People

Sarah Amari 律师

Paris Tech Studio; 巴黎

From Orrick Paris Tech Studio, Sarah combines her strategic legal insight with a keen interest in technology, enabling startups and investors tackle complex legal challenges.

Sarah advises founders, tech companies, and venture capital investors throughout their growth lifecycle, covering areas such as corporate governance, employee incentive plans, and M&A transactions.

Alexandra Aquilina-Piscitello 律师

Santa Monica

Alexandra advises companies at all stages of growth on corporate formations, general corporate governance matters, venture capital financings and exit transactions.

Alexandra received her J.D. from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law, where she served as a Managing Editor for the Journal of Law and Technology. Prior to law school, Alexandra graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Vassar College where she earned her B.A. in Psychological Sciences and Political Science.

Brent Armitage 高级律师

Santa Monica

Brent is a trusted advisor to founders and boards, guiding high-growth companies through every stage—from formation and fundraising to acquisitions and IPOs—while serving as outside general counsel on day-to-day legal and strategic matters.

Brent prides himself on providing practical, actionable advice, especially to first-time founders navigating complex legal challenges. He works with startups across industries such as fintech, Web3 and blockchain, artificial intelligence (AI), e-commerce, biotech, and digital media, leveraging Orrick’s sector expertise and innovative legal tools. He also represents leading venture capital and growth equity funds, advising them throughout the investment process.

Recognized for his efficiency, candid guidance, and deep industry knowledge, Brent is also active in the LA startup community, mentoring founders and supporting diverse entrepreneurs. Super Lawyers has named him a Rising Star from 2022 - 2026.

Prior to joining Orrick, Brent was a senior associate at Gunderson Dettmer.

Brent earned his J.D. from Loyola Law School in Los Angeles and his bachelor’s degree from Florida State University. Prior to attending FSU, Brent was a proud member of the men's basketball team at Nova Southeastern University.

Shawn Atkinson 合伙人

伦敦

In addition to sheer volume of deals, Shawn's incomparable market insight stems from his leadership roles at Orrick, the only global firm focused on technology, and his experience working throughout the UK & Europe, North America and Asia. Shawn serves as a member of the firm’s Board of Directors and leads Orrick's London Corporate practice. These leadership roles complement his practice serving public and private companies in UK multi-jurisdictional and complex corporate transactions, including countless acquisitions and disposals, cross-border mergers, bankruptcy infused asset sales, recapitalisations and reorganisations.

He is also a recognised leader in late stage venture transactions and in early stage private equity transactions in Europe and the emerging markets. Shawn has been recognised as a leading individual in several legal directories, including Chambers and Legal 500, for his expertise and excellence in venture capital, M&A, emerging markets, and fintech. In addition, he has been ranked as a top 5 (by volume) UK M&A lawyer in each of 2017, 2020-2024 by Mergermarket, including a #1 ranking in 2021, 2022 and 2024.

Shawn also advises early stage businesses across a number of sectors – including insurtech, Fintech, Crypto, SaaS, EdTech, HRTech, Marketplace and EnergyTech. He assists them from incorporation through to M&A exit, initial public offerings and other growth opportunities. His participation in the private equity and venture capital sector spans his entire career - with time spent in private practice, in-house and advising investors as well as investor-backed businesses-and affords him a deep knowledge and understanding of the industry and client needs and expectations.

Among the leading investment funds he has represented are ABN Amro Ventures, Acton Capital Partners, ABRY Partners, Accel Partners, Apax Partners, Bain Capital, Balderton Capital, Battery Ventures, Beringea, Bessemer Venture Partners, Black Pearls VC, Black Sheep Ventures, BMWi Ventures, Coatue Management, Columbia Capital, CommerzVentures, Evolvence, FTV Capital, Golden Gate Capital, Stepstone Group, Headway Capital Partners, Innova Capital, Kinnevik, KPS Capital Partners, Marlin Equity Partners, Mangrove Capital Partners, M/C Partners, One Peak, Oxx, Pearson Ventures, Piper Private Equity, Piton Capital, Salesforce Ventures, Sprints Capital, Summit Partners, Updata Partners, VNV Global and VEF.

Allen Babajanian 高级律师

Los Angeles

 Allen focuses on technology and intellectual property-related transactions, with a particular emphasis on drafting and negotiating complex commercial agreements, including:

• hardware, software, content, and data licensing agreements;
• IT-focused services agreements, including consulting, development, hosting, and cloud computing agreements, including software-as-a-service and platform-as-a-service arrangements; and
• technology and intellectual property development, acquisition, and disposition agreements.

In addition, Allen counsels clients on intellectual property issues in connection with mergers, acquisitions, and financing transactions.

James Badge 主理律师

伦敦

Regularly acting for early through to late-stage companies, as well as leading investors, operating within the technology and media sectors, James' practice primarily focuses on equity financings, secondary transactions, M&A, private equity and general corporate advisory work.

James was previously seconded to a leading global start-up accelerator, venture studio and early-stage investor for six months where he sat as Legal Counsel, advising some of the over 300 portfolio companies and acting on cross-border joint venture and partnership arrangements and transactions with prominent corporate investors.

Passionate about working with innovators and investors, James is motivated to provide commercially pragmatic advice and to deliver innovative solutions to aid the growth and success of his clients within the ecosystem.