Morrison Foerster

Firm Details: 

Chair of the Firm: Eric T. McCrath

Vice Chairs: Jennifer Marines, Jeff Jaeckel

Department Chairs: Richard Hung, Christine Wong, David Ephraim, Tessa Schwartz

Number of partners worldwide: 363

Number of US partners: 264

Number of other lawyers worldwide: 750

Number of other US lawyers: 538

Firm Overview: 

With more than 1,000 lawyers across 18 offices, Morrison Foerster is a preeminent global law firm dedicated to delivering business-oriented results to clients across the United States, Europe, and Asia. Dynamic technology and life science companies, large financial institutions, leading consumer product companies, and other market leaders come to MoFo for knowledge, innovation, and business aptitude. MoFo handles some of the world’s largest cross-border transactions and resolves major disputes across multiple jurisdictions. It has a long-standing commitment to pro bono work and social justice.

Main Areas of Practice:  

Business Restructuring & Insolvency: 

MoFo is counsel to debtors, creditors’ committees, secured lenders, and other participants in the distressed markets in large, complex matters. The firm is a market leader in creditors’ committee representation, cross-border insolvencies, distressed real estate, the restructuring of financial institutions, insolvencies involving key intellectual property, and hedge fund failures.

Capital Markets: 

MoFo is a leading firm for issuer and underwriter representations for IPOs, offerings of debt, hybrid, preferred and structured securities, private placements, PIPEs, 144A/ Reg S offerings, continuous issuance programs, including MTN, CP and covered bond programs. MoFo is a pioneer in developing synthetic products, hybrid securities, structured products and derivatives.

Financial: 

MoFo has one of the most experienced finance practices in the US. Finance attorneys maintain an impressive borrower-side client roster, working extensively for private equity funds and private companies in acquisitions and refinancings, while also offering extensive experience in acting for certain lenders and credit funds. In addition, MoFo assists clients in all aspects of project finance and development around the world with a focus on energy, alternative energy, and renewable resources. The group has also become very well known in the blockchain, cryptocurrencies, and smart contracts space.

Intellectual Property: 

MoFo is a global IP powerhouse, developing novel solutions for protecting and enforcing some of the most prized IP in the world. MoFo is called upon to represent clients in their most high-profile and complex patent, copyright, trademark, trade dress, trade secrets, and licensing matters.

Investigations & White-Collar Defense: 

MoFo has experience handling internal and government investigations on six continents and in more than 65 countries, bringing significant cross-border experience to compliance and enforcement matters worldwide. It provides advice on the many US and foreign laws regulating international business transactions including the FCPA, the UK Bribery Act, Sarbanes-Oxley, federal securities laws, the whistleblower provisions of the Dodd-Frank Act, international trade, export control and sanctions laws, and AML/BSA. The team has successfully represented many clients in obtaining favorable settlements or other resolutions — often ending with the DOJ or other government enforcement bodies closing their investigations with no action taken.

Litigation: 

MoFo litigators are renowned for their success in high-stakes, complex cases — representing clients in all stages of federal and state litigation, from grand jury to trial through to appeal. They drive strategy to position their clients for the best possible outcome, whether that is winning at trial or resolving a matter quickly. The team includes top trial and appellate lawyers, as well as leading practitioners in securities, financial services, consumer and false advertising, product liability, environmental, and employment litigation as well as white-collar criminal defense, antitrust and unfair competition, and international arbitration. MoFo is a top-tier firm for class actions, no matter what the subject area is. The firm understands the shortest pathway to win and resolve cases for its clients.

Mergers & Acquisitions: 

MoFo has a leading global M&A practice. The depth and breadth of the practice, including a strong focus on cross-border transactions, reflects the dynamic nature of clients, which include Fortune 500 companies, private equity sponsors, investment banks, and privately held companies.

Privacy & Data Security: 

MoFo’s market-leading privacy and data security group is a destination for clients—from startups to sophisticated global clients alike — seeking advice on every aspect of privacy laws and regulations, as well as incident preparedness and response. The team helps companies fit compliance with evolving data protection laws within the context of a truly global, consistent strategy, and have also served as lead counsel and coordinated all components of clients’ responses to some of the highest-profile data breaches of recent years.

Real Estate: 

MoFo is a recognized leader across a broad spectrum of real estate activities, including development deals, acquisitions and dispositions, leases, market standard and complex financings, and restructurings. Its clients include lenders, developers, equity investors, and REITs.

Tax:  

MoFo’s tax practice enjoys a global reputation for innovative tax planning and the successful resolution of important tax controversies. The group advises on state and local tax, federal tax, compensation, benefits and ERISA, and trusts, estates and nonprofit organizations.