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Wendy Butler Curtis

Chief Innovation Officer

Washington, D.C.

Wendy is Orrick’s Chief Innovation Officer.

Named among the Top 10 “Leading Intrapreneurs” of the past 20 years and the "Most Innovative Lawyer of the Year" in 2018 by Financial Times, Wendy is celebrated by clients for her “fresh thinking, legal nuance and practical understanding of the courts.” FT editors noted that “rarely have our panel of judges so quickly homed in on a top candidate for innovative individual.” As Orrick’s Chief Innovation Officer, Wendy leads Orrick’s efforts to operationalize innovation through novel products, streamlined processes, technology and client consulting on tailored solutions. These efforts have contributed to Orrick being named among the Top 10 Most Innovative Law Firms Globally of the past 20 years by the Financial Times. In 2018, The American Lawyer also honored Orrick with its first-ever Legal Services Innovation Award.

Wendy leads an innovation team of lawyers, technologists, developers, project managers and business professionals. FT notes that Wendy “understand[s] the diversity of roles that make a team great” and has “introduce[ed] many new technologies and delivery models that have transformed the way the firm operates and works with clients.” She is also recognized by Chambers as a leading individual, nationally, in the area of eDiscovery.

Wendy Butler Curtis on Forthcoming Proposed Changes to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure:

“By making these changes we're creating a duty of competence that everybody who's participating has to have some foundational understanding of what privacy laws are.”
Could the FRCP Require Data Privacy, Cybersecurity Considerations in Proportionality Tests?
Legaltech News, Feb. 9, 2024

    • Successfully defeated motion for sanctions under FRCP 37(e)
    • Obtained protective orders quashing 30(b)(6) depositions regarding discovery on discovery re data sources
    • Persuaded Federal District Judge to reverse special master decision to issue adverse inference instruction regarding spoliation in an IP case
    • In California state court obtained cost shifting for document review costs in commercial litigation dispute
    • Negotiated ESI protocols in pharmaceutical and antitrust MDL matters
    • Presented fact and expert witnesses for deposition on preservation, production and spoliation topics in pharmaceutical MDL litigation
    • Created litigation readiness processes for financial, pharmaceutical and technology industry clients
    • Served as National Discovery Counsel for technology and pharmaceutical industry clients
    • Served as ESI liaison as required by local rules in commercial, tort and IP litigation
    • Created enterprise records retention and disposition programs for energy, technology, and financial industry clients
    • Advised client on preservation and production issues associated with cloud computing
    • Assisted trial strategy in multiple cases involving spoliation allegations and causes of action