People

Jeffery Hermann Counsel

Los Angeles

He regularly represents secured and unsecured creditors, purchasers of assets from bankruptcy estates, bondholders, secured lenders and creditor committees, including debtor-in-possession financings and Chapter 11 exit financings.

Before joining Orrick, Jeff practiced law for 23 years at the Los Angeles offices of Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison LLP, the last 17 years as a partner of the firm.

Lynne Hermle Partner

Silicon Valley

Lynne led the trial team that obtained a complete defense verdict for Kleiner Perkins in Pao v. Kleiner Perkins, the high-stakes gender discrimination and retaliation case that garnered intense international media scrutiny. In naming Lynne “Litigator of the Week” for this victory, American Lawyer described her effective voir dire and how she “steadily poked holes in Pao’s testimony.” The Recorder called Lynne’s cross-examination “masterful” and Bloomberg reported that her “charismatic, intimidating oratory made her the trial’s breakout star.”

Following Pao, Lynne secured a complete defense verdict for SpaceX in an $8 million gender discrimination and retaliation suit. The Daily Journal called the outcome “another triumph for Hermle,” observing that her “string of successes for tech clients fighting off gender harassment and discrimination claims got longer.” The publication also pronounced Lynne to be “arguably the most feared employment defense attorney in California.” Eight months later she followed that up with another jury defense verdict for SpaceX in a wrongful discharge and retaliation case.

Lynne has significant experience successfully defending complex discrimination and wage-and-hour class actions for global leaders in the retail and technology sectors including Microsoft, X (formerly Twitter), The Gap, Genentech, Sears, Burlington Coat Factory, Gymboree, Spencer’s Gifts, Banana Republic, Old Navy, Williams Sonoma and Pottery Barn Kids, among many others.

In recognition of these successes and her high-profile career trial work, Lynne was inducted into the American College of Trial Lawyers in 2017. She is a fellow in the International Academy of Trial Lawyers and many other trial related organizations.

Joanna Hernandez Senior Associate

Los Angeles

Joanna’s practice focuses on a variety of asset-backed classes, including credit and charge card receivables, and consumer loans. She regularly works with fintech companies assisting these clients with their financing needs.

Among her experience, Joanna represents issuers, sponsors and underwriters in connection with public offerings and private placements of asset-backed securities. She also has experience with transactions relating to the sale and financing of residential mortgage loans, including residential mortgage-backed securitizations, repurchase facilities and servicer advance facilities.

Prior to joining the firm, Joanna worked as an associate at a municipal law firm and represented public agencies in litigation and public finance matters.

Lauren Herrera Senior Associate

San Francisco

Lauren has served as bond counsel and disclosure counsel in connection with public and privately placed debt for school districts, community college districts, cities, counties, affordable housing developments, higher education institutions, health care facilities, charter schools and waste management facilities. She has advised clients in California, Arizona, Nevada, Tennessee, Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.

Lauren has worked on various types of financing structures, including general obligation financings, revenue bond financings, tax and revenue anticipation financings, conduit financings, variable rate financings and current and advance refundings.

Prior to Orrick, Lauren was a research analyst with the California Debt and Investment Advisory Commission.

Christopher Higgins Partner

Washington, D.C.

Chris has developed a global reputation as an authoritative source on legal issues in 3D printing, and has been a featured speaker at 3D printing events around the world. His 3D printing practice includes advising startups and established 3D printing companies on all aspects of intellectual property law, cybersecurity, and technology transactions. Chris helps 3D printing clients grow their businesses and capitalize on market opportunities and represents them in court to defend or enforce IP rights. Chris' 3D printing work extends beyond the courtroom; he teaches a course at Penn State University as part of its Masters of Engineering in Additive Manufacturing and Design program.

Chris' patent litigation and IPR practice also covers a wide range of other technologies including graphics processing, digital image processing and printing, semiconductor devices and semiconductor manufacturing, data encryption, high-definition television, digital content recognition, and medical devices. Chris has also assisted clients with licensing and patent prosecution related to 3D printing, digital imaging, wireless technology, mobile communication devices, encryption, high-definition television and medical devices.

Prior to law school, Chris worked in the patent department of a medical device company and as an engineer designing electronic components for missiles, projectiles, and bombs.

Bailey Higgs Associate

Seattle

Bailey focuses on capital markets transactions, including public and private offerings of debt and equity securities, and on corporate governance and securities law compliance matters.

She also maintains an active pro bono practice. She represents several high-profile international nonprofits focused on international conflict zones, refugees and war crimes. A particular area of focus for her is on Ukraine.

Teresa Hill Partner

Seattle

Focused on helping public and private companies in achieving their global “net zero” carbon commitments, Teresa has a particular emphasis on negotiating renewable energy power purchase agreements (PPAs). She has partnered with some of the largest corporate buyers of renewable energy, working to expand the global footprint of their energy portfolios in the United States, Latin America, Europe, Australia and Asia.

Teresa has extensive experience with wind, solar and storage projects and, specifically, the negotiation of development-related agreements, including virtually and physically settled renewable power purchase agreements.

Prior to joining Orrick, Teresa was a partner in the energy and infrastructure group of a global law firm and in the environment, land use and natural resources and renewable energy groups of a Portland-based law firm. She also clerked for Chief Justice Linda Copple Trout, the first woman appointed to the Idaho Supreme Court.

Austin Himes Associate

Washington, D.C.

His practice focuses on project development and finance, offtake agreements, mergers and acquisitions and general corporate matters. Austin represents sponsors, developers, lenders and investors in connection with equity investments, refinancing transactions, and joint ventures, primarily in the renewable energy sector.

Austin also has experience working on agreements concerning the construction of renewable energy projects, including photovoltaic module supply agreements, turbine supply and service agreements, engineering procurement and construction (EPC) agreements, battery energy storage system (BESS) supply agreements, and subcontracts of various scopes.

Prior to joining Orrick, Austin worked as a research assistant for the Assistant Dean for Energy Law at the George Washington University Law School, a law clerk for the Department of Justice, a financial analyst for large U.S. government acquisitions, and as a project manager for a California-based fintech startup.

Ibra Hinds Associate

San Francisco

Ibrahim Hinds is an Associate in the Intellectual Property Group at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP, based in the San Francisco office. His practice focuses on intellectual property disputes in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, patent disputes before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB), and cases before the International Trade Commission (ITC). While completing his degree at UC Berkeley, he hosted podcasts for the Berkeley Technology Law Journal, exploring global developments at the intersection of technology and law.

Before joining Orrick, Ibrahim interned at Microsoft in the CELA Intellectual Property group, where he worked on patent portfolio strategy, IP litigation and prosecution, and privacy. He also gained extensive experience as a Transportation Engineer at Arcadis and the Florida Department of Transportation, managing major infrastructure projects, including those focused on autonomous and connected vehicle technologies. His technical expertise spans multiple industries, including consumer electronics, telecommunications, transportation systems, green building, renewable energy, privacy regulation, artificial intelligence, and cloud networks.

Prior to law school, Ibrahim served as the Florida State Representative for Engineers Without Borders, coordinating international infrastructure development projects to empower communities. At Orrick, his pro bono work extends to immigration rights, climate change research for the UN, global peacebuilding policy research and veterans rights.

Ultimately, Ibrahim is passionate about helping companies protect their intellectual property and achieve their business goals.

Lynne T. Hirata Of Counsel

San Francisco

She also has extensive experience in public finance transactions as company counsel and bond counsel.

Ned Hirschfeld Senior Associate

New York

Ned focuses on appellate litigation. He has authored successful merits briefs and petitions for certiorari in the U.S. Supreme Court, as well as dozens of briefs in federal and state appellate courts. Ned's work has covered a wide range of subject areas, including patent, constitutional law, and complex commercial litigation.  He has also counseled Fintech clients on novel issues confronting the industry.

Ned maintains an active pro bono practice focused on immigration and criminal justice matters, including a successful appeal in the Second Circuit that vacated an arbitrary change to the meaning of "moral turpitude" under the Immigration and Nationality Act.

Prior to joining Orrick, Ned served as a law clerk to Judge Robert Sack of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and Judge Kimba Wood of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.  During law school, he served as an Articles Editor for the Yale Law Journal.

Khue Ho Consultant

Singapore

His experience ranges from renewable energy, thermal power, oil and gas, LNG, petrochemicals to infrastructure projects in Vietnam.

Khue has an extensive track record and has developed deep experience in advising on the electricity sector in Vietnam. This includes being involved in the advisory commentary process for the development of most Vietnam’s electricity law and policies, navigating laws in developing PPAs and other concession contracts for new generation thermal and renewable energy projects, and advising strategy around bidding regulations. This knowledge has been built through working closely on high-profile transactions related to large-scale thermal power and renewable energy projects and with different industrial commentators.

Prior to his relocation to Singapore, he has spent more than 9 years at top international law firms in Vietnam, including a one-year secondment at the Nghi Son Refinery Project, one of the largest energy and plant projects in Vietnam to date.