Carsten Bernauer Partner, Technology Companies Group, Mergers & Acquisitions
Düsseldorf; Monaco
Düsseldorf; Monaco
Düsseldorf; Monaco
A special focus is on the comprehensive support of start-up technology companies and their investors. In this context, he accompanies his clients through all stages of growth with the aim of providing fast and efficient support in the implementation of their growth plans and investment strategies.
His clients benefit from his extensive experience in structuring, managing and coordinating complex transactions, including all other advisors involved in the transaction. In international transactions, he has access to Orrick's comprehensive technology, private equity and venture capital platform.
Carsten Bernauer also advises on national and international corporate transactions, in particular in the field of technology, as well as on corporate restructurings.
After many years working for an American and an English commercial law firm, Carsten Bernauer joined Orrick's Düsseldorf office in 2019.
San Francisco
Dan represents secured and unsecured lenders, court-appointed claimant representatives, and creditors' committees. He has experience with adversary proceedings, contested matters and appeals. He also helps lenders with out-of-court workouts and has advised creditors in state-court rehabilitations.
San Francisco
San Francisco
Kelli's current practice consists of securities, employment, antitrust, and complex litigation.
She comes to the legal field with extensive experience in team management and film and television, having worked at the top-tier Hollywood talent agency - WME - for a decade before practice.
Kelli maintains a robust pro bono practice, which includes reproductive rights and immigration work.
San Francisco
San Francisco
Karen focuses on litigation that crosses the boundaries between traditional legal practices, and therefore requires inventive and strategic approaches. These solutions, tucked in the creases between law and industry, are why leading technology and Fortune 500 companies hire Karen to resolve their most complex litigation matters.
Over the past 36 years, Karen has first-chaired state and federal trials, and arbitrated more than a dozen disputes. She has managed intellectual property and commercial disputes for companies such as Oracle, NVIDIA, Netflix and VMWare.
In addition to her legal background, Karen’s relationship management skills give her clients a significant advantage. She knows how to pull together and lead the best team, from multiple disciplines within Orrick, and often involving multiple law firms. Able to unite what were, and will be, competing firms into a single powerful unit takes a special type of leadership, one which Karen has demonstrated time and again.
Houston
Andrew concentrates his practice on corporate governance, securities law compliance and various capital markets transactions, including initial public offerings, notes offerings, preferred and follow-on offerings, exchange offers, tender offers, redemptions and consent solicitations. He also has significant experience in transactions involving special purpose acquisition companies including initial public offerings and de-SPAC transactions.
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.
Washington, D.C.
Maria's previous experience as a member of the Mergers and Acquisitions group is instrumental in her reviews of the trade aspects of various M&A and other cross-border transactions.
Maria draws upon her experience in Washington, D.C., Moscow (Russia) and Almaty (Kazakhstan) to approach her work with a broad perspective on international trade-related and other matters. Prior to joining Orrick, Maria worked at the Office of the General Counsel of a multilateral development bank, handled tax and legal matters at one of the Big Four accounting firms, and oversaw the design and implementation of an export compliance program for an international development firm and a U.S. government contractor.
Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley
SeoJung brings experience advising U.S. and International private equity funds in all phases of their operations, including formation, acquisition, financing, restructuring and exiting portfolio investments. She also counsels private and public companies, banks, and financial institutions on the U.S. tax aspects of various financings, capital markets and other transactions.
Parigi
Marc advises investment funds, industrial groups, listed companies, and startups, both French and international, on all aspects of business law, particularly in the context of acquisitions, disposals, mergers, reorganizations, and strategic partnerships.
He is particularly active in the infrastructure, renewable energy, and new technology sectors, both in France and internationally.
In 2025, the international guide Legal 500 EMEA named him in the Key Lawyer category in Private equity: LBO and commented "high-quality deliverables; clear, didactic communication; strong proposals; proactive" and "serious while being relaxed in interactions, appreciable in the execution phase under pressure".
New York
As a partner in Orrick’s top 5 ranked Technology Companies Group, Josh Beser is the first call for high-growth company and venture investor clients. Focused on guiding startups from seed stage through late-stage financings and strategic exits, he brings the perspective of a former general counsel who has scaled e-commerce businesses from the inside. This includes helping Away, for whom he continues to serve as primary outside corporate counsel, raise over $200 million and achieve a $1.4 billion valuation.
Josh is particularly passionate about building high-growth companies in regulated environments, helping his clients synthesize a wide range of potential legal and regulatory issues to drive growth, product innovation, fundraising, expansion, and M&A, while navigating founder transitions and board dynamics.
In doing so, he draws on his Orrick colleagues' deep regulatory expertise across AI, digital health/healthtech, fintech, consumer and retail innovation, energy and infrastructure, gaming, space, life sciences and other verticals.
Josh works closely with founders, executives and boards in:
Josh also regularly advises leading VCs and strategic investors active in these markets.
“Working with Josh is different because it really feels like he has my back. I know I’m getting great, practical advice from someone who’s been there.”
— General Counsel, Late-stage consumer brand
Before joining Orrick, Josh served as General Counsel at two high-growth, late-stage startups where he built and led legal, compliance, people and operations functions. This hands-on experience gives him a deep understanding of startup dynamics and what it takes to scale responsibly.
He has served as a key leadership voice during periods of hypergrowth, board transitions, crisis response, and internal investigations — bringing valuable market-wide perspective and judgment to fast-moving situations.
Josh is active in New York’s tech and venture ecosystem as a mentor, panelist and investor. He is a frequent speaker on topics ranging from digital health innovation to scaling the legal function as a business driver.
Houston; Austin
Houston; Austin
In public finance matters, Cathleen has served as bond counsel and special tax counsel for a variety of transactions, including health care facilities, multifamily housing, airport, ports, transit authorities, non-profit organizations, public utilities, hospitality projects, as well as tobacco revenue securitizations. In addition to tax-exempt financings, Cathleen also represents clients in IRS audits and non-profit corporation tax matters.
New York
Vicki negotiates project financings, procurement, acquisition and sale of energy and infrastructure projects. She quarterbacks complex mergers and acquisitions as well as project developments that require coordination with a host of different parties and advises on debt and equity financings for renewable and conventional energy projects. Well versed in public-private partnerships (PPP/P3) and securities offerings, Vicki guides clients through the legal and business challenges of large infrastructure projects.
Vicki is recognized nationally by Chambers USA, where clients state that she “is terrific to work with,” and she “always makes herself available and is extremely knowledgeable, intelligent and able to get the best out of everyone she works with.”
A distinctive aspect of Vicki’s practice is her dual focus in both the infrastructure and renewables sectors. She leverages this unique perspective in her client relationships with project developers, sponsors, issuers, lenders and governmental authorities.
Passionate about strategizing to get a project to completion, Vicki helps clients build consensus and find creative solutions with achievable outcomes. Whether it’s for the development of a major airport expansion, the equity or debt financing of a wind farm, or the acquisition of a geothermal facility portfolio, Vicki counsels clients on challenging issues and the broader process, providing commercial advice that considers all stakeholders involved.