People

Jodie Liu Senior Associate

New York

Before joining Orrick, Jodie served as a law clerk to Justice Sonia Sotomayor of the U.S. Supreme Court, Judge Patricia Millett of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, and Judge Debra Ann Livingston of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. She graduated from Harvard Law School and Columbia College.

Robert Loeb Partner

Washington, D.C.

The breadth and depth of Bob's appellate experience, and his consistent track record of success in high-stakes matters, are why clients, including top tech and energy companies, trust him with their most important cases.

The National Law Journal’s Litigator of the Week column recently recognized Bob’s appellate major wins in energy and product liability cases for Broadreach Power and Johnson & Johnson. Bob’s recent victories also include Fifth Circuit wins for energy clients Cheniere and Eni. In the Cheniere-Midship case, Bob obtained an emergency stay from the court of appeals of the regulating agency proceedings and, then after oral argument, achieved a full victory. And for Eni, Bob convinced the Fifth Circuit to vacate a $300M judgment against Eni in a dispute with another energy company. These types of big wins in the most challenging cases show why both Chambers and Legal 500 rank Bob among the Country’s top appellate advocates.

Bob has argued before the Supreme Court multiple times (including a 9-0 victory regarding application of the Fourth Amendment to rental cars), and has filed hundreds of briefs in the Supreme Court. He has also handled cases in highest state courts in California, New York, Maine, Kentucky and New Jersey.  

Before joining Orrick, Bob served as one of the leaders of an elite appellate group at the Department of Justice. There, in addition to major national security, commercial, and administrative law, Bob supervised bankruptcy appeals. At Orrick, Bob has continued to handle big ticket bankruptcy matters, such as a billion-dollar dispute over whether DHL’s claim was discharged by United’s bankruptcy, appeals from the City of Stockton bankruptcy confirmation, and a Ninth Circuit matter involving the interplay of the Takings Clause and bankruptcy law.

Bob’s recent work includes matters for Johnson & Johnson, Avon, Microsoft, Eni, Cheniere Energy, Freeport LNG, Broadreach Power, LS Power, Exxon, Medidata, Renco, MSC Cruise Line, Golden 1 Credit Union, Credit Suisse, TravelCenters of America, Gannett, and the City of Stockton.

Cesar Lopez-Morales Counsel

Washington, D.C.

He is a skilled brief writer who focuses on simplifying complex concepts and crafting a compelling story that frames factual and legal issues in a way that is more likely to produce favorable results for clients. Cesar routinely drafts briefs in federal and state courts of appeals and in the U.S. Supreme Court, and is often embedded at the trial level to brief dispositive motions and to make sure that issues are preserved with an eye towards appeal.

Cesar advises clients on how to analyze executive actions and handles government-facing litigation, including challenges to the legality of federal and state laws and regulations. His work covers a wide range of substantive areas, including constitutional and administrative law, statutory interpretation, complex commercial litigation, federal preemption, and the False Claims Act. And although Cesar handles high-stakes cases across an array of subjects, his work tends to focus on the firm’s technology and life sciences sectors.

Before joining Orrick, Cesar was an attorney at the U.S. Department of Justice's Civil Division, Federal Programs Branch, where he represented the United States and its agencies in dozens of cases involving challenges to the legality of federal laws, actions, and programs. He argued and won dispositive motions in federal district courts nationwide. His experience included litigating cutting-edge matters involving the Appointments Clause; the Spending Clause; the Territory Clause; the First, Fifth, and Fourteenth Amendments; the separation of powers; the Administrative Procedure Act; the Federal Vacancies Reform Act; the Freedom of Information Act; and the Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act.

He also maintains an active pro bono practice, representing immigrants and veterans in their appeals to the federal courts of appeals and filing amicus briefs in precedent-setting cases of public interest. He is especially passionate about advancing the rights of the residents in the U.S. territories.  

Cesar served as a law clerk to Justice Sonia Sotomayor in the October 2023 Term.  Before that, he clerked for Judge José A. Cabranes of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and then-Presiding Judge of the U.S. Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of Review, Judge Rosemary M. Collyer of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, and Judge Jay A. Garcia-Gregory of the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico.

Robbie Manhas Partner

Washington, D.C.

Robbie has achieved significant victories in areas including patent law, statutory and regulatory interpretation, administrative law, and personal and appellate jurisdiction. He specializes in patent appeals before the Federal Circuit, where he has presented oral argument seven times. His winning arguments include a complete, precedent-setting victory for a leading tech company in an appeal and cross-appeal of a PTAB decision, where he secured affirmance of the PTAB's decision to strike down some patent claims and reversal of the PTAB's decision to uphold the remainder.

Robbie has represented clients across a wide variety of industries, including semiconductors and electronics, software, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, and sporting goods. His work has also involved a number of U.S. agencies, including the Patent and Trademark Office, the International Trade Commission, the Food and Drug Administration, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Labor, and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Before joining Orrick, Robbie was a lawyer at Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP, where he was a member of its Appellate and Supreme Court Litigation, Intellectual Property Litigation, and Government and Regulatory Litigation groups. Before that, Robbie was a law clerk for the Honorable Richard G. Taranto of the Federal Circuit.

Gavin McGimpsey Associate

Santa Monica

Gavin draws on a depth of experience—as a classroom instructor, software developer, and EMT—to tell the winning story when it matters most.  He has represented technology companies and government clients with billions on the line, while focusing his pro bono practice on individuals' appeals.

Before joining Orrick, Gavin clerked for Judge Sandra Ikuta on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.  He graduated summa cum laude from Washington University in St. Louis School of Law, where he was a law review editor, teaching assistant, and moot court champion.

Emily Minton Mattson Managing Associate

Los Angeles

Before joining Orrick, Emily was an associate at Hueston Hennigan LLP, where she gained experience in all stages of the litigation process, including pre-complaint investigation, pleadings, discovery, summary judgment, trial, and appeals in both federal and state courts. Emily clerked for the Honorable Dana M. Sabraw of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California and the Honorable Milan D. Smith Jr. of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

Emily attended University of Michigan Law School, where she received the Henry M. Bates Memorial Scholarship Award (Michigan Law’s highest honor). Emily served as a Senior Editor of the Michigan Law Review, a research assistant for Professors Richard Primus and Don Herzog, and a member of the Campbell Moot Court Board.