People

Joseph Kolar Partner

Washington, D.C.

In addition to closely monitoring the regulatory and enforcement activity of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), Joe advises on Federal Housing Administration-insured and Department of Veterans Affairs-guaranteed single-family loan programs, Ginnie Mae guaranteed securities programs and the programs and policies of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac as they relate to loan origination, servicing, and secondary market transactions. In addition, Joe frequently represents mortgage lenders and others in negotiating joint ventures, marketing and internet origination agreements, vendor agreements, as well as other contracts used or needed by a wide variety of financial services companies.

He is a member of the Consumer Financial Services Committee of the American Bar Association, where he is a past Co-chair of the Housing Finance and RESPA Subcommittee, and a member of the American College of Consumer Financial Services Lawyers. Prior to practicing law, Joe worked as a staff member for former U.S. Representative Jim Leach (R-IA).

Joe currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Legal Counsel for the Elderly, which is associated with AARP, and of Samaritan Ministry of Greater Washington. He was President of the Kolar Charitable Foundation at Buckley.

Joseph Kolker Senior Associate

New York

In his trial-level practice, Joey develops legal strategy, writes persuasive and accessible briefs, and works as embedded appellate counsel at trial. Joey has drafted dozens of briefs in litigation involving patent infringement claims, false advertising claims, and other complex business disputes. At trial, in his hybrid role as embedded appellate counsel, Joey advises on legal strategy and preservation issues and drafts and argues trial motions, briefs, and jury instructions. 

In his appellate practice, Joey has presented argument before the Federal Circuit and Third Circuit, and drafted briefs at the Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, Eighth, Ninth, and Federal Circuits, and at the U.S. Supreme Court, across a wide range of subject matters--ranging from patents, copyright, and contract interpretation to white collar and criminal procedure, immigration, and civil rights law.

Before joining Orrick, Joey served as a law clerk to Chief Judge Michael A. Chagares of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and Judge Janet Bond Arterton of the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut. Prior to clerking, he worked as a civil rights litigation fellow in the New York office of a national firm.

Katherine M. Kopp Senior Career Associate

Washington, D.C.

Katie leverages her deep experience in the Federal Circuit into efficient case management strategies that slash client costs. She has represented clients such as Dow AgroSciences LLC in two Federal Circuit victories in a multifaceted patent dispute with Bayer CropScience AG; VeriFone Systems, Inc. in an appeal from a district court order that would have undermined its ubiquitous payment terminals; Nintendo Co. in defense of its most important product―the Wii; and EMC Corp. in obtaining the definitive pre-America Invents Act opinion addressing the improper use of joinder in patent cases. 

Katie also has an active pro bono practice. She petitioned the Supreme Court to reconsider its rule regarding retroactive application of changes to the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. The Court ruled 6-3 for our client after having previously divided 4-1-4 on the same issue. In addition, she has represented

• a class of detained immigrants challenging ICE’s systemic response to COVID-19 in its detention facilities;
• veterans’ service organizations supporting a reversal of the Feres doctrine, which broadly prohibits tort recovery for injuries sustained by military personnel “incident to service;” and
• a group of former Division 1 student-athletes supporting the NCAA in its prominent pay-for-play battle.

Christine M. Kosir Audit&Special Project Attorney

Wheeling, W.V. (GOIC)

Christine utilizes her extensive project management experience to work with Orrick team members in developing, implementing and managing the firm's overall audit response program.

In addition to her firm responsibilities, Christine works with Orrick's Finance teams on various transactional matters, including performing due diligence and drafting deal documents and opinions for collateralized loan and debt obligations, synthetic collateralized debt obligations and various other financial products. 

Christine is also active in her local community, serving as a Girl Scout Troop Leader.

Adil Kourtih Managing Associate

Paris

Adil focuses on the development, construction and acquisition of projects in the energy and infrastructure sector as well as complex litigation. He has extensive experience of advising on complex infrastructure projects and corporate power purchase agreements, including notably the structuring / bankability analysis of project agreements and regulatory / public law aspects. 

Adil advises clients on public law and highly specific regulatory issues, as well as on transactional matters (analysis and drafting of concession agreements, EPC, O&M, PPAs, etc).

Prior to joining Orrick, Adil worked for two leading law firms in Paris.

Adil is also Teacher/Lecturer in Law at the Ecole Normale Supérieure preparatory class of Lycée Turgot and at the University of Paris II Panthéon-Assas.

Adam Kowis Partner

Houston

Adam has significant experience in transactions across the energy and infrastructure sectors, including in oil and gas, hydrogen and ammonia, carbon capture and storage, energy infrastructure, and core and core-plus infrastructure. He has advised clients across the full spectrum of energy and infrastructure assets, including upstream oil and gas assets, gathering and processing facilities, pipelines, carbon storage facilities, gas storage facilities, refined products terminals, toll roads, district energy systems, and water and waste facilities.

He regularly represents domestic and international energy companies, energy and infrastructure private equity funds, midstream companies, and industrial and environmental services companies, among others.

David Krakoff Partner

Washington, D.C.

His clients are investigated and prosecuted by the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Treasury Department and other domestic and foreign enforcement agencies. They face prosecution for potential violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), and the laws regulating securities enforcement, accounting fraud, public corruption, antitrust, tax health care, export control, False Claims Act (FCA), trade secrets and the environment. In addition, his clients are often involved in high-stakes shareholder class action litigation. He has had primary trial responsibility in more than 50 cases.

David is a recognized leader in the field of white collar and complex litigation. He is a Fellow in The American College of Trial Lawyers. Chambers USA has ranked him as a leading Litigation lawyer (2006-2022), and described him as "one of the best trial lawyers in the city … a genuine lion of the white-collar Bar ... extremely thoughtful and imaginative in developing investigation and trial strategy … He really knows his way around the court and the justice system. One of his greatest strengths is that he is unflinching in his willingness to try cases." Chambers also noted his FCPA work: “He is a shrewd tactician and always thoroughly prepared … great tactical judgment and a sense for strategy." Other accolades include: Legal 500 (2012, 2015-2022), which recognized him as the leader of Buckley’s "terrific" team that is “highly active in a number of regulated industries, with noted expertise in the financial services sector." Benchmark Litigation 2019 named him as a top practitioner in White Collar and General Commercial Litigation. In 2015 he was named a Law360 Trial Ace and a National Law Journal White Collar Trailblazer.

Prior to joining Orrick, David was a partner at Buckley LLP. In addition to his experience in private practice, he served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia for 10 years.