Profile: Morrison & Foerster LLP

Morrison & Foerster LLP - Who's Who Legal '70'

What is the Who's Who Legal '70'?

REAL ESTATE AND ENVIRONMENT
Four Morrison & Foerster practitioners are listed in the real estate section of the book. “Brilliant” California practitioner Kim Seneker is one of the most highly nominated lawyers in the chapter. A past president of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers, Seneker is seen as “the elder statesman of real estate law”, with a respected international transactional practice. Mark Edelstein in New York was deemed “a leader for real estate transactions”. In Japan, Morrison & Foerster’s joint venture, Ito & Mitomi, provides two practitioners for our list: Theodore Seltzer and Frederick Lodge, who form part of “a formidable Japan-based team”. The group represented an international opportunity fund in connection with a TMK restructuring and refinancing of commercial properties in Japan with a value of over ¥5 billion.
Two Morrison & Foerster environment lawyers won plaudits across the board from peers who also complimented the firm’s “wholesale effectiveness” in the sphere. In the San Francisco office, Michèle Corash is “a very creative lawyer” and is joined in the publication by Los Angeles practitioner Peter Hsiao, who was recommended for his expertise in complex litigation related to chemical regulations and environmental law. Morrison & Foerster represents the Cities of Folsom and Oakland, the City and County of San Francisco, the State of Alaska and the New York State Housing Authority, among others.

INFRASTRUCTURE
Two “very highly regarded” oil and gas lawyers fly the flag for the firm in the US. In New York, Michael Graffagna represents lenders, developers and contractors. He has extensive experience in dealing with the Japanese market and represented Tokyo Gas in its purchase of an interest in the El Bajio IPP project in Mexico. In Walnut Creek, California, energy practice group co-chair Peter Hanschen is well known for his regulatory practice as well as his involvement in market restructuring. He often represents developers involved in interstate and intrastate oil and gas pipelines.

In the project finance chapter, Frederick Jenney and Nicholas Spiliotes appear. The group is active worldwide; recent transactions include the representation of IKB in the restructuring of the San Pedro de Macoris power project financing, and representing Sumitomo in its acquisition of an interest in a Bolivian silver mine. Both these Morrison & Foerster lawyers hail from the DC office: Spiliotes does “an excellent job”; Jenney is an “excellent projects lawyer”, whose experience covers power, water, hotel, manufacturing and telecommunications financings worldwide.

Mining lawyer Paul McKenzie is based in the Beijing office and also works regularly from the Hong Kong office, helping clients with their investment activities in China. He has extensive regulatory experience.

REGULATORY COMMUNICATIONS AND COMPETITION
Head of the firm’s communications practice Cheryl Tritt represents the firm in the regulatory communications chapter. She operates from the Washington, DC, office, where she is well placed to keep up with regulatory trends. She recently advised Alltel Corporation regarding the regulatory aspects of its agreement to be acquired by TPG Capital and GS Capital Partners in a transaction valued at around $27.5 billion.

In the competition chapter Kei Amemiya appears from the firm’s Tokyo office and is a former investigator at the Japan Fair Trade Commission. He is well known for his work on cartel, private monopoly and unfair practice cases.

CORPORATE AND FINANCIAL
In the capital markets chapter, the head of Morrison & Foerster’s Japanese registered associated firm, Fuyuo Mitomi, appears in our Tokyo list. A “capital markets veteran”, he represents Japanese and non-Japanese companies and financial institutions such as Nikko Citigroup, Goldman Sachs, Seiko Epson Corp and INPEX Corporation.
California lawyer Roland Brandel appears in the banking chapter. An “excellent, well respected” practitioner he concentrates on consumer financial services and financial institution regulation as well as having been party to the drafting of many regulatory and legislative matters in the field.

In the corporate tax chapter, New York “financial products specialist” Thomas Humphreys is considered “excellent”. The firm’s tax work encompasses federal, state and local tax law and Humphreys is the group’s co-chair.

Also practising in the New York office, Gary Lee appears in the insurance and reinsurance chapter. He is known for his insurance insolvency work and is “excellent” for both arbitration and litigation in the area.

Sacramento-based lawyer Charles Farman is co-chair of the firm’s private equity fund group and he represents the firm in the private funds chapter of this edition. This “very solid practitioner” has helped to oversee a wide range of funds in many jurisdictions worldwide.

LITIGATION
In the commercial litigation chapter, James Brosnahan is “one of the best-known trial lawyers in San Francisco”.
The “spectacular” Raymond Wheeler is another renowned California litigator, based in Palo Alto. He appears in the labour and employment section and is active in all aspects of labour and employment law. He has handled many discrimination and wage and hour class actions as well as a raft of other matters and is also engaged in employment law counselling for companies.

INTERNET AND IP
In the internet and e-commerce chapter, San Francisco lawyer William Schwartz was warmly received by dint of his “excellent reputation”, representing companies in licensing and development, outsourcing, distribution and joint venture transactions.

In New York, Rory Radding is head of the IP/patent group in New York, and appears in the patent section. He has extensive experience in the technology area and handles many cross-border matters. He acted as appellate counsel for the $70million jury patent case in Celeritas Technologies Inc v Rockwell International Corporation.
Morrison & Foerster’s final listing belongs to Thomas McCarthy, “possibly the most famous trademark lawyer in the US” – he appears on the listing of the practice area’s most highly nominated practitioners, gaining more votes than any other lawyer in the state. He is renowned in the academic sphere and wrote the six-volume treatise McCarthy on Trademarks and Unfair Competition.