At the American Bar Association’s annual meeting held in San Francisco from Aug. 8 to 13, MoFo lawyers addressed a range of topics, from cap-and-trade regulations, tender offer developments, cybersecurity threats, copyright protection, unitranche financing and recent developments at the U.S. Supreme Court.
On Friday, Aug. 9, San Francisco partner William Sloan moderated a panel discussion about California’s cap-and-trade regulations, which he described in his remarks as a “grand experiment” that has already cost companies hundreds of millions of dollars.
Friday’s programming also included panels featuring New York partner Geoffrey Peck and San Francisco partners Michael O’Bryan and James Schurz.
Mr. Peck discussed the structuring of unitranche financings and their legal risks.
Mr. O’Bryan appeared on a panel about tender offer developments that included the SEC chief of M&A.
Mr. Schurz, who co-chairs MoFo’s Commercial Litigation Practice Group, participated in a discussion about how law firms can better attract, serve and retain corporate clients.
Highlights from Saturday’s programming were the Oracle v. Google Forum, featuring San Francisco partner Michael Jacobs, and the ABA CLE Centre Showcase Program on the Supreme Court Term in Review, featuring Washington, D.C. partner Deanne Maynard.
Mr. Jacobs, who co-founded MoFo’s Intellectual Property Group and currently heads the firm’s Life Sciences Practice Group, took part in a conversation about the issues raised by Oracle v. Google, including the impact of the Federal Circuit’s impending decision on software, technology and other sectors.
Ms. Maynard, who chairs the firm’s Appellate & Supreme Court Practice Group, participated in a discussion about some of the decisions from the Supreme Court term that ended in June. The panel also offered a brief look at the term ahead.
Saturday’s programming additionally included a session on the threat of cyberattacks at law firms. New York of counsel Peter McLaughlin appeared with a public sector general counsel and an experienced law enforcement official to share firsthand knowledge of how law firms can safeguard sensitive data.
On Saturday evening, San Francisco senior partner James Brosnahan delivered the keynote address at the Section of Individual Rights and Responsibilities’ Annual Thurgood Marshall Award Dinner, which MoFo sponsored. The Honorable Thelton Henderson of the Northern District Court of California received this year’s award in recognition of his civil rights contributions as a lawyer, judge and educator.
MoFo also sponsored the Public Contract Law Section’s Annual Alan E. Peterson Lecture and Luncheon, as well as the 11th Annual Ruth C. Burg Luncheon for Women in Public Contract Law. In addition, the firm co-sponsored the Business Law Section’s pro bono breakfast and sponsored its Consumer Financial Services Committee dinner.
In addition to their participation on panels at the annual meeting, MoFo lawyers hold various leadership positions within the ABA. Palo Alto partner Paul Lion currently serves as the vice-chair of the Business Law Section. Washington, D.C. partner David Lynn is the vice-chair of the section’s Federal Regulation of Securities Committee, and Washington, D.C. partner Andrew Smith is vice-chair of the section’s Consumer Financial Services Committee.
At the conclusion of the conference on Aug. 13, San Francisco partner Eric Tate became vice-chair of the Labor and Employment Section’s Annual CLE Conference. Mr. Tate, who co-chairs MoFo’s Employment & Labor Practice Group, co-chaired the Trade Secrets and Restrictive Covenants Subcommittee of the section’s Employment Rights and Responsibilities Committee.
Washington, D.C. partner Brian Matsui is now chair of the ABA’s seven-member Standing Committee for Amicus Curiae Briefs, which oversees preparations of ABA briefs for filing before the Supreme Court and other courts.
In addition, Mr. O’Bryan is serving on a task force that is preparing a model form of a tender offer agreement.