People

Jon Langlois Partner

Washington, D.C.

He represents banks, nonbanks, fintechs, private equity and other financial services companies in a variety of corporate and transactional matters, particularly those involving residential mortgage and consumer loans, mortgage servicing rights, and servicing and subservicing relationships. He combines practical strategic advice with a deep knowledge of consumer lending and servicing to provide efficient, successful results.

In addition to his transaction practice, Jon assists clients on a wide range of regulatory issues, including compliance with key consumer financial laws, such as the Truth in Lending Act (TILA), Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA), Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), unfair, deceptive, or abusive acts and practices (UDAAP), and other consumer protection issues.

Prior to joining Orrick, Jon was a partner at Buckley LLP. While in law school, he was a Legislative Analyst with Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP, and a Government Affairs Representative with the American Financial Services Association.

A. Cory Lankford Partner

Washington, D.C.

Recognized by Chambers USA, Legal 500, and Best Lawyers, clients praise his sophisticated regulatory expertise and ability to navigate complex challenges.

Cory's practice focuses on advising developers of renewable energy and battery storage projects, electric utilities, financial institutions, and corporations pursuing renewable energy goals.  He advises clients on their rights and responsibilities under the Federal Power Act, the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act, and the Public Utility Holding Company Act.  In addition, he frequently represents clients in proceedings before FERC to obtain and maintain authorization to sell energy, capacity and ancillary services at negotiated or market-based rates and to purchase and sell direct or indirect ownership interests in energy projects.  Drawing from his broad energy regulatory experience, Cory also helps clients develop and implement compliance programs for FERC and North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) requirements .

Before joining Orrick, Cory served in FERC's Office of the General Counsel, where he led numerous multidisciplinary teams in developing Commission orders addressing Regional Transmission Organizations, open access requirements, transmission, generator interconnection and qualifying facility certification.  His notable achievements include providing legal counsel on rulemakings to revise FERC's pro forma Open Access Transmission Tariff and in evaluating mandatory reliability standards proposed by NERC and its regional entities.  Cory also collaborated with staff at the U.S. Department of Energy to create the National Action Plan on Demand Response and its Implementation Proposal to Congress. 

Laura Lariu Partner

Santa Monica

She is primarily focused on space & defense transactions, venture capital financings and providing external general counsel guidance. Before joining Orrick, Laura led companies through transformational growth as general counsel and practiced ECVC law.

Laura was an early employee of rocket manufacturer Relativity Space and guided the company's legal strategy through the company's (and world's) first launch of a predominantly 3D-printed full-scale rocket. Throughout that period, Laura helped negotiate $1.3 billion in private funding. She helped secure millions of square feet of physical infrastructure, including a former Boeing C-17 factory and facilities at NASA's Stennis Space Center. She also negotiated customer contracts of over $1 billion with major global satellite operators, and laid the foundation for complying within a national security framework and developing an innovative IP portfolio.

Prior to Relativity Space, Laura was general counsel at Virgin Hyperloop. Before that, Laura was as a corporate attorney with Gunderson Dettmer in New York and worked on innovative deals (venture financings, M&A, IPO) throughout the city's tech boom of 2011-2016. She also applied her fluency in 5 languages to work on a wide array of international deals.

Laura is a founding member of the L Suite, formerly TechGC, a platform of over 2,000 in-house legal leaders at leading tech companies and venture capital funds. She previously served on its Executive Board and Steering Committee and co-led the Los Angeles chapter. She is also on the Steering Committee of Space Beach Law Lab, the leading platform for legal leaders and policymakers to shape the future of the space industry.

James Larkin Partner

New York

Jamie concentrates on a broad range of federal income tax matters, including tax issues related to cross-border stock and asset acquisitions, debt and equity offerings, collateralizations, reorganizations, cross-border financings and transfer pricing.

Prior to joining Orrick, Jamie was an associate at White & Case LLP.

Cynthia Larsen Partner

Sacramento

She has handled appellate matters in the U.S. Supreme Court, various federal appellate courts and in the California Supreme Court and appellate courts. She is a veteran trial attorney and has applied her experience as a former U.S. Department of Justice trial attorney to serving corporate and governmental clients. She recently served for five years as the partner-in-charge of Orrick’s Sacramento office. She also served for several years as head of Orrick’s Litigation Training Program and as vice-chair of the firm’s Litigation Division.

Before joining Orrick, Cynthia was an attorney at Condon & Forsyth in Washington, D.C. from 1982 to 1985. Prior to that, she was a trial attorney in the Civil Division of the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C., where she served in the Honors Program and specialized in civil trial work. Representative cases handled by Cynthia on behalf of the United States include: Sweet v. United States, 528 F.Supp. 1068 (D.S.D. 1081), aff’d, 687 F.2d 246 (8th Cir. 1982) (trial counsel); Pike v. United States, 652 F.2d 31 (9th Cir. 1981) (trial and appellate counsel); Gaspard v. United States, 544 F.Supp. 55 (E.D.La. 1982); Marek v. United States, 639 F.2d 1164 (5th Cir. 1981) (trial counsel).

Cynthia frequently writes and lectures on litigation topics. She serves as a pro tem settlement conference judge for the Sacramento Superior Court and as a federal court mediator.

In addition to being admitted in California, Cynthia is also admitted in Idaho (inactive) and the District of Columbia (inactive).

Thomas Wyatt Laryea Counsel

Washington, D.C.

Thomas formerly served as Assistant General Counsel at the International Monetary Fund, where he was responsible for the IMF’s legal relations in finance and economic surveillance with each of its member countries. As the only senior IMF lawyer in private practice, he offers distinctive insights to asset managers, real money investors and hedge funds on sovereign debt and restructurings as well as large scale corporate restructurings and project financings. His practice bridges legal and strategic advice on the transactional, public policy and dispute resolution aspects of international finance and investment.

Thomas has advised on several recent high-profile sovereign debt restructurings, including representing the Argentina Creditor Committee on the restructuring of $65 billion of Argentina’s foreign currency bonds. He also recently represented the Steering Members of the Committee on Bondholders in the reprofiling of Belize’s bonds.

He is recognized as a key lawyer in the Restructuring (Including Bankruptcy): Municipal category of The Legal 500 US 2022 directory. A client remarked that he “provided invaluable advice on the IMF policies, individual personalities and missions which helped us to understand the sovereign’s priorities with the IMF” that “will then frame our negotiations with the sovereign.” “Thomas is highly respected in the sovereign restructuring space.”

Thomas is an active thought leader and has published numerous articles on sovereign debt and international finance.

Nicholas Laveris Of Counsel

New York

Nicholas A. Laveris is Of Counsel in Orrick's Restructuring Group. Nick advises investment banks, commercial banks, broker-dealers, hedge funds and other financial institutions on legal issues related to the purchase and sale of domestic and international par and distressed assets, including bilateral loans, syndicated loans, loan participations and derivative structured products.

Nick also represents clients in the purchase and sale of claims in bankruptcy, including administrative claims and trade claims. In addition, Nick represents clients in the purchase and sale of securities and other equity instruments arising out of restructurings and bankruptcy proceedings. Nick has extensive experience in working on transactions under the LSTA and LMA regimes, as well as negotiating bespoke documentation. Nick's work involves transactions throughout Europe, Asia, Latin America, Australia and the United States. Nick is an active member of the Loan Syndications and Trade Association and the Loan Market Association.

Prior to joining Orrick, Nick was an associate at Mayer Brown LLP.