Morrison Foerster Recognized in Legal 500 US

Morrison Foerster has once again been recognized by The Legal 500 United States as a leading law firm, with the firm achieving 57 practice area rankings and 306 individual recognitions in its newly released 2024 edition. The guide ranks and recommends law firms and lawyers in the United States based on The Legal 500’s extensive independent research.

Of the practice area rankings, the firm received seven Tier 1 distinctions. Morrison Foerster retained its Tier 1 rankings in Media, Technology, and Telecoms: Cyber Law (including Data Protection and Privacy); Government: Government Contracts; Intellectual Property: Patents: Licensing; Product Liability, Mass Tort, and Class Action – Defense: Consumer Products (including Tobacco); Real Estate and Construction: Real Estate Finance; and Finance: Financial Services Regulation: Consumer Finance, while additionally gaining a new top-tier ranking in the Technology Transactions category.

In total, the firm gained four new practice area rankings in the most recent edition, including:

• Dispute Resolution: General Commercial Disputes
• Intellectual Property: Copyright
• Intellectual Property: Trademarks: Litigation
• Investment Fund Formation and Management: Private Equity Funds (including venture capital)

Underscoring the wide range of talent at Morrison Foerster, the firm received 306 individual recognitions from The Legal 500. Eight MoFo lawyers were included on the publication’s highest distinction: the “Hall of Fame” list, which honors lawyers who have received high marks from their clients for continued excellence.

The MoFo lawyers on the 2024 “Hall of Fame” list include:

• Lisa Phelan – Antitrust: Cartel

• Deanne Maynard – Dispute Resolution: Appellate

• Michael Ward – Intellectual Property: Patents: Prosecution (including re-examination and post‑grant proceedings)

• Kristen Mathews – Media, Technology, and Telecoms: Cyber Law (including data protection and privacy)

• Miriam Wugmeister – Media, Technology, and Telecoms: Cyber Law (including data protection and privacy)

• Vivian Hanson – Media, Technology, and Telecoms: Outsourcing

• William Schwartz – Media, Technology, and Telecoms: Technology Transactions

• Brian Busey – Patents: Litigation (International Trade Commission)

In addition to the “Hall of Fame” distinction, several other MoFo lawyers were recognized by The Legal 500 with 21 partners labeled as “Leading Lawyers” in their field.

Leading Lawyers:

• Joseph Palmore – Dispute Resolution: Appellate
• Erin Bosman – Dispute Resolution: Product Liability, Mass Tort, and Class Action - Defense: Consumer Products (Including Tobacco)
• Jordan Eth – Dispute Resolution: Securities Litigation: Defense
• Jeremy Mandell – Finance: Financial Services Regulation
• Kevin Mullen – Government: Government Contracts
• Damien Specht – Government: Government Contracts
• Joe Gratz – Intellectual Property: Copyright
• Tessa Schwartz – Intellectual Property: Patents: Licensing
• William Schwartz – Intellectual Property: Patents: Licensing
• Daralyn Durie – Intellectual Property: Patents: Litigation (Full Coverage)
• Catherine Polizzi – Intellectual Property: Patents: Prosecution (including re-examination and post-grant proceedings)
• Bryan Wilson – Intellectual Property: Trade Secrets (Litigation and Non-Contentious Matters)
• Kenneth Kuwayti – Intellectual Property: Trade Secrets (Litigation and Non-Contentious Matters)
• John Smith – International Trade: Customs, Export Controls, and Economic Sanctions
• Patrick Huard – M&A / Corporate and Commercial: Private Equity Buyouts
• Murray Indick – M&A / Corporate and Commercial: Venture Capital and Emerging Companies
• Boris Segalis – Media, Technology, and Telecoms: Cyber Law (including data protection and privacy)
• Julie O’Neill – Media, Technology, and Telecoms: Cyber Law (including data protection and privacy)
• Mark Edelstein – Real Estate and Construction: Real Estate Finance
• Thomas Fileti – Real Estate and Construction: Real Estate Finance
• David Slotkin – Real Estate and Construction: Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)

The firm has also been recognized by The Legal 500 and broader market for its commitment to growing the next generation of talent. Speaking to the material difference they’ve made to their practice, MoFo lawyers received 18 "Next Generation Partners” recognitions and five “Rising Star” rankings.

Next Generation Partners:

• Megan Gerking – Antitrust: Cartel
• Joe Folio – Antitrust: Cartel
• Eliot Adelson – Antitrust: Cartel
• Julie Park – Dispute Resolution: Product Liability, Mass Tort, and Class Action - Defense: Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices
• Evan Minsberg – Finance: Financial Services Regulation
• Jeffrey Silberman – Finance: Fintech
• Jennifer Marines – Finance: Restructuring (Including Bankruptcy): Corporate
• Carrie Cohen – Government: State Attorneys General
• Justin Haan – Intellectual Property: Patents: Licensing; and Media, Technology, and Telecoms: Technology Transactions
• Mary Prendergast – Intellectual Property: Patents: Litigation (International Trade Commission)
• Anita Choi – Intellectual Property: Patents: Prosecution (including re-examination and post-grant proceedings)
• Brandon Van Grack – International Trade: CFIUS
• James Brower – International Trade: CFIUS
• Omar Pringle – M&A/Corporate and Commercial: Private Equity Buyouts
• Jim Krenn – M&A / Corporate and Commercial: Venture Capital and Emerging Companies
• Keith Print – Real Estate and Construction: Real Estate Finance
• Justin Salon – Real Estate and Construction: Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) 

Rising Stars:

• Emily Beers – Finance: Capital Markets: Debt Offerings
• Evan Minsberg – Finance: Fintech
• Andrea Delisi – Dispute Resolution: International Trade
• Yuan Xia – Labor and Employment: Employee Benefits, Executive Compensation and Retirement Plans: Transactions
• Tushna Gamadia – Real Estate and Construction: Real Estate Finance

To view the complete list of Morrison Foerster’s rankings in the 2024 edition of The Legal 500 USA, please visit the publication’s website.