Samir has advised on venture financings totaling over $10 billion for both early and late-stage companies, and he has provided guidance on M&A transactions exceeding $5 billion. He has experience in advising founders on structuring their companies to maintain control and frequently counsels executive teams in maintaining and managing a successful board of directors. Samir also works closely with boards to guide them through complex crisis management situations, helping to navigate and overcome challenges.
Samir’s notable company-side representations include Betterment, Beacon Platform, K Health, Dataiku, Chime, Merama, Warby Parker (until IPO), Codecademy (until sold), Maisonette, Capchase, GlossGenius, Inspiren and ResearchGate, among many others.
In addition to his company-side representations, Samir has represented leading venture capital firms and other strategic investors, including Bessemer Venture Partners, Tribeca Venture Partners, Eight Roads Venture Capital, AE Industrial Partners, Charles River Ventures, Coatue Management, Krealo VC, Heavybit Industries, TPG Growth, Vista Equity Partners, Walden Venture Capital, Warburg Pincus, and Y Combinator Continuity Fund.
Before joining Orrick, Samir was an Associate at Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP in the General Corporate and M&A group.
Upnit has served as litigation, trial, and appellate counsel for pharmaceutical, chemical, technology, cosmetics, and manufacturing companies. As a member of trial teams, she works on complex commercial matters to develop creative legal strategies for trial and subsequent appeals. As embedded counsel, Upnit takes the lead in drafting dispositive motions and pre- and post-trial filings and ensures that appellate issues are preserved. She has presented oral argument in state and federal courts and has co-authored countless briefs before state and federal trial and appellate courts, including the Supreme Court of the United States. In addition, Upnit maintains an active pro bono practice.
Prior to joining Orrick, Upnit focused on products liability and complex litigation work at Arnold & Porter LLP and a mid-size firm in Upstate New York. This included representing a consumer products company in the defense of thousands of personal injury cases in state and federal courts. She was the primary drafter of several motions and appellate briefs. She was also deeply involved in the firms’ pro bono practices and first chaired a trial dealing with First and Eighth Amendment claims.
Outside of the firm, Upnit serves on the Board of Directors of the DC Women’s Bar Association and serves as its Advocacy Committee Co-Chair. She is also a member of the Board of Directors of her law school’s Alumni Association.
Upnit previously clerked for the Honorable Theodore A. McKee of the Third Circuit Court of Appeals and interned for the Honorable Thérèse Wiley Dancks of the Northern District of New York. In law school, Upnit served as the Managing Editor of the Syracuse Law Review, and was an arguing member of the American Bar Association’s National Appellate Team. She received the Moot Court Honor Society’s Executive Director Award and the Syracuse Law Review Distinguished Leadership Award.
Geoff's experience litigating and advising clients covers a range of substantive areas. He especially focuses on complex issues of constitutional law and civil procedure. He is passionate about partnering with public defenders and using his appellate experience to help death sentenced prisoners.
Geoff received his law degree from Yale Law School. Before joining Orrick, he clerked for Judge Stephen Reinhardt on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and Justice Anthony M. Kennedy on the U.S. Supreme Court. Geoff previously graduated from Yale College and earned a doctoral degree from Oxford, where he studied as a Rhodes Scholar.
She is Managing Associate in Orrick's Milan office and a member of the firm's M&A and Private Equity Group.
Roberta's expertise extends to assisting both Italian and international companies on M&A transactions for domestic and global growth, as well as advising private equity funds on their investments. She also provides counsel to Italian families in strategic operations involving private equity funds and transactions aimed at expanding their businesses. In addition to her transactional work, Roberta offers general corporate expertise, guiding clients through various corporate governance and commercial law matters.
Roberta has advised on acquisitions in the healthcare sector, including the purchase of medical centers and diagnostic facilities, as well as transactions in the industrial sector. Her experience includes assisting clients in the acquisition of companies specializing in energy efficiency and decarbonization solutions, as well as advising on the sale and purchase of manufacturing and industrial assets.
Naomi provides clients guidance on implementing global privacy programs and advises on the U.S. state privacy laws in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Utah, Virginia and other states. She assists clients in breach investigations and cybersecurity incident response, including advising on breach notification, regulatory investigations and managing cybersecurity policies and procedures.
Naomi draws on her experience in fixed income trading technology when advising on cybersecurity and compliance risks within business operations. During law school she externed at the Center for Reproductive Rights focusing on privacy in the context of international human rights.
"An outstanding trial lawyer, very strategic, very responsive and very creative," according to Chambers USA's Guide to America's Leading Lawyers for Business.
His experience includes representing Fortune 500 and other clients from various industries (e.g. technology, financial services, chemical/manufacturing, energy, retail). The litigation has involved IP, Securities, Insurance, Employment, Products Liability, Class Actions and significant contract disputes in Federal and State courts and before arbitration panels throughout the United States. He has been a speaker nationally at various seminars on litigation, arbitration, mediation and trial techniques. Mark has tried dozens of cases – both jury and non-jury trials – and mediated and arbitrated 75-plus cases. He has argued numerous appeals in Federal Circuits across the country and has served as an expert witness on multiple occasions. Mark has also served as National Counsel to a number of clients involved in multi-state litigation. He has been recognized as one of America’s Top 100 Bet-The-Company Litigators, is one of two IP litigators in Washington selected as an Amazing Attorney by Washington CEO magazine and was recently recognized as one of the top 30 Trial Lawyers in Washington.
In addition, Mark is a member of the firm’s Insurance Recovery Group. He has been named as the leading policy-holder side attorney in Washington State. He has represented several Fortune 500 companies as well as the State of Washington, the Washington Association of Municipal Attorneys and several cities, counties and port authorities in insurance coverage disputes.
Prior to joining Orrick, Mark was a partner at Heller Ehrman.
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