, acquisitions, sales and joint venture arrangements involving energy and infrastructure projects and companies, with a focus in the renewables space. Louise has been recognized by Euromoney as a Rising Star in 2018 and 2019. She earned her J.D. from UC Berkeley and her B.A., magna cum laude, from Brown.
Cory Lankford is an energy & infrastructure regulatory advisor, based in Washington, D.C. He counsels a wide range of clients, including developers, investors and utilities on regulatory matters affecting the development, operation, ownership and sale of energy projects in the United States. Cory regularly advises on centralized energy and capacity market rules, the electric interconnection of generation projects and proceedings before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). Before joining Orrick, Cory was an attorney advisor within the energy markets division of the Office of the General Counsel of FERC. He is a member of the Energy Bar Association and a co-founder of LGBTQ Power, an affinity group for LQBTQ professionals within the energy industry. Cory earned his J.D. from American University, Washington College of Law and his B.A. from Tufts.
FINANCE
Gregory Blonde is a member of the firm’s Public Finance team, based in Portland. He serves as bond, disclosure, borrower’s, bank and underwriter’s counsel on a variety of public finance matters, including financings for nonprofit healthcare and senior living providers, airports, public power providers and a variety of municipalities. Greg has advised on transactions involving fixed and variable rate debt, commercial paper, master trust indenture structures, tender offers, and various credit and liquidity arrangements. He also provides pro bono counsel to Iraqi refugees through the International Refugee Assistance Project. Greg earned his J.D. from UCLA and his B.A. from Northern Arizona University.
Jeffrey Philp is a member of the firm’s Public Finance team, based in New York. He advises issuers, underwriters and lenders on a variety of transactions, with a focus on financings for multifamily and single-family housing and the securitization of pools of multifamily housing bonds and loans. Jeff was a member of the Orrick team that developed the first revolving loan fund to provide financing for charter school facilities. He serves on Orrick’s New York hiring and summer associate committees. Jeff earned his J.D. and B.A. from Syracuse University.
Alykhan (Aly) Shivji is a real estate practitioner, based in New York. Named a Real Estate Rising Star by Crain’s New York Business in 2019, Aly counsels private equity funds, public and private companies, foreign investors and pension trusts on complex real estate acquisitions, dispositions, financings, restructurings, joint ventures, equity investments, fund formation and commercial leases. An advocate of pro bono work, Aly leverages his leasing knowledge to assist schools in underserved communities with securing quality space to educate the next generation. He earned his J.D. from Harvard and his BCom from McGill University.
LITIGATION & IP
Gregory Beaman is a commercial litigator, based in New York. He represents leading financial institutions and Fortune 500 companies in complex, high stakes litigation involving sophisticated financial products, business torts, contract disputes and class actions. Greg has played key roles representing financial institutions in major RMBS and CMBS cases nationwide, including, most recently, one of the few RMBS cases that has been tried to completion. He also has extensive experience representing energy companies in litigation and arbitration, as well as fintech companies and app providers in privacy-related class actions. Greg earned his J.D., cum laude, from Georgetown and his B.A. from The College of William & Mary.
Nicholas Green is a member of the firm's Public Policy Group, based in New York. He develops and executes strategies for solving clients’ most important problems in state legislatures and before state regulatory agencies. Most recently, Nick played key roles on Orrick teams that passed laws across the U.S. legalizing sports wagering for Major League Baseball, the NBA, the PGA Tour, DraftKings and FanDuel. He also provides strategic counseling to clients facing complex and novel state tax, gaming, insurance, energy and constitutional issues. Before joining Orrick, Nick clerked for Judge James L. Dennis of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and Chief Judge David C. Norton of the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina. He received his B.A., M.A., and J.D., with honors, from the University of South Carolina.
Betsy Lee is a member of the firm’s Intellectual Property Group, based in San Francisco. Her practice focuses on trademark and copyright law. Betsy’s experience includes advising clients on the selection and clearance of brands, the strategic management and prosecution of global trademark portfolios, trademark licensing and assignment issues, as well as enforcement and dispute resolution. Her clients span a wide variety of industries, such as technology, consumer products, retail, financial services, pharmaceutical, and travel and leisure. Betsy serves as co-chair of Orrick’s Asian Attorney Affinity Group. She earned her J.D. from Stanford Law School and her B.A., summa cum laude, from Yale University.
Jennifer Lee is a litigator, based in San Francisco. She litigates high-stakes commercial disputes, primarily for clients in the finance sector. Jennifer also litigates consumer class actions, corporate contractual disputes, securities lawsuits, and litigation related to residential mortgage-backed securities and mortgage servicing. A leader of Orrick’s diversity and inclusion initiatives, she is active in the California Minority Counsel Program, as well as the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity. Jennifer earned her J.D., cum laude, from George Washington University and her B.S., cum laude, from UC Berkeley.
Lauren Muldoon is a litigator, based in Washington, D.C. She has extensive experience in complex commercial and criminal litigation and represents companies and individuals during all phases of government investigations, enforcement actions and multi-lateral development bank sanctions proceedings. Lauren also advises companies on a wide range of anti-corruption compliance matters, including risk assessments, M&A transaction diligence and government-imposed monitorships. She earned her J.D. from Georgetown and her B.A. from Notre Dame.
Marc Shapiro is a litigator, based in New York. He advises clients in federal and state courts at the trial and appellate levels, focusing on class actions, multi-district litigation and mass joinders. Prior to Orrick, Marc served as a law clerk to Judge Betty B. Fletcher of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and worked as an appellate and post-conviction attorney for the Equal Justice Initiative. He maintains an active pro bono practice, which includes successfully overturning the conviction of a 70-year-old nun tried under the Sabotage Act, representing death-sentenced inmates and serving on the NYC Bar Association’s Capital Punishment Committee. Marc earned his J.D., cum laude, from NYU and his B.A., summa cum laude, from Binghamton.
Robert Uriarte is an intellectual property litigator, based in Silicon Valley. He focuses his practice on software, internet law and cybersecurity matters. Rob litigates groundbreaking cases in the copyright, computer trespass and digital crimes domains, and counsels clients on IP protection and digital rights management strategies. He co-chairs Orrick's Silicon Valley Diversity Committee and facilitates the firm’s Latinx Attorney Affinity Group. Committed to equal access to justice, Rob serves on the Board of Directors of the Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County. Prior to Orrick, Rob served as a law clerk to U.S. District Judge Oliver W. Wanger in the Eastern District of California. He earned his J.D., cum laude, from the University of San Diego and his B.A. from Occidental College.
Jason Yu is a litigator, based in Silicon Valley. He draws on his electrical engineering background to advise clients on complex patent litigation matters and inter partes proceedings before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Jason counsels technology companies on such matters in a variety of areas, including semiconductor manufacturing, graphics processors, information technology, circuit design and satellite communications. He has also helped clients secure victories in trade secret misappropriation and employee mobility matters. Jason sits on the board of directors of nonprofit Community Cycles of California. He earned his J.D. from USC Gould and his electrical engineering degree from Arizona State.
André Zimmermann leads Orrick’s German Employment Law practice, based in Düsseldorf. Recognized by WirtschaftsWoche and Juve for his employment work, André advises leading technology companies on multi-jurisdictional and cross-border employment matters. He earned his Dr. jur. from the University of Münster, magna cum laude, and his undergraduate degree from the University of Frankfurt. An avid author and speaker, André regularly shares thought leadership with the market: LinkedIn | Twitter.