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MoFo Advises Hg on Sale of GTreasury to Ripple for $1 Billion

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Morrison Foerster advised Hg, a leading investor in European and transatlantic software and services businesses, on the sale of...

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Morrison Foerster advised Hg, a leading investor in European and transatlantic software and services businesses, on the sale of GTreasury, a global leader in adaptable treasury solutions for the Office of the CFO, to Ripple, a leading provider of digital asset infrastructure for the enterprise, for a total transaction value of over $1 billion.Hg will fully exit the business, alongside minority investor, Mainsail Partners. GTreasury provides financial leaders with a comprehensive platform to manage every stage of treasury complexity, covering liquidity management, cash forecasting, payments, netting, and risk.The MoFo team advising Hg was led by private equity M&A partners Patrick Huard and James Beach, with invaluable assistance from associates Samantha Rose, Angelina Ditta and Jack Bick.The wider team included technology transactions partner Anthony Ramirez, employment and labor partner Michael Schulman, executive compensation partner Joshua Lerner, privacy partner Julie O'Neill and of counsel Jonathan Newmark, tax partner David Sturgeon, antitrust partner Megan Gerking, financial services regulatory partner Jeremy Mandell, investigations and white collar defense partner James Koukios, and foreign direct investment partners Felix Helmstädter and Marie-Claire Strawbridge.Read <a href="https://hgcapital.com/insights/hg-agrees-sale-of-gtreasury-to-ripple" target="_blank">Hg’s press release</a>.

MoFo Advises Hg on Sale of GTreasury to Ripple for $1 Billion

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Patrick Huard is Global Chair of the firm's Private Equity Investments + Buyouts Practice and focuses his practice on private equity M&A transactions.Patrick has significant experience representing private equity funds and their portfolio companies in a broad range of corporate matters, including public and private acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, venture and growth equity investments, and divestitures. Clients rely on him for both his sophisticated legal counseling as well as his sharp business acumen.Patrick advises private equity sponsors in all aspects of their investment activity across a wide variety of industry sectors, including software and technology, business services, consumer and retail, professional and industrial services, and ESG/impact investing. Patrick is also a member of our global Sustainability + Corporate Responsibility steering committee.Patrick is ranked for California Private Equity: Buyouts by Chambers USA 2025, as a Leading Partner for Private Equity Buyouts by Legal 500 US (2021-2025), and among Top 10 Mid Cap M&A Lawyers in North America by MergerLinks (2021-2023). Our private equity practice was also recognized as a Law360 Practice Group of the Year 2021.﻿Patrick graduated, magna cum laude, from the Georgetown University Law Center, where he was elected into the Order of the Coif and served as the Notes and Articles Editor of the Journal of Law and Policy in International Business.

Patrick Huard

Global Chair of Private Equity Practice

James Beach works with leading middle market private equity firms.James represents private equity funds and their portfolio companies in a broad range of complex domestic and cross-border transactions, including M&A, divestitures, and growth equity investments. He also advises companies across all stages of their lifecycle.James has completed over $20 billion of aggregate transactions across numerous industries, including enterprise software, data, security and technology, logistics, manufacturing, healthcare and consumer products.Prior to joining MoFo, James was a partner in the private equity and M&A group at another global law firm and at a private equity M&A boutique.

James Beach

Partner

Samantha Rose is a corporate associate in the San Francisco office of Morrison Foerster. Her practice focuses on advising clients on domestic and cross-border corporate matters, including mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, minority investments/venture financings, and corporate governance.Samantha represents publicly and privately held companies, entrepreneurs, venture capital and private equity investors, and financial and strategic acquirers in a variety of industries, including technology, consumer products, e-commerce, and financial services.Samantha also has an active role in the firm’s pro bono efforts, recently working on the California Small Enterprise Task Force (CASE Force), a consortium of legal, financial, and nonprofit professionals leading the development and implementation of the California Rebuilding Fund. She has demonstrated a long-standing commitment to diversity and inclusion, and currently serves as Chair of the Latinx Affinity Group for the San Francisco office. Prior to joining the firm, Samantha served as an Honors Program Legal Intern with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).Samantha earned her J.D. magna cum laude from the Georgetown University Law Center, where she was elected to the Order of the Coif. While there, Samantha served as Senior Development Editor of the Georgetown Law Journal and President of the Corporate & Financial Law Organization (CFLO). In addition, Samantha was selected as a member of the inaugural cohort to study the intersection between business and law as a Business Law Scholar. She holds a B.S. with highest distinction from the University of Virginia.

Samantha Rose

Associate

Angelina is a corporate associate in Morrison Foerster’s San Francisco office.Prior to joining the firm, Angelina was a Summer Law Clerk with the National Football League’s Management Council.Angelina earned her J.D. at Duke University School of Law, where she served on the Executive Board of the Innocence Project and was a member of the Business Law Society. She also received a B.S., cum laude, from Tulane University.

Angelina Ditta

Anthony Ramirez is a partner in the Technology Transactions Group in the New York office of Morrison Foerster.Anthony advises clients on general commercial and transactional matters. He regularly advises companies on the IP aspects of their M&A transactions. His clients include technology, digital media and content for television and music, financial services, and communications companies with diverse intellectual property assets and issues.His practice focuses on the legal aspects of developing, licensing, and commercializing technology and intellectual property, as well as negotiating general commercial contracts, including outsourcing transactions, as well as content and data licenses. He regularly assists clients with legal issues relating to licensing and commercialization of digital media and content, digital content that is distributed over the Internet or streamed, mobile applications and social media, as well as the licensing of recorded music for distribution via digital platforms. Anthony is also experienced with issues relating to open-source software, software development, artificial intelligence and machine learning, cloud-based technology, and protection of proprietary information.Anthony has extensive experience working on matters involving disruptive technologies, such as blockchain. He has helped fintech clients with general intellectual property issues in connection with terms of service for online financial products and services.Anthony is an integral part of the outside pro bono legal team for nonprofit organizations based in New York, including advising clients on legal issues regarding entertainment, social media, privacy rights, and the negotiation of outsourcing and service agreements. Anthony received his J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School in 2009. He received his B.S. from Cornell University in 2004.

Anthony Ramirez

Scott focuses on complex technology and intellectual property (IP) transactions, with particular experience on matters involving advanced hardware and software platforms. His work includes substantial contributions to transactions relating to smart glasses, mixed‑reality devices, and other next-generation wearable technologies.He prepares, analyzes, and revises a wide range of technology and IP-related agreements, including licensing and IP transfer agreements; bespoke IP licensing and services contracts involving novel technologies; development and collaboration arrangements; distribution and commercialization agreements; joint venture and services arrangements; manufacturing and supply agreements; SaaS and cloud services agreements; and other agreements arising in the technology space. His experience spans issues throughout the product life cycle, from early-stage development through launch and commercialization.Scott also contributes to the IP components of strategic investments and M&A, including IP and technology diligence across diverse technology sectors. He is an active participant in the firm’s pro bono efforts.Scott earned his J.D. from New York University School of Law, where he served as notes editor for the NYU Environmental Law Journal. He holds a B.S. in neuroscience and behavioral biology from Emory University. Prior to joining the firm, Scott was a summer associate in the San Francisco office in 2019.

Scott Chen

Addison Yang is an associate in the New York office of Morrison Foerster and a member of the firm’s Technology Transactions Group.His practice is focused on transactional matters involving a broad range of intellectual property and technology issues, including in licensing and development agreements, mergers and acquisitions, and general startup matters. Addison works across a variety of industries, including in the areas of artificial intelligence, software and cloud services, software development, semiconductor manufacturing, Fintech, and blockchain applications.During law school, Addison served as a law clerk to the Senate Judiciary Committee, where he supported legislative drafting and committee hearings about artificial intelligence, social media algorithms, and vehicle safety regulation. Addison also interned for the New York State Attorney General, Bureau of Internet & Technology, where he supported consumer protection investigations into digital and hardware products. Prior to law school, Addison worked at a blockchain technology provider, where he coordinated regulatory and policy matters.Addison received his J.D. from New York University School of Law. While in law school, he worked as a senior intellectual life editor for Journal of Legislation and Public Policy and served as president of the Asia Law Society. Addison received his B.A. magna cum laude in political science from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Addison Yang

Lindsay is an associate in the Technology Transactions Group of Morrison Foerster.Prior to joining the firm as an Associate, Lindsay was a Summer Associate in the Technology Transactions Group.Lindsay earned her J.D., magna cum laude, from New York University School of Law, where she was elected to the Order of the Coif. While at law school, she was a Staff Editor of the Journal of Intellectual Property and Entertainment Law and a board member of the Social Enterprise & Startup Law Group. She was also a clinical student in the Technology Law and Policy Clinic, where she focused on matters involving digital art.Before law school, Lindsay worked as a paralegal specializing in private equity transactions at a global law firm. She also has experience working on emerging companies and venture capital matters.Lindsay also holds a B.A. from Johns Hopkins University.

Lindsay Harris

Kevin Kallet is an associate in Morrison Foerster’s San Francisco office and a member of the firm’s Technology Transactions Group.Kevin’s practice focuses on transactions involving a broad range of intellectual property and technology, with particular emphasis on software and SaaS licensing and emerging technologies. He regularly advises clients in the artificial intelligence, enterprise software, and digital media industries, and provides product counseling on technology development, deployment, and regulatory compliance.Kevin counsels both providers and customers of AI models and services on issues relating to the development, procurement, and deployment of AI technologies. His experience includes drafting and negotiating contracts and terms of use for the provision of AI services, developing internal and external AI governance frameworks, and advising on training data practices and related contractual commitments. Kevin also advises companies and their financial sponsors regarding intellectual property and AI-related aspects of M&A transactions.Prior to joining Morrison Foerster as an associate, Kevin was a summer associate in the Technology Transactions Group.Prior to law school, Kevin worked at Google as a legal specialist, supporting the commercial and product counsel teams for various global products. He draws on his background to provide comprehensive advice to clients based on their practical business needs.Kevin earned his J.D. from University of California, Berkeley, School of Law, where he was elected to the Order of the Coif and received Pro Bono Highest Honors. Kevin held leadership positions for Berkeley Law’s Startup Law Initiative and the Berkeley Business Law Journal and was a member of the California Law Review. Kevin earned his B.A. summa cum laude from the University of Arizona Honors College.

Kevin Kallet

Bryce Hicks is a corporate associate in Morrison Foerster’s San Francisco office.Prior to joining Morrison Foerster, Bryce served as a corporate paralegal at another leading law firm. He also spent time as a Business and Legal Affairs Intern at the National Football League. Bryce earned his J.D. from the University of Southern California Gould School of Law. He also holds a B.A. from California State University Northridge.

Bryce Hicks

Griffin Baumberger is an associate in Morrison Foerster’s San Francisco office and a member of the firm’s Transactions Department.Griffin earned his J.D. from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law, with specializations in business law and media, entertainment, technology, and sports. He served as a dialectic editor for the UCLA Law Review and as a staff editor for the Journal of Law & Technology. He also served as an advanced clinician with the UCLA Documentary Film Legal Clinic.Prior to law school, Griffin worked as a documentary filmmaker and journalist at VICE News. He holds a B.A. magnum cum laude in theological studies and journalism from Loyola Marymount University.

Griffin Baumberger

Brayan Arreola is an associate in Morrison Foerster’s San Francisco office and a member of the firm’s Transactions Department.Prior to joining Morrison Foerster, Brayan served as an immigrant youth advocacy extern for The Legal Aid Society and interned at LatinoJustice PRLDEF, a national civil rights organization in New York, where he contributed to civil rights and due process initiatives. Brayan also worked as a summer associate at the firm during law school.Brayan earned his J.D. from Columbia Law School, where he was actively involved in the Columbia Latinx Law Students Association, First Generation Professionals, and the Pathways Program, and was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar. He received his B.A. in political science from the University of California, Berkeley, earning both the Dr. Wolfgang Leadership Scholarship for Undergraduate Immigrant Students and the UC Berkeley Undergraduate Scholarship. During his undergraduate studies, Brayan also participated in study abroad programs at the University of Barcelona and the UC London Study Center.Brayan is fluent in Spanish.

Brayan Arreola

Courtney Henf is an associate in Morrison Foerster’s San Francisco office and a member of the firm’s Transactions Department.Prior to joining MoFo, Courtney was a Summer Associate in the San Francisco office. She also was a Judicial Extern for the Honorable Andrew E. Krause, U.S.M.J., U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York.Courtney earned her J.D., magna cum laude, from the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University. While there, she served as an Articles Editor of the Pace International Law Review and a member of the Federal Judicial Honors Program. She received her B.S. in microbiology from the University of Florida.

Courtney Henf

Michael Schulman is a partner in the firm’s Global Employment and Labor Group and co-head of the firm’s Washington, D.C. Litigation Department.Michael regularly advises clients in connection with important workforce-related matters, including hiring and negotiating employment agreements for senior executives, sensitive executive separations, internal workplace investigations, employment claims and disputes, and employment issues arising in the context of mergers, acquisitions, bankruptcies and other corporate transactions. Michael is known for using a pragmatic, efficient, and results-oriented approach, focused on achieving his clients’ desired business outcomes.Michael regularly guides clients through complex workforce issues, including, for instance allegations of workplace misconduct; restrictive covenant drafting, enforcement, and strategic evaluation; worker classification and wage-and-hour compliance practices; and the unique issues that arise in a unionized workplace. Michael’s experience covers a broad range of employment and labor laws at the federal, state, and local level, including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 1981 of the Civil Rights Act of 1866, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the National Labor Relations Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, the Defend Trade Secrets Act, and corresponding state and local laws.Michael has unique experience addressing labor and employment matters that arise in connection with corporate transactions, particularly for private equity firms. Michael has represented clients in over 2,000 transactions, including many large-scale multinational mergers, acquisitions, and asset carve-outs. He regularly conducts acquisition-related labor and employment due diligence and advises clients on the employment and workforce integration or separation implications of mergers, acquisitions, sales, and financings.In the litigation context, Michael represents employers in U.S. federal and state court litigation, administrative agency proceedings, and arbitrations arising out of alleged labor and employment law violations. Michael defends employers against actions brought by government agencies, such as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and Department of Labor, as well as actions initiated by current and former employees. He also prosecutes suits against former employees and their new employers for breach of restrictive covenants.

Michael Schulman

Melissa Harclerode is an associate in Morrison Foerster’s Employment + Labor Group in the Washington, D.C. office.Melissa represents companies in a broad range of employment compliance and counseling matters, with a particular focus on navigating the employment dimensions of various complex corporate transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, spin-offs, and restructurings. She also has in-depth experience negotiating and drafting various employment, separation, and restrictive covenant agreements. Melissa routinely advises employers on mitigating risks for a variety of HR issues, including hiring, terminations, wage-and-hour compliance, leaves of absence, and policy management, among other areas.Melissa has experience with internal investigations of employment claims, including MeToo claims. She has also defended clients before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission, and other equivalent state agencies.Prior to joining the firm, Melissa was an associate at two international AmLaw 100 law firms.Melissa received her J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law, where she received the Pro Bono Certificate of Recognition. During law school, she was the managing editor for Virginia Law and Business Review.

Melissa Harclerode

Niki Hendi is an associate in Morrison Foerster’s Washington, D.C. office and a member of the firm’s Litigation Group.Her practice focuses on employment matters.Prior to joining the firm, Niki was a summer associate in the New York office. She also spent time as a Criminal Division intern at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. While at law school, Niki was an assistant online editor of the Virginia Journal of International Law.Niki earned her J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law and her B.A. in economics and foreign affairs at the University of Virginia.

Niki Hendi

Josh Lerner is a partner in the Executive Compensation + Benefits Group based in the New York office of Morrison Foerster.Josh advises clients on all matters involving the compensation of senior executives, including employment, change in control, equity compensation, and severance arrangements.He counsels public and private companies on executive compensation issues in a range of corporate transactions, restructurings, and financings. He has experience designing, drafting, and negotiating employment agreements and administering equity incentive plans and awards. He also works regularly with public companies on compensation-related disclosures and corporate governance matters, including Securities Exchange Act of 1934 reports. Josh earned his J.D. from Columbia Law School where he was a senior articles editor of the Columbia Business Law Review.<h4>Representative Matters</h4><ul><li>Snow Software, a technology intelligence platform, on its acquisition by Flexera Software, a data-oriented SaaS solution company.</li><li>U.S. Silica Holdings, a global industrial minerals and logistics leader, in its $1.85 billion sale to entities affiliated with Apollo Global Management.</li><li>Rivian Automotive in the formation of an equally controlled and owned joint venture with Volkswagen Group to create next generation software-defined vehicle (SDV) platforms to be used in both companies’ future electric vehicles.</li><li>Palladium Equity Partners, in the $695 million sale of its majority interest in Trachte, a leading provider of highly engineered protection and control buildings with mission critical applications, to nVent Electric plc, a leading global provider of electrical connection and protection solutions.</li><li>The rock band KISS and its co-founders Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley in the sale of substantially all rights related to KISS to Pophouse Entertainment.</li><li>McGrath RentCorp, leading provider of temporary and permanent space solutions, in its $3.8 billion acquisition by WillScot Mobile Mini Holdings Corp., a leader in innovative temporary space solutions.</li><li>Astellas Pharma in its acquisition of Propella Therapeutics, a biopharmaceutical company that combines medicinal chemistry with lymphatic targeting to create new oncology drugs.</li><li>SoftBank in connection with its $375 million acquisition of Berkshire Grey, a robotic automation company that went public via a SPAC merger in 2021.</li></ul><ul><li>Grant Thornton, one of America’s largest audit, tax, and advisory firms, in the sale of its Public Sector Advisory practice to Guidehouse, a portfolio company of Veritas Capital and leading global provider of consulting services to the public sector and commercial markets.</li><li>MTY Food Group, a leading franchisor in the North American restaurant industry, in its $200 million acquisition of BBQ Holdings, a franchisor and operator of fast casual dining.</li><li>Odevo AB, a Swedish company and a portfolio company of private equity client Fidelio Capital, in connection with its acquisition of KW Property Management & Consulting, LLC, a Florida-based company that provides property management services to homeowner associations, condominium boards, cooperative boards and townhome communities. </li><li>Tinicum and its portfolio company TSL Engineered Products in the sale of Advantek, a leading provider of highly engineered carrier tape and associated protective packaging products, to Cornell Capital.</li></ul>

Joshua Lerner

Andre Amorim is an associate in the New York office and a member of the firm’s Executive Compensation and Benefits practice.Andre’s practice focuses on a wide range of compensation and benefits matters. He advises both public and private companies on tax and securities law issues in connection with complex corporate transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, financings, and initial public offerings. He also advises employers and executives in the negotiation, design, and implementation of employment, severance, change in control, deferred compensation, equity, and other incentive compensation plans and arrangements.Prior to joining the firm, Andre advised on executive compensation and employee benefits law at another multinational law firm. He was also previously with Ernst & Young’s People Advisory Services Department, where he focused on various executive compensation and employee benefits issues with respect to foreign and domestic equity-based incentive plans, long-term incentive plans, ERISA and Affordable Care Act compliance, and qualified retirement benefit plans.Andre earned his B.A. in economics from Fordham University and his J.D. from Fordham University School of Law.

Andre Amorim

Clients seek out Julie because of her practical advice on cutting-edge issues at the intersection of privacy and consumer protection laws. She provides clients with practical solutions to compliance challenges around a wide variety of both online and offline privacy issues, including tracking, interest-based advertising, geo-targeting and other mobile tracking, personalization, and cross-device tracking. Recognized in The Legal 500 US 2014, 2016, 2019, and 2020 and Chambers USA 2021 for her exceptional legal work, her clients praise her saying, “She is really good at giving practical, targeted advice and taking stock of what the risk profile of the client is, so that the advice is holistic.” (Chambers USA).Julie provides clients with creative and practical advice on meeting the requirements of state and federal privacy laws, including the Federal Trade Commission Act (FTC), the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). She crafts guidelines and compliance programs for clients’ collection, use, and disclosure of personal information in diverse contexts and throughout the life cycle of their initiatives, such as for connected products (the Internet of Things) and mobile services. She also drafts privacy and cookies policies, online service terms of use, agreements involving online and offline advertising and marketing practices, and agreements concerning a variety of data uses. In addition, Julie helps clients assess and manage privacy risks, including in connection with mergers, acquisitions, and other strategic transactions.Julie creates compliance programs for clients’ use of a wide variety of channels for communicating with and marketing to consumers, including email, telephone, text message, and fax, both in the United States and around the world. She works with clients to develop their social media strategies and to clear their social media content. She also reviews advertising in both traditional and new media for compliance with applicable laws, including Section 5 of the FTC Act and various FTC rules and guides. In addition, she works with clients to structure, market, and implement their sweepstakes, contests, and other promotions in compliance with applicable laws.As a former FTC staff attorney, Julie regularly defends companies in investigations by the FTC and before data protection authorities around the world.<h4>Representative Experience</h4><ul><li>A company that creates online software used by schools in an FTC investigation of alleged COPPA violations.</li><li>A consumer services company investigated by the Korean data protection authority for alleged privacy violations</li><li>A manufacturer in connection with a challenge of its environmental advertising claims by the FTC </li><li>An advertising services company in an investigation of alleged privacy-related violations of the FTC Act</li><li>An online provider of entertainment services in an FTC investigation of alleged COPPA violations</li><li>A beverage company in an FTC investigation of alleged COPPA violations</li></ul>Before attending law school, Julie was a Peace Corps volunteer in The Gambia, West Africa.

Julie O'Neill

Jonathan Newmark is an of counsel in Morrison Foerster’s Data, Cyber + Privacy Group. He advises clients across industries on data protection best practices, national and international regulatory compliance, information governance, product development, consumer trust and safety, transaction diligence, crisis management, and cyber incident response.Jonathan counsels clients ranging from emerging to late-stage to public companies in a variety of industries on complex data privacy and cybersecurity issues related to local, global, and industry-specific legal frameworks, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the ePrivacy Directive, the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework, state and federal wiretapping laws, the California Privacy Rights Act (CCPA/CPRA), the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA), the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), and the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA).As part of his practice, Jonathan has negotiated data transfer and processing agreements, implemented vendor risk management programs, developed information security policies and procedures, guided product development and design, and advised on corporate transactions. Jonathan has also coached clients through largescale data breaches and regulatory scrutiny related to information security and consumer protection, which has included representing clients in front of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the New York and Massachusetts attorneys general, and foreign regulators.Jonathan’s representative matters have comprised designing and implementing a large social media organization’s internal technical investigation related to the 2016 U.S. presidential election, advising on the development of a large technology company’s metaverse platform, designing trust and safety programs for an artificial intelligence chatbot application and a teen social media platform, and coaching a mobile banking business through cooperation with the Department of Justice and law enforcement authorities in consumer fraud investigations.Jonathan also maintains an extensive pro bono practice, which has included counseling nonprofit organizations on data protection best practices as well as successfully representing LGBTQ+ and other refugees in their applications for asylum and immigration status in the United States.Jonathan is designated as a Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP/US) by the International Association of Privacy Professionals.Jonathan received his J.D. from Columbia Law School, where he was recognized as a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar. He received his B.A. from Harvard College, where he graduated cum laude.

Jonathan Newmark

Of Counsel

David Sturgeon is a partner in Morrison Foerster’s Federal Tax practice.Dave advises clients on a broad range of complex business transactions, including domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, spin-offs and other divestitures, as well as financings, refinancings, restructurings and other business transactions.He earned his J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School, where he was a member of the Chicago Journal of International Law, and received his Master of Laws in taxation from New York University School of Law.Prior to joining Morrison Foerster, Dave was an associate at a law firm in New York, where he represented public companies, financial institutions, private equity clients and other sponsor entities across industries in an extensive range of business transactions.

Dave Sturgeon

Kristie Espiritu is a tax associate in the San Diego office of Morrison Foerster.Kristie’s experience spans a wide range of transactional, structuring, and advisory tax matters affecting domestic businesses. She regularly advises clients on their tax issues in the areas of joint ventures, partnerships, real estate investment trusts, renewable energy, mergers and acquisitions, and tax- exempt organizations.Kristie is an adjunct professor at USD School of Law, where she teaches classes on partnership tax.

Kristie Espiritu

Megan is a former trial attorney with the DOJ’s Antitrust Division. At Morrison Foerster, she is a partner in the Antitrust Group advising clients on their most complex and high-stakes competition matters. Her practice focuses on government investigations, merger reviews, strategic transactions, and civil antitrust litigation, particularly where enforcement, compliance, and global antitrust and regulatory risk intersect.Megan regularly counsels clients on antitrust risks arising from industry collaborations, trade associations, consortia, and other joint activities, drawing on her firsthand experience investigating and prosecuting cartel conduct. While at the Antitrust Division, Megan investigated and prosecuted federal antitrust violations, including international cartel matters involving price fixing, bid rigging, and market allocation. She now leverages that experience to help clients design, implement, and defend antitrust compliance programs, and she routinely delivers antitrust training for executives and employees.Megan also maintains a robust merger practice, advising clients at every stage of the merger review process. She develops transaction strategies, assesses and manages obligations under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act (“HSR Act”), and represents clients before antitrust authorities in the United States and abroad. Megan regularly represents third parties in agency reviews of transactions, including at trial.Her experience spans a wide range of industries, including telecommunications, media, technology and software, financial services, consumer products, aviation, higher education, manufacturing, agriculture, and life sciences. While at the Antitrust Division, Megan prosecuted the first individual ever extradited to the United States on an antitrust charge and earned the Assistant Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service for her work investigating and prosecuting international automotive parts cartels. She was also awarded the DOJ’s Outstanding Mentor Award by the Attorney General. Megan has been widely recognized by leading publications including Chambers, Global Competition Review, Bloomberg, The American Lawyer, and others. She has served as a non-governmental advisor to the International Competition Network (ICN) and has spoken at the ICN Cartel Workshop in Lisbon, Portugal. Megan is an editor of The Antitrust Source, the ABA’s online antitrust magazine, and is a member of Morrison Foerster’s global Sustainability + Corporate Responsibility Group. She also serves on the board of directors of the U.S. Sustainable Investment Forum (SIF).Before attending law school, Megan worked in the DOJ’s Office of Public Affairs, where she assisted the Assistant Attorney General for Antitrust with media strategy and served as a national spokesperson. She also worked as a paralegal in the Antitrust Division, supporting trial teams in criminal antitrust prosecutions.<h4>Representative Experience</h4><h5>Criminal and Civil Antitrust Investigations</h5><ul><li>Achieved non-prosecution protection for two healthcare companies in separate DOJ Antitrust Division criminal investigations; represented company witnesses at trial.</li><li>Obtained non-prosecution protection for a senior executive in criminal investigation into no-poach agreements in defense sector; executive testified at the criminal trial.</li><li>Completed a non-prosecution agreement for a senior executive in a DOJ criminal investigation into market allocation and bid rigging of generic drugs.</li><li>Regularly advises senior executives on DOJ antitrust criminal investigations involving allegations of price fixing, market and customer allocation, and bid rigging, and obtained non-prosecution protection for several individuals.</li><li>Represented a technology company in a Federal Trade Commission monopolization investigation.</li><li>Defended a private equity fund in a state AG investigation.</li><li>Represented an energy company in a criminal investigation.</li><li>Counseled a senior executive on an international criminal cartel investigation.</li><li>Obtained a non-prosecution agreement for a senior executive in a criminal investigation into conduct related to the hiring of employees.</li></ul><h5>Antitrust Merger Review</h5><ul><li>Obtained merger clearance for a telecommunications company in connection with a $20 billion acquisition, which closed in 2026.</li><li>Navigated ShowingTime Inc., a leading real estate showing management and market stats technology provider, through an extended review by the Federal Trade Commission of its $500 million vertical acquisition by Zillow Group.</li><li>Delivered merger clearances for Unity Technologies Corp. in connection with an asset carve-out acquisition from Weta Digital of certain assets, including its audiovisual effects development and management software tools, for a purchase price of $1.625 billion.</li><li>Advised and obtained merger clearances for Grant Thornton LLP in connection with the sale of its Public Sector Advisory practice to Guidehouse.</li><li>Represented Divvy, a leader in spend management, in its $2.5 billion stock and cash sale to Bill.com. </li><li>Supported NTT, a leading IT infrastructure and services company, in its $330 million cash sale of WhiteHat Security to Synopsys, Inc.</li><li>Represented Continental Building Products, a North American leader in wallboard and joint compound materials, in negotiations to secure antitrust approvals for its sale to Saint-Gobain. The transaction cleared without a second request investigation.</li><li>Assisted The Walt Disney Co. in its $71 billion acquisition of certain businesses from 21st Century Fox.</li><li>Represented Canadian aircraft manufacturer Bombardier in connection with the worldwide antitrust clearance of its sale of a controlling interest in the “C Series” line of commercial passenger jets to Airbus. The transaction cleared without any second-phase reviews.</li><li>Regularly assisting third parties in responding to DOJ and FTC outreach and Civil Investigative Demands in connection with merger reviews, and corporate clients with antitrust issues in complex transactions, including collaborations, joint ventures, acquisitions, and mergers.</li></ul><h5>Antitrust Litigation</h5><ul><li>Representing Beeline Loans in federal antitrust litigation alleging price fixing and information sharing in connection with use of Optimal Blue software.</li><li>Defending Otter Tail Corp. and its subsidiaries in federal antitrust litigation alleging price fixing and information sharing through third-party market newsletter.</li><li>Supporting Verizon Communications in federal antitrust litigation alleging antitrust violations brought by VoIP-Pal.</li><li>Defending BJMC Global in federal antitrust litigation alleging non-solicitation agreements and wage fixing in violation of antitrust laws.</li><li>Representing Glenmark Pharmaceuticals in a federal antitrust multidistrict litigation alleging price fixing and market allocation of generic drugs by manufacturers of generic drugs.</li><li>Assisting Nexstar Media Group, America’s largest local television and media company, in federal antitrust litigation alleging price fixing in television advertising.</li><li>Counseled a leading international financial institution in multiple, sprawling class action lawsuits alleging a global conspiracy by some of the world’s largest banks to manipulate the interbank offer rate (IBOR) benchmark for multiple currencies.</li></ul>

Megan Gerking

Aaron Scheinman is an associate in MoFo’s global Antitrust Law Practice Group.Aaron represents clients in a variety of antitrust matters, including complex civil litigation, government investigations, and all phases of the merger review process before federal and state enforcers. He helps companies identify and navigate antitrust risks created by new and evolving technologies, with experience in matters relating to artificial intelligence, online platforms, and the interplay between IP rights and antitrust claims.His active pro bono practice includes litigation in state and federal courts protecting tenants’ rights and the right to vote.Prior to joining the firm, Aaron received his J.D. with honors from the Georgetown University Law Center, where he was a technology law and policy scholar and the articles editor of The Georgetown Law Technology Review. During law school, he interned at the Federal Trade Commission and the Federal District Court for the District of New Hampshire. He earned a B.S summa cum laude in economics with a minor in computer science from the University of New Hampshire.

Aaron Scheinman

Jeremy Mandell is the lead of our Financial Services Group. His practice focuses on financial services regulation, with particular attention to payment and emerging payment issues.Jeremy advises bank, non-bank, and fintech clients on financial services regulatory issues, including issues arising under the Electronic Fund Transfer Act, the Truth in Lending Act, and the Equal Credit Opportunity Act. He has particular experience working on issues related to interbank and emerging payments systems, including blockchain-based payment solutions and stablecoin platforms. He has counseled clients with award-winning apps and innovative products and services on complex issues, bringing a practical, broad-market perspective to product development, ongoing compliance needs, and regulatory engagement.He also has extensive experience working with banks and non-banks on strategic partnerships. As partnerships between banks and fintechs become more prevalent, Jeremy draws on this experience to advise clients on the financial services regulatory and commercial issues that arise in the context of these partnerships.Jeremy is co-editor of The Consumer Finance Law Review, surveying the legal and regulatory approaches to consumer finance law in jurisdictions around the world. In 2025, Jeremy was elected to the American College of Consumer Financial Services as a new Fellow for his numerous published and teaching contributions to the space.Before joining Morrison Foerster, he served as a senior financial services analyst at the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System in the Division of Reserve Bank Operations and Payment Systems, where he focused on policy issues related to large-value payments systems. Jeremy leverages this experience to advise clients on various legal and regulatory issues.Jeremy earned his J.D. from The George Washington University Law School in 2010. He earned his M.A. in applied economics from Johns Hopkins University in 2004 and his B.A in economics and international relations from Lehigh University in 2001.

Jeremy Mandell

Lead of Financial Services Group

Michael Scheiner is an associate in Morrison Foerster’s New York office and a member of the Financial Services Group.Michael advises banks, Fintech companies, and other financial service providers on a wide range of regulatory and transactional matters, with particular emphasis on payment platforms and deposit products and solutions.Prior to joining the firm, Michael was a senior vice president and associate general counsel at one of the largest regional banks in the country. Prior to his in-house practice, Michael also previously spent time as an associate at another law firm in New York.Michael holds a J.D. from the Maurice A. Dean School of Law at Hofstra University, where he particated in the Hofstra Labor and Empolyment Law Journal. He obtained a B.A. in political science from Yale Universtiy.

Michael Scheiner

James Koukios is co-chair of Morrison Foerster’s Investigations + White Collar Defense Group and also serves as co-head of the FCPA + Global Anti-Corruption Practice. James represents companies and individuals in high-stakes government enforcement actions and complex internal investigations. He has handled matters across a wide range of jurisdictions including Brazil, China, Greece, India, Russia, Venezuela, and Vietnam, among others. James draws on his experience as a federal prosecutor, when he tried over 20 federal jury cases and supervised hundreds of white collar investigations, to obtain the best results for his clients. He is consistently praised for his judgment and advocacy in complex investigations and enforcement actions. Chambers USA notes that he is “super experienced with excellent judgement regarding what the government is looking for and concerned about,“ while Chambers Global describes James as, “a forceful advocate when appearing before the government.”Before joining Morrison Foerster, James spent 10 years at the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), beginning as an Assistant United States Attorney in Miami and finishing as Senior Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section in Washington, D.C., where he supervised investigations, prosecutions, and resolutions in the Fraud Section’s FCPA, Health Care Fraud, and Market Integrity and Major Fraud Units. While at DOJ, James investigated and prosecuted health care fraud, procurement fraud, domestic and foreign corruption, money laundering, and export control offenses, working closely with state, federal, and foreign law enforcement officials, as well as the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the U.S. Departments of Defense, State, and Commerce, and intelligence agencies.While at DOJ, James assisted in drafting the widely acclaimed DOJ and SEC joint publication A Resource Guide to the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, which followed a series of consultations with business and compliance leaders. He was also a lead examiner for the Phase 2 examination of Russia’s compliance with the Anti-Bribery Convention of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).James has been recognized as: a leading lawyer in FCPA (Nationwide and Global) by Chambers USA and Chambers Global; a recommended lawyer for corporate investigations and white collar defense by Legal 500; an “Expert” and a “Thought Leader” in investigations by Who’s Who Legal; and an “Attorney Who Matters” by the Ethisphere Institute for making an impact in the area of ethics and compliance. He also received the Assistant Attorney General’s Distinguished Service Award in recognition for his work on two landmark FCPA-related trials: United States v. Esquenazi and United States v. Duperval. James also served as a lead prosecutor in United States v. AEY Inc., a defense procurement fraud and export licensing case that served as the basis for the 2016 film War Dogs.James is a recognized thought leader on the latest legal trends and industry developments. Chambers Global notes that, “James has a keen ability to distill trends and enforcement down to their core. He is a crisp thinker and discerning with regards to the market.” He is the lead editor of our award-winning monthly newsletter, Top 10 International Anti-Corruption Developments, which succinctly summarizes important case and policy developments for busy in-house counsel, compliance professionals, and anti-corruption lawyers. James also served as an adjunct professor of trial advocacy at the Georgetown University Law Center for over 10 years and regularly guest lectures at leading law and business schools on investigations, white collar enforcement, and anti-corruption issues.<h4>Selected Significant Representations</h4><h5>FCPA and Global Anti-Corruption</h5><ul><li>Successful resolution of a transnational bribery investigation of a multinational pharmaceutical company, securing cooperation credit, avoiding the imposition of a corporate compliance monitor, and negotiating a deferred prosecution agreement with DOJ and an administrative resolution with the SEC.</li><li>Successful representation of a multinational medical device company in conducting an internal investigation into allegations of bribery in Vietnam that led to a deferred prosecution agreement with DOJ.</li><li>Representation of an international consulting firm in extensive, government-facing international corruption and money laundering investigations involving China, India, and other jurisdictions.</li><li>Representation of a multinational automotive company in an internal investigation into allegations of bribery in its Latin America operations and antitrust violations and whistleblower retaliation in its U.S. operations.</li><li>Representation of a consumer retail company in an internal investigation into allegations of bribery in its Indonesian operations.</li><li>Representation of business executives in government-facing FCPA investigations involving Brazil, China, Venezuela, and other jurisdictions.</li><li>FCPA legal advice, anti-corruption counseling, transactional due diligence, and post-acquisition integration advice to multinational corporations in several industries, including defense, extractive, financial services, food, gaming, health care, and technology.</li><li>Review of a multinational company’s compliance management system in connection with the spin-off of a subsidiary and investigations by multiple enforcement agencies.</li></ul><h5>Consumer Protection and Product Safety</h5><ul><li>Successful representation of a multinational consumer electronics company in the first-ever corporate criminal resolution of an alleged Consumer Product Safety Act (CPSA) violation, securing cooperation credit, avoiding the imposition of a corporate compliance monitor, and negotiating a deferred prosecution agreement for the parent company with DOJ.</li><li>Representation of a multinational vehicle manufacturer in a criminal CPSA investigation being led by DOJ’s Consumer Protection Branch.</li><li>Representation of the CEO of a consumer electronics company in a criminal CPSA investigation being led by DOJ’s Consumer Protection Branch.</li><li>Representation of the Supervisory Board of a car manufacturer in an investigation by DOJ, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the California Air Resources Board, SEC, various state Attorneys General, German Prosecutors and the German vehicle admissions agency into potential violations of environmental, capital markets, consumer protection, antitrust and criminal laws.</li></ul><h5>Other White Collar and Civil Fraud Defense Matters</h5><ul><li>Representation of a multinational technology company in responding to a subpoena issued by the U.S. House of Representatives’ Judiciary Committee related to an investigation into alleged suppression or restriction of conservative opinions through “content moderation” policies on social media platforms.</li><li>Successful representation of a multinational defense contractor in conducting an internal investigation that led to a declination from the State Department for potential International Trafficking in Arms Regulation (ITAR) violations without referral to DOJ.</li><li>Representation of a consumer retail company in a DOJ insider trading investigation.</li><li>Representation of a company and several of its employees in connection with a DOJ mortgage fraud investigation.</li><li>Representation of Anthony Ornato, a former senior career civil servant who served as White House Deputy Chief of Staff of Operations, in the January 6 Select Committee investigation and related government investigations.</li><li>Representation of two former high-level executives of a public company in internal and external investigations concerning allegations of fraud, misuse of company funds, record violations, and disclosure violations and in a derivative lawsuit in the Delaware Chancery Court regarding alleged violations of fiduciary duty, corporate waste, and unjust enrichment.</li><li>Representation of business executives in anti-money-laundering, criminal securities fraud, whistleblower retaliation, government procurement fraud, and other DOJ investigations.</li><li>Defended independent directors against breach-of-fiduciary-duty claims in federal bankruptcy court, successfully moving to dismiss all claims against the directors with prejudice.</li></ul>

James Koukios é co-líder do grupo de Contencioso de Valores Mobiliários e Defesa de Colarinho Branco e atua como co-líder global do grupo FCPA (Foreign Corrupt Practices Act) + Anticorrupção. James representa empresas e indivíduos em ações governamentais de alto risco e investigações internas complexas.James, um experiente advogado de litígios e ex-promotor federal, litigou mais de 20 casos federais de júri, inclusive sendo o principal promotor em dois julgamentos históricos relacionados à FCPA: Estados Unidos v. Esquenazi e Estados Unidos v. Duperval. James também atuou como promotor-chefe nocaso Estados Unidos v. AEY Inc., um caso de fraude de aquisição de defesa e licenciamento de exportação que serviu de base para o filme de 2016 chamado "Cães de Guerra".<h4>Casos Representativos</h4><ul><li>Representou empresas multinacionais de dispositivos médicos e farmacêuticos em investigações da FCPA perante o governo.</li><li>Representou empresas e organizações multinacionais em vários setores a conduzir investigações internas sobre possíveis violações de FCPA, ITAR, sobre informações privilegiadas, entre outras violações.</li><li>Representou uma empresa e vários de seus funcionários em investigações do Conselho Especial.</li><li>Representou uma empresa de produtos de consumo em uma investigação criminal de segurança de produtos perante o governo.</li><li>Forneceu consultoria jurídica sobre FCPA, consultoria anticorrupção, due diligence transacional e consultoria de integração pós-aquisição a empresas multinacionais em vários setores, incluindo defesa, extração, serviços financeiros, alimentos, assistência médica e tecnologia.</li><li>Representou indivíduos em casos de investigações anti-corrupção, lavagem de dinheiro, fraude criminal em valores mobiliários, retaliação de denunciantes, fraude de compras do governo, dentre outras.</li><li>Defendeu conselheiros independentes contra reclamações por quebra de obrigações fiduciárias no tribunal federal de falências.</li></ul>Antes de ingressar na Morrison Foerster, James trabalhou  por 10 anos no Departamento de Justiça dos Estados Unidos, começando sua carreira como Advogado Assistente dos Estados Unidos em Miami e encerrando seu mandato no Departamento de Justiça como Chefe Adjunto de Seção de Fraude da Divisão Criminal em Washington, DC, onde supervisionou investigações, processos e resoluções na Seção de Fraude em FCPA, Fraude em Assistência Médica, e em Valores Mobiliários e na Unidade de Fraude Financeira. Enquanto estava no Departamento de Justiça, James investigou e processou fraudes na área da saúde, fraude de compras, corrupção doméstica e estrangeira, lavagem de dinheiro e infrações de controle de exportação, trabalhando em estreita colaboração com autoridades estaduais, federais e estrangeiras, bem como a Comissão de Valores Mobiliários dos Estados Unidos (SEC); Departamentos de Defesa, Estado e Comércio dos Estados Unidos; e agências de inteligência. Ele ajudou na redação da amplamente divulgada publicação conjunta da SEC e do Departamento de Justiça, “Guia de Recursos da Lei de Práticas de Corrupção no Exterior dos Estados Unidos (“A Resource Guide to the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act”), que seguiu uma série de consultas com os líderes de negócios e conformidade. Ele também foi examinador principal da Fase 2 da avaliação de conformidade da da Rússia com a Convenção Anti-suborno da Organização para Cooperação e Desenvolvimento Econômico (OCDE).De 2010 a 2011, James atuou como consultor especial do então diretor do FBI Robert S. Mueller, III, assessorando o diretor e outros executivos do FBI em questões de política criminal, preparando a Diretoria Executiva do FBI para testemunhar perante o Congresso, representando o FBI em reuniões entre agências e atuando como uma ligação entre o FBI e outros componentes do Departamento de Justiça.James foi reconhecido como um dos principais advogados da FCPA, nacional e globalmente, pela Chambers USA e pela Chambers Global, "recomendado" para investigações corporativas e advocacia de colarinho branco pelo Legal 500, um "especialista" e um "líder de pensamento" nas investigações do Who is Who Legal e um "advogado que importa" pelo Instituto Ethisphere por ter um impacto na área de ética e conformidade. Ele também recebeu o Prêmio de Serviço Distinto do Procurador Geral em reconhecimento ao seu trabalho nos julgamentos de Esquenazi e Duperval durante seu período no Departamento de Justiça.James é professor adjunto de defesa de julgamento no Centro de Direito da Universidade de Georgetown e é regularmente convidado para palestras nas principais faculdades de administração e direito sobre investigações, fiscalização de colarinho branco e questões anticorrupção.

James Koukios es copresidente del grupo de Litigios de Valores, Aplicación de la Ley y Defensa de Cuello Blanco de la firma y se desempeña como codirector global del grupo de FCPA (Foreign Corrupt Practices Act) + Anticorrupción de la firma. James representa a empresas e individuos en acciones gubernamentales de alto riesgo e investigaciones internas complejas.James, un abogado con experiencia litigando y ex fiscal federal, ha litigado más de 20 casos de jurado federal, incluyendo ser el fiscal principal en dos juicios históricos relacionados con la FCPA: Estados Unidos v. Esquenazi y Estados Unidos v. Duperval. James también se desempeñó como fiscal principal en Estados Unidos v. AEY Inc., un caso de fraude de adquisición de defensa y licencias de exportación que sirvió de base para la película de 2016 llamada “War Dogs”.<h4>Experiencia Representativa</h4><ul><li>Representó a compañías multinacionales de dispositivos médicos y farmacéuticos en investigaciones de la FCPA ante el gobierno.</li><li>Asistió a compañías y organizaciones multinacionales en varios sectores llevando a cabo investigaciones internas sobre posibles FCPA, ITAR, abuso de información privilegiada y otras violaciones.</li><li>Representó a una empresa y a varios de sus empleados en relación con las investigaciones sobre delitos de investigación del Consejo Especial.</li><li>Representó a una compañía de productos de consumo en una investigación criminal de seguridad de productos del gobierno.</li><li>Brindó asesoramiento legal de FCPA, asesoramiento anticorrupción, diligencia debida transaccional y asesoramiento de integración posterior a la adquisición a corporaciones multinacionales en varias industrias, incluyendo defensa, extracción, servicios financieros, alimentos, atención médica y tecnología.</li><li>Representó a personas en anticorrupción, anti-lavado de dinero, fraude de valores criminales, represalias de denunciantes, fraude de compras gubernamentales y otras investigaciones.</li><li>Defendió a directores independientes contra demandas por incumplimiento de obligaciones fiduciarias en un tribunal federal de quiebras.</li></ul>Antes de unirse a Morrison Foerster, James trabajó 10 años en el Departamento de Justicia de los Estados Unidos, comenzando su carrera como Asistente del Fiscal de los Estados Unidos en Miami y terminando su mandato en el Departamento de Justicia como Subjefe Principal de la Sección de Fraude de la División Criminal en Washington, D.C., donde supervisó investigaciones, enjuiciamientos y resoluciones en la FCPA de la Sección de Fraude, Fraude de Atención Médica y Unidades de Valores y Fraude Financiero. Mientras estuvo en el Departamento de Justicia, James investigó y procesó el fraude a la atención médica, el fraude de adquisiciones, la corrupción nacional y extranjera, el lavado de dinero y los delitos de control de exportaciones, trabajando en estrecha colaboración con los funcionarios estatales, federales y extranjeros encargados de hacer cumplir la ley, así como con la Comisión de Bolsa y Valores de EE. UU. (SEC); Departamentos de Defensa, Estado y Comercio de los Estados Unidos; y agencias de inteligencia. Asistió en la redacción de la publicación conjunta del Departamento de Justicia y la SEC, ampliamente aclamada, “Guía de recursos de la Ley de prácticas corruptas en el extranjero de EE. UU.” (“A Resource Guide to the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act”), que siguió a una serie de consultas con líderes empresariales y de cumplimiento. También fue un examinador principal para el examen de Fase 2 del cumplimiento de Rusia con la Convención Antisoborno de la Organización para la Cooperación y el Desarrollo Económico (OCDE).De 2010 a 2011, James se desempeñó como Asesor Especial del entonces Director del FBI Robert S. Mueller, III, asesorando al Director y a otros ejecutivos del FBI sobre cuestiones de política criminal, preparando a la Dirección Ejecutiva del FBI para el testimonio ante el Congreso, representando al FBI en las reuniones interinstitucionales, y actuando como enlace entre el FBI y otros componentes del Departamento de Justicia.James ha sido reconocido como abogado líder en FCPA tanto nacionalmente como globalmente por Chambers USA y Chambers Global, "recomendado" para investigaciones corporativas y defensa de cuello blanco por Legal 500, un "experto" y un "líder de pensamiento" en investigaciones de Who's Who Legal, y un "Abogado que importa" por Ethisphere Institute por tener un impacto en el área de ética y cumplimiento. También recibió el Premio al Servicio Distinguido del Fiscal General Adjunto en reconocimiento por su trabajo en los juicios de Esquenazi y Duperval durante su tiempo en el Departamento de Justicia.James es profesor adjunto de defensa de juicios en el Centro de Leyes de la Universidad de Georgetown y regularmente es invitado a conferencias en las principales escuelas de derecho y de negocios sobre investigaciones, aplicación de cuello blanco y temas anticorrupción.

James Koukios

Rachel Davidson Raycraft is an associate in the Litigation Department of Morrison Foerster’s Washington, D.C., office.Rachel has particular experience in corruption prevention and compliance. Prior to joining the firm, Rachel worked as an anti-corruption consultant at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Corruption and Economic Crime Branch, where she supported the implementation and management of global anti-corruption initiatives and assisted state parties in meeting their obligations under the United Nations Convention against Corruption. Rachel also served as a Fellow with the World Economic Forum Global Future Council on Transparency and Anti‑Corruption. After graduating from law school, Rachel clerked for the Honorable Judge Bernard A. Friedman of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.During law school, Rachel was a legal intern with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Criminal Division, Fraud Section, and worked as a summer associate at Morrison Foerster.Rachel received her J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law, where she was an editor for the Virginia Journal of International Law, president of the Public Interest Law Association, and a Human Rights Program coordinator.Rachel received her M.P.P. from the University of Virginia Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy, where she was a member of the Public Policy Global Honor Society. Rachel graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Lafayette College with her B.A. in government & law and international affairs.

Rachel Davidson Raycraft

Liam Bowers is an associate in the Government Contracts practice in Morrison Foerster’s New York office.Liam received his J.D. from the George Washington University Law School with high honors and a concentration in Government Procurement Law. He served as a member of the Public Contract Law Journal and was the recipient of the 2022 Murray J. Schooner Scholarship for Government Procurement Law. While in law school, he served as judicial intern to Judge Thompson Michael Dietz in the United States Court of Federal Claims and as a summer law clerk in the Department of the Navy, Office of General Counsel. Before joining the firm, he worked as a transactional associate at a leading law firm in New York.Liam received a B.A. in political science with a minor in environmental systems from the University of California, San Diego.

Liam Bowers

Felix Helmstaedter possesses more than fifteen years of experience in complex regulatory counselling, compliance, and litigation. He advises major companies, public sector entities, and innovative businesses on EU and German regulatory law, with a particular focus on foreign trade, government contracts, and competition. His clients span a range of industries, including telecoms, digital economy, media, technology, financial services, healthcare, energy, and transportation (automotive, e-mobility, public transport, and railway). Felix regularly represents clients in administrative proceedings and public and civil law disputes before national and European authorities and courts, including in public procurement matters and bid protests.His specific experience in foreign trade matters comprises EU sanctions and export control compliance counselling, representation of Asian or U.S. investors in foreign investment control clearance proceedings, and other complex matters involving cybersecurity or further national security concerns.Felix also oversees large-scale internal investigation or regulatory law-driven transactional projects and is particularly experienced in providing strategic advice to market entrants and representing clients in sophisticated multiparty negotiations.As a member of our leading global National Security, Sanctions and Export Control, Government Contracts, and Antitrust practice groups, Felix works closely with high-ranking experts across three continents.Felix regularly lectures at the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. His dissertation deals with the market regulation issues of liberalizing the railway sector.Felix studied in Berlin (Dr. iur.) and Geneva, Switzerland (“Certificate in Transnational Law”). He worked as an intern in the Hearing Office of the European Commission (Directorate-General for Competition) in Brussels and at the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (Department of Competition, Regulation and Privatization Policy) in Berlin.<h4>REPRESENTATIVE EXPERIENCE*</h4><h5>Foreign Investment, Sanctions and Export Control</h5><ul><li>Advising major global businesses and organizations on sanctions, export control compliance and internal compliance programs.</li><li>Representing companies in sanctions related disputes and litigation.</li><li>Counseling EU companies on conflicts of laws relating to U.S. sanctions and EU or EU Member State blocking laws and regulations.</li><li>Secured foreign investment control clearances in global M&A transactions before the German Ministry of Economics and Energy and coordinated with local counsel in multiple jurisdictions on clearance under local foreign investment and national security laws.</li></ul><h5>Regulatory, Government Contracts, Competition and EU State Aid</h5><ul><li>Advising a public transportation company on regulatory laws and regulations.</li><li>Counseling companies on public tenders and bid protests.</li><li>Assisted a tech startup with market access to build loading infrastructure for electric vehicles.</li><li>Advised private railway companies on track access, public tenders and EU state aid matters.</li></ul><h5>Compliance and Investigations</h5><ul><li>Advising a major OEM regarding diesel emissions.</li><li>Conducted an internal investigation at a healthcare company in relation to government contracts, and represented the client successfully in a bid protest and follow-on litigation.</li><li>Conducted multinational government contracts compliance review and associated risk assessment for a Fortune Global 500 company, including recommending process improvements and policy changes.</li><li>Conducted a multinational compliance review regarding conflicts of interest and anti-kickback policies.</li></ul><h5>Transactions</h5><ul><li>Represented 1&1/United Internet in negotiations and advised on establishing the European netID Foundation together with ProSiebenSat.1 and RTL.</li><li>Supported U.S. satellite network operator Planet Labs, Inc. during the acquisition of the German satellite system RapidEye.</li><li>Assisted a Chinese investor in the acquisition of Bochumer Verein, a steel manufacturer with plants in Germany and Brazil, from Georgsmarienhütte.</li><li>Represented Viacom in negotiations and advised on establishing the television and video ad sales marketing joint venture “Visoon” with Axel Springer.</li></ul> * includes prior law firm experience

Dr. Felix Helmstädter berät seine Mandanten seit über fünfzehn Jahren zu komplexen Fragestellungen des Regulierungsrechts, bei Transaktionen sowie bei Compliance-Verstößen und vertritt sie in Verwaltungs- und Gerichtsverfahren.Zu seinen Mandanten zählen führende nationale und internationale Unternehmen, Unternehmen der öffentlichen Hand und neue, innovative Marktteilnehmer. Er berät diese sowohl strategisch als auch in Verhandlungen oder streitigen Auseinandersetzungen in zahlreichen Bereichen des europäischen und deutschen Regulierungsrechts, mit einem besonderen Fokus auf Fragen des Außenwirtschaftsrechts, Vergabe- und Beihilferechts sowie Wettbewerbsrechts.Besondere branchenspezifische Kenntnisse besitzt Dr. Felix Helmstädter in den Sektoren Telekommunikation, Digitalwirtschaft, Big Data, Medien, Technologie, Finanzdienstleistungen, Gesundheit, Energie und Transport (Automotive, E-Mobility, Öffentlicher Nahverkehr und Eisenbahn).Er vertritt seine Mandanten regelmäßig in Verwaltungs- und Bußgeldverfahren sowie verwaltungs- und zivilgerichtlichen Prozessen vor nationalen sowie europäischen Behörden und Gerichten. Hierzu zählt auch die Vertretung bei vergaberechtlichen Streitigkeiten und Nachprüfungsverfahren sowie in Investitions- und Fusionskontrollverfahren.Seine spezifische Expertise in Außenhandelsfragen umfasst die Compliance mit EU-Sanktionen und Exportkontrollanforderungen, insbesondere auch im Verhältnis zum US-Sanktions- und Exportkontrollrecht. Dr. Felix Helmstädter vertritt zudem vor allem asiatische und US-amerikanische Investoren bei Verfahren zur Genehmigung ausländischer Investitionen und berät zu komplexen Fragen der Cybersicherheit etwa im telekommunikationsrechtlichen oder außenwirtschaftsrechtlichen Kontext.Weitere Beratungsschwerpunkte von Dr. Felix Helmstädter sind die Koordinierung und Durchführung von umfangreichen internen Ermittlungen, die Beratung zu vergaberechtlicher und beihilfenrechtlicher Compliance, die Betreuung von regulierungsrechtlich geprägten M&A-Transaktionen, sowie die strategische Beratung etwa in Fragen des Marktzugangs oder die Verhandlungsführung bei komplexen Vertragsprojekten.Als Mitglied der führenden globalen Praxisgruppen National Security, Sanctions and Export Control; Government Contracts; und Antitrust arbeitet Dr. Felix Helmstädter eng mit hochrangigen Experten über drei Kontinente hinweg zusammen.Er lehrt an der Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. Seine Dissertation behandelt marktordnungsrechtliche Fragen der Liberalisierung des Eisenbahnsektors.Dr. Felix Helmstädter studierte in Berlin (Dr. iur.) und Genf (Certificat de Droit Transnational). Während seines Referendariats arbeitete er u.a. im Hearing Office der Europäischen Kommission, Generaldirektion Wettbewerb (Brüssel) sowie im Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Technologie, Referat für Wettbewerbs-, Regulierungs- und Privatisierungspolitik (Berlin).

Felix Helmstädter

An antitrust specialist with more than 15 years of experience, Marie-Claire advises clients on merger control and foreign investment aspects of complex global transactions, investigations, abuse of dominance, and complex vertical agreements. Drawing on this expertise, she also chairs the firm’s cross-practice Government Strategies group.She has advised corporate clients and financial investors across a range of sectors including technology, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, energy, retail, healthcare, sports rights and industrials. In addition to coordinating complex multi-jurisdictional advice and delivering EU and other global merger control and foreign investment clearances, she has extensive UK CMA experience, having acted for clients on a number of complex CMA investigations, both at Phase 1 and Phase 2 and having delivered multiple informal CMA clearances. She regularly advises on CMA engagement strategy in global deals.She also regularly counsels clients in relation to compliance across all aspects of competition law, including horizontal and vertical commercial agreements and dominance. She has also represented clients before the EU and UK regulators in relation to both cartels and abuse of dominance as well as in the context of market investigations.Marie-Claire is recognized in each of the annual editions of Who’s Who Legal: Competition – Future Leaders from 2017 to 2024.<h4>Representative Experience</h4><ul><li>Advising Unity Technologies in relation to its $4.4B Acquisition of ironSource</li></ul><ul><li>Advising Nikon Corporation, a globally active Japanese manufacturer of optical technology solutions, in connection with the public takeover of SLM Solutions Group AG, a Lübeck-based manufacturer of metal 3D printers</li><li>Advising SoftBank in Connection with $3.4 Billion Combination of Eutelsat and OneWeb</li><li>Advising Endurance Acquisition Corp in connection with its investment in Satixfy</li><li>Advising a major record label in relation to a CMA market study into music streaming</li><li>Advising a major energy company and fund manager, active in retail, generation and fund management in relation to the merger control and foreign investment aspects of strategic investment</li><li>Advising a global software company in relation to a CMA merger control investigation into its acquisition of a key competitor</li><li>Advising a UK grocery retailer in relation to a CMA investigation into a failed merger between two of the four major UK grocery retailers</li><li>Advising a consortium of financial investors on the global merger control and UK and foreign public interest aspects of a takeover of UK-based satellite telecommunications company</li></ul>

Marie-Claire Strawbridge

Alexander Eisenfeld advises clients on a broad range of EU and German regulatory issues. His practice focuses on foreign trade law, government contracts, and EU state aid law, as well as on general regulatory law compliance for industry and technology clients. Recent matters particularly involve compliance with economic sanctions and the control of foreign direct investments, regulatory law due diligence, and advice to clients during public tender proceedings and on competition law issues. His industry experience comprises, among others, banking and financial services, (tele)communications, media and digital service providers, critical technologies such as semiconductors, and transport. Alexander studied law at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and King’s College, London (LL.M.). Prior to joining Morrison Foerster, he worked as a research assistant at three renowned international law firms in the fields of antitrust and state aid and on regulatory matters. During his legal clerkship, he worked in the public procurement department of the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy as well as the Federal German Embassy in Nairobi. Alexander also acted as managing director of a nonprofit organization in the educational sector.Alexander is a senior associate at Morrison Foerster’s German office in Berlin.

Alexander Eisenfeld berät Mandanten zum europäischen und deutschen Marktordnungsrecht, insbesondere zu Fragen des Außenhandelsrechts, des Vergabe- und EU-Beihilfenrechts sowie zur Compliance mit regulatorischen Anforderungen in verschiedenen Industrie- und Technologiebereichen. Seine Beratung umfasst die Compliance von Unternehmen mit sanktionsrechtlichen Regimen, die Investitionskontrolle, regulatorische Due Diligence bei Unternehmenstransaktionen sowie vergabe- und wettbewerbsrechtliche Fragestellungen. Über branchenspezifische Erfahrungen verfügt er unter anderem in den Sektoren Banken und Finanzdienstleister, Telekommunikation, Medien und digitale Dienstleister, kritische Technologien, etwa im Bereich der Halbleiterindustrie, sowie Transport und Verkehr.Alexander Eisenfeld studierte Rechtswissenschaft an der Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin sowie am King’s College, London (LL.M.). Promotionsbegleitend sammelte er als wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter bei drei renommierten Wirtschaftssozietäten Erfahrung in den Bereichen Kartellrecht, staatliche Beihilfen und Regulierung. Im Rahmen seines Referendariats arbeitete er unter anderem im Vergaberechtsreferat des Bundesministeriums für Wirtschaft und Energie sowie in der deutschen Botschaft in Nairobi. Alexander Eisenfeld war zudem als Geschäftsführer einer gemeinnützigen Organisation im Bildungssektor tätig.Alexander Eisenfeld ist Senior Associate des deutschen Büros von Morrison Foerster in Berlin.