Morrison Foerster is an international law firm with lawyers practicing throughout the United States, Asia, and Europe. Click to discover more.

mofo_share_image.jpg

Morrison Foerster

common-default.jpeg

Terms / Notices

Cookies

Privacy Policy

Reporting Hotline

Attorney Advertising

Alumni

  Linkedin

MoFo LinkedIN

  Facebook

MoFo Facebook

YouTube

MoFo Youtube

Morrison Foerster - Footer

125 MoFo Attorneys Named to Best Lawyers in America 2027

You have not solved the recaptcha challenge yet or session expired, try again.

Email Disclaimer

Disclaimer

Unsolicited e-mails and information sent to Morrison Foerster will not be considered confidential, may be disclosed to others pursuant to our <a href="https://www.mofo.com/about/privacy-policy.html">Privacy Policy</a>, may not receive a response, and do not create an attorney-client relationship with Morrison Foerster. If you are not already a client of Morrison Foerster, do not include any confidential information in this message. Also, please note that our attorneys do not seek to practice law in any jurisdiction in which they are not properly authorized to do so.

Feedback

mofo-logo-2022.svg

People

Capabilities

Resources

About

Community

Offices

Careers

Stay Connected

Morrison Foerster achieved significant recognition in the 2027 edition of Best Lawyers in America, with 125 attorneys receiving...

<h3>Sorry, we weren’t able to find the terms you entered.</h3>Please try a different term or keyword.

People

Capabilities

Resources

Not Found Cards

About Morrison Foerster

people-default-header-desktop.jpg

people-default-header-mobile.jpg

Default Meta Data

Morrison Foerster achieved significant recognition in the 2027 edition of Best Lawyers in America, with 125 attorneys receiving 207 individual accolades across practices and offices in the United States.Four MoFo attorneys received “Lawyer of the Year” designations, including:<ul><li>Daralyn J. Durie – Litigation - Patent</li><li>Brian C. Nash – Litigation - Intellectual Property</li><li>Brian M. Kramer – Litigation - Patent</li><li>Anna Erickson White – Litigation - Securities</li></ul>Nine MoFo attorneys were recognized as “Best Lawyers” for the first time in the 2027 edition, including:<ul><li>Eliot A. Adelson – Litigation - Antitrust</li><li>Jeffrey Jaeckel – Antitrust Law</li><li>Erik G. Knudsen – Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law</li><li>Bradley S. Lui – Energy Law</li><li>Brian R. Matsui – Appellate Practice; Litigation - Patent</li><li>Tara K. McGrath – Criminal Defense: White-Collar</li><li>Kevin P. Mullen – Government Contracts</li><li>Karen G. Potter – Litigation - Patent</li><li>Nathan D. Taylor – Privacy and Data Security Law</li></ul>A further 41 MoFo attorneys were recognized as “Ones to Watch”.Established in 1983, Best Lawyers is one of the oldest and most respected peer‑review publications in the legal profession. Lawyers are selected based on receiving the highest overall peer feedback. Only one lawyer for each specialty and location is designated as a Lawyer of the Year.View the <a href="https://www.bestlawyers.com/" target="_blank">complete list of this year’s rankings</a>.

125 MoFo Attorneys Named to Best Lawyers in America 2027

Sign Up

Daralyn Durie is among the top trial lawyers in the country, acting as go-to trial counsel for both plaintiffs and defendants. Daralyn’s exceptional track record has earned her consistent recognition from leading national publications. Chambers has listed her among the top 10 intellectual property lawyers in the U.S. and Law360 has recognized her as an “Icon of IP” and an MVP. Benchmark Litigation reported that “going against her was like going against a boxer in which you know you’re going to get hurt.” She’s a fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers, a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, and an inductee into the California Trial Lawyer Hall of Fame.Daralyn’s legal career began at Berkeley Law, followed by a clerkship for the Honorable Douglas Ginsburg on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. She became a partner at a litigation boutique in 1999 and, in 2009, co-founded Durie Tangri, a premier litigation boutique that later combined with Morrison Foerster in 2023.In addition to her courtroom successes, Daralyn is actively involved in the legal community. She is a board member of the National Women’s Law Center, a past president of the Northern California Association of Business Trial Lawyers, and served as an adjunct professor at Berkeley Law, where she taught civil trial advocacy.Life SciencesDaralyn has decades of experience in the life sciences sector. She spearheaded the enforcement of Genentech’s Cabilly family of patents, which generated billions of dollars in licensing revenue. She served as lead counsel in the Herceptin biosimilar litigation and recently achieved a plaintiff-side jury verdict of $178 million in a patent infringement case involving melanoma therapy.TechnologyIn the tech sector, Daralyn recently won defense jury verdicts for Aptiv (USB hubs), Activision (in the Eastern District of Texas), and Redbubble. She served as lead counsel for Google, defending Google Books from copyright infringement claims. Following extensive litigation on copyright and antitrust issues, Google prevailed on summary judgment, resulting in Daralyn being named an Attorney of the Year by California Lawyer magazine.

Daralyn Durie

Partner

Brian Nash serves as Practice Group Chair of Morrison Foerster’s global Intellectual Property Litigation Group, and Co-Chair of the firm’s cross-disciplinary Intellectual Property Group. With over 200 cases litigated in Texas alone, Brian brings a wealth of experience to high-stakes disputes in some of the nation’s most active intellectual property jurisdictions. His practice extends nationally, encompassing district courts, the PTAB, the ITC, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Brian has represented Fortune 50 clients in matters involving patents, trademarks, trade secrets, and copyrights.Brian’s recent work exemplifies his ability to deliver outstanding results for clients facing complex, high-value IP disputes. Among his notable achievements, he secured a complete summary judgment win in a case where the opposing party sought over $800 million in damages by attempting to capture royalties across an entire product ecosystem. In another matter, he obtained a highly favorable settlement in a 10-patent case, leveraging an aggressive early motion strategy to reach resolution. Brian has also advanced client interests as plaintiff’s counsel in a major competitor-v.-competitor case. He has delivered several dispositive wins that resolved major cases without any damages paid, further establishing his reputation as highly sought-after counsel for leading technology companies. Additionally, Brian recently won dismissal with prejudice in a case based on a motion to dismiss for patent invalidity under Section 101, underscoring his skill in legal writing and strategic advocacy.Brian’s technical acumen is grounded in his experience as a registered patent attorney and his engineering background. He is known for his ability to analyze and simplify complex technical issues, providing strategic counsel across a broad spectrum of technologies, including semiconductors, programmable logic devices, software, blockchain, e-commerce, digital media, video games, virtual reality, wireless standards, video streaming, aluminum alloy composition, container fabrication, hydrocarbon exploration, search marketing, geolocation, encryption, image processing, organic light-emitting diode (OLED) displays, and liquid crystal displays. Clients value his analytical approach and his capacity to translate intricate technical concepts into effective legal strategies.Widely recognized as a leader in the Texas intellectual property community, Brian has played a pivotal role in shaping the region’s legal landscape. He founded the Honorable Lee Yeakel IP Inn of Court—the first IP-focused Inn of Court in Texas—and currently serves as its president. His commitment to professional service is further demonstrated through his roles as a board member and past president of the Austin Chapter of the Federal Bar Association and as a past president of the Austin Intellectual Property Law Association.<h4>Representative Experience</h4><ul><li>Won a dispositive claim construction ruling that resulted in a dismissal following a Markman hearing before Judge Albright on behalf of a Fortune 50 semiconductor company on a patent related to field programmable gate arrays.</li><li>Won a final written decision holding all claims unpatentable and denying patent owner’s motion to amend in an inter partes review for a Fortune 50 semiconductor company on a patent related to field programmable gate arrays.</li><li>Representing Cimarex Energy Co. in defending against a multi-patent case involving e-fracking technologies.</li><li>Advising Anheuser-Busch in an instituted derivation proceeding related to aluminum alloy composition technology that is pending at the Patent Trial and Appeal Board.</li></ul>

Brian Nash

Chair, IP Litigation Practice

Brian is a trial lawyer focusing primarily on patent litigation, often defending companies accused of patent infringement. His work spans diverse technology areas, such as pharmaceuticals, medical devices, diagnostic tools, and DNA sequencing techniques. He has also represented makers of ultracapacitors, video compression techniques, and wireless technology.Brian has successfully tried cases in U.S. district courts and successfully argued appeals before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. His trial experience includes obtaining a jury verdict of non–infringement for a client sued by a rival for over $100 million, and a bench trial involving a drug with annual sales over $4 billion.Brian is a member of the American Intellectual Property Law Association, Federal Circuit Bar Association, and American Bar Association. He is chair of the board of directors of the Japan Society of San Diego and Tijuana, and past president of the board of directors of the Legal Aid Society of San Diego.In law school, he served as an associate editor of the University of Illinois Law Review and as the first managing editor of the University of Illinois Journal of Law, Technology & Policy.

Brian Kramer

Anna has almost 30 years of experience in securities and other complex, high-stakes civil litigation. She has represented companies, as well as their officers and directors, in securities class actions, derivative suits, merger and acquisition litigation, and general commercial disputes. She also regularly advises boards and management on disclosure and high-profile governance issues. Her clients span a range of industries including technology, life sciences, renewable energy, gaming, and financial services.In recognition of her ability to add real value to clients’ businesses, Anna was named a Client Choice Award winner. She is also recommended by Chambers USA and Legal500 US for securities litigation defense and most recently was honored with Euromoney LMG’s “Outstanding Achievement” award, which is given to a lawyer with an illustrious career and considerable achievements who has earned unanimous market recognition and praise. She was also recently named a “Top Woman Lawyer” in California by Daily Journal and was previously named a “Woman Worth Watching” by Profiles in Diversity Journal in 2014.Anna is also a frequent speaker on securities litigation and corporate governance topics and is regularly quoted in publications such as the Daily Journal, The Recorder, and Law360. Some recent engagements include:<ul><li>Stanford Directors' College</li><li>Practising Law Institute</li><li>Benchmark Women in Litigation</li><li>Women in Securities (WISe)</li><li>Directors Roundtable</li></ul>In addition to her practice, Anna has served on the firm’s executive committee, compensation committee, and board of directors. She has also twice served as a firmwide managing partner, from 2006 to 2009 and 2012 to 2015.Anna received her J.D. from Stanford Law School in 1992. She received her B.A. from University of California, Berkeley, in 1985.Before attending law school, Anna was a Peace Corps volunteer in Cameroon, Central Africa, where she helped start and advise cooperative credit unions.

Anna White

Senior Counsel

Eliot Adelson is a partner in Morrison Foerster’s Global Antitrust Litigation practice where he handles complex legal issues facing clients in jurisdictions around the world. He provides clients with creative strategies for resolving a broad range of disputes, including civil and criminal antitrust litigation and internal and government investigations.Eliot represents clients across a spectrum of industries, including auto parts, major media companies and TV station operators, banking and finance, communications, and software and technology, among others. Eliot has experience providing unique and complex advice across a range of matters, including internal investigations, civil and criminal cartel investigations, and litigation.Before joining Morrison Foerster, Eliot cultivated an international client base across industries and geographies over his 15-year tenure at another global law firm. Japanese companies look to him for his deep knowledge of antitrust matters.Eliot previously served as a Deputy District Attorney for Alameda County in California. He is on the board of the Contra Costa Senior Legal Services and is a member of the Executive Committee for the Antitrust & UCL Section of the California Lawyers Association.<h4 dir="ltr">Representative Experience</h4><ul><li dir="ltr">Murata Manufacturing. Represented Murata, a Japanese electric components manufacturer, in a putative class action alleging that certain electronics manufacturers conspired to fix the prices of inductors.</li><li dir="ltr">Nexstar Media Group. Representing Nexstar in a putative class action alleging that certain television station owners conspired to fix the prices of local television advertising.</li><li>Represented a major publicly traded REIT in a putative class action filed by renters alleging that multifamily property owners engaged in anticompetitive conduct to increase the price of leases across the United States.</li><li dir="ltr">Represented a Japanese manufacturer in connection with the TFT-LCD and CRT price fixing cases.</li><li dir="ltr">Arm Limited. Represented SoftBank Group and Arm Limited on complex antitrust and national security issues arising from NVIDIA’s proposed acquisition of Arm from SoftBank for $65 billion. </li><li dir="ltr">TIBC. Represented Japanese company TIBC in response to an investigation of the semiconductor packaging industry.</li><li dir="ltr">Former CEO of G4S Belgium. Representing the former CEO of G4S who has been indicted by the DOJ’s Antitrust Division related to allegations of a conspiracy to fix prices, rig bids, and allocate customers for certain contracts.</li><li dir="ltr">Conducted an internal investigation for Kobe Steel related to alleged data falsification.</li><li dir="ltr">Represented a group of defendant landowners in a price-fixing case alleging that the defendants fixed prices for land in Solano County.</li><li dir="ltr">Represented a global pharmaceutical company in a price fixing and market allocation investigation.</li><li dir="ltr">Tenneco. Represented Tenneco, a Fortune 500 automotive components manufacturer, in connection with DOJ and other enforcement agencies’ auto parts investigations.</li><li dir="ltr">Represented several individual executives in the DOJ Antitrust Division’s auto parts investigation.</li><li dir="ltr">Represented several individual executives in the DOJ Antitrust Division’s capacitor investigation.</li><li dir="ltr">Toyota Industries Corp. Represented Japanese company Toyota Industries Corporation (TICO) in connection with the DOJ’s second request concerning TICO’s acquisition of Cascade Corporation.</li><li dir="ltr">Bain Capital. Represented Bain Capital, a leading multi-asset alternative investment firm, in connection with the DOJ’s second request concerning Big Tex Trailer’s acquisition of American Trailer Works</li></ul>

Eliot A. Adelson

Jeff has notable experience representing public and private corporations in connection with their most significant and complicated antitrust litigation in federal and state courts. He regularly represents clients in all antitrust aspects of complicated transactional matters, including strategy and structuring of transactions to avoid antitrust risk and achieve strategic business objectives, and U.S. and multinational merger notification and review. Jeff also represents domestic and international companies in connection with government investigations of conduct, including civil investigations relating to monopolization or criminal investigations of alleged price-fixing. Jeff also assists clients in the protection of their intellectual property and counsels clients on the antitrust ramifications of commercial agreements to capitalize on the value of intellectual property.Jeff represents clients across a range of industries, including pharmaceuticals and medical devices, semiconductors, software, Internet services, transportation, consumer products, telecommunications, and media and entertainment.In addition to his active practice, Jeff served as Morrison Foerster’s Vice Chair from, October 2022-December 2025. Jeff formerly served as co-chair of Morrison Foerster’s Global Antitrust Law Practice Group and as a member of the firm’s Board of Directors, and co-chair of the firm’s eDiscovery Task Force.Jeff serves as an associate editor of the Antitrust Magazine of the American Bar Association Antitrust Section. He graduated with honors and was a member of Omicron Delta Epsilon, the international honor society in Economics. He was a writing staff member for the Wisconsin Environmental Law Journal, and was elected to Order of the Coif.

Jeff Jaeckel

Erik Knudsen is a corporate partner and serves as co-chair of the firm's Transactions Department. He is also a member of the Mergers + Acquisitions and Private Equity Investments + Buyouts practice groups.Erik focuses his practice on complex business transactions, including leveraged buyouts, strategic mergers, acquisitions, investments and joint ventures, reorganizations, growth equity and venture capital investments, and divestitures.With a broad industry reach, Erik has led transactions in diverse sectors such as healthcare, industrial, software, internet, technology, business services, distribution, and manufacturing. His industry‑specific knowledge and comprehensive understanding of the private equity market and corporate counsel requirements position him as a trusted advisor for clients navigating complex business landscapes.

Erik G. Knudsen

Co-Chair of Transactions Department

Bradley Lui is a partner in Morrison Foerster’s Global Antitrust Litigation Group, where his practice includes the representation of clients in criminal and civil litigation and before federal antitrust enforcement agencies. He has extensive civil and criminal antitrust litigation experience and regularly represents clients before the Department of Justice (DOJ) Antitrust Division and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in connection with mergers and acquisitions and cartel matters. He also represents clients in connection with cartel work and other matters before antitrust authorities in jurisdictions abroad, including the EU, Korea, and Japan.Brad has successfully defended clients in government investigations and antitrust litigation involving the rubber chemicals, consumer electronics, telecommunications, and transportation industries. In addition, he has successfully represented plaintiffs in a number of antitrust matters. Brad also provides antitrust counseling to companies in the consumer products, financial, technology, food, and pharmaceutical industries.Brad has served as lead trial counsel in overcharge claims involving over a billion dollars before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and the state regulatory commissions. He also has a depth of understanding of leading appellate cases before the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Brad was named one of Lawdragon’s 2022 500 Leading Litigators in America.Prior to joining MoFo, Brad was a trial attorney with the DOJ’s Antitrust Division, where he litigated a price-fixing suit against the major U.S. domestic airlines and was involved in investigations of Microsoft, major airline mergers, and grand jury investigations. He also served as a special assistant U.S. attorney in the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, where he tried criminal cases and handled criminal appeals. Brad has also clerked for Judge Dickran Tevrizian of the United States District Court for the Central District of California.Brad is a resident of our Washington, D.C., office and a member of our San Francisco office.<h4>Representative Matters</h4><ul><li>In re SSA Bonds Antitrust Litigation. Represented client in connection with price-fixing allegations in the SSA bonds market. Secured dismissal of the civil case.</li></ul><ul><li>Hurst v. Sinclair. Represented Sinclair in connection with monopolization claims in the fruit labeling industry.</li><li>T-Mobile/Sprint. Represented SoftBank and Sprint Corp. before the Department of Justice in connection with T-Mobile’s proposed acquisition of Sprint. He also represented SoftBank and Sprint in the challenge of the merger brought by certain states in the Southern District of New York and in proceedings before the California Public Utilities Commission.</li><li>Continental Building Products. Represented Continental Building Products, a North American leader in wallboard and joint compound materials, against allegations that it participated in a conspiracy to fix prices in the drywall industry. Secured dismissal of the case.</li><li>BlackBerry v. Nokia Corp. Represented BlackBerry in patent infringement litigation relating to wireless infrastructure equipment.</li><li>Precision Associates v. Panalpina, et al. Represented a joint defense group of 65 defendants in a class action alleging a global price-fixing cartel in the freight forwarding industry. The firm argued a motion to dismiss on behalf of all defendants, resulting in recommended dismissal for lack of standing and failure to satisfy Twombly on key claims.</li><li>Bandspeed v. Garmin International, et al. Represented Blackberry in connection with patent infringement and antitrust claims relating to the Bluetooth standard.</li><li>Represented client in connection with U.S. Department of Justice investigation into alleged price-fixing in the auto parts industry.</li><li>Represented client in connection with U.S. Department of Justice investigation into alleged price-fixing in the ocean car carrier industry.</li><li>Represented a major international transportation company in the U.S., Asia, Brazil, and the EU relating to alleged price-fixing in the freight forwarding industry.</li><li>Represented a major transportation company in the U.S. and Asia in connection with alleged price-fixing in the air cargo industry.</li><li>Southwest/AirTran. Represented AirTran Holdings, Inc. before the U.S. Department of Justice in connection with Southwest Airlines Co.’s proposed $1.4 billion acquisition of AirTran.</li><li>In re Vitamins Antitrust Litigation, MDL No. 1285. Successfully represented as lead counsel, a leading manufacturer of vitamins in connection with its claims against members of a vitamin cartel. Obtained highly favorable settlements from all defendants.</li><li>State of Alaska. Regular representation of the State of Alaska in connection with litigation over the rates charged by the owners of the Trans Alaska Pipeline System. Most recently, he was lead trial counsel for the State of Alaska in a nine-week hearing regarding the TAPS Quality Bank. He served as the lead trial counsel in a 10-week hearing before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the Regulatory Commission of Alaska, where he secured approximately $1 billion in rate reductions. He also served as lead trial counsel in another matter in which the Trans Alaska Pipeline System rates were reduced in half. In addition, he has represented the State in connection with petroleum industry mergers affecting upstream oil production on the North Slope, ownership interests in TAPS, sale of North Slope crude oil, and refining on the West Coast of the U.S.</li></ul>

Bradley Lui

Brian Matsui is a partner in Morrison Foerster’s Appellate and Supreme Court practice. Brian is a go-to appellate advocate for sophisticated clients in complex appeals.Brian has a nationwide appellate practice. He has argued cases in federal and state appellate courts throughout the country, winning appeals involving commercial disputes, securities litigation and enforcement, government contracts, consumer class actions, and intellectual property. He has led appeals in the D.C., Second, Fourth, Fifth, Ninth, Eleventh, and Federal Circuits. His arguments include significant victories in class action appeals and in appeals for leading financial services companies, with multiple victories in the Ninth Circuit, where he clerked. Brian has recently gone seven for eight when representing appellants, including a precedential victory in the Ninth Circuit in a licensing dispute concerning alleged patent misuse. He also argued and won a D.C. Circuit appeal against the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) about the retroactivity of part of the Dodd-Frank Act. As a result of Brian’s win, the SEC had to change its enforcement practices against certain securities industry professionals.Clients frequently turn to Brian for his substantial experience with appeals in the Federal Circuit, praising him as “an invaluable advocate in patent matters” (Chambers USA). Brian has won 16 of his last 19 appeals in that Court. His arguments before the Federal Circuit include winning appeals from district courts, the Patent Trial and Appeal Board, and the International Trade Commission. He has handled appeals in a myriad of industries, including mobile devices, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, semiconductors, and software.Brian also plays a key role on trial teams, advising clients on both critical legal issues and appellate preservation. He recently argued and prevailed against a summary judgment invalidity motion in a case involving Chugai Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd.’s revolutionary antibody recycling technology, which ultimately led to a $775 million settlement on the eve of trial for Chugai.A former law clerk for the United States Supreme Court, Brian has authored many briefs in that Court, including on important constitutional and statutory interpretation issues. He often represents clients’ interests in amicus briefs in significant Supreme Court cases affecting the business community.Leading publications have recognized Brian for his appellate skills. Chambers USA ranks him in its Intellectual Property: Appellate category, The Legal 500 US recommends him for Appellate Litigation, and the National Law Journal named him one of its Minority 40 Under 40.Brian also dedicates significant time to pro bono matters. He argued and won two significant appeals—in the Second and Ninth Circuits—obtaining reversals of judgments that had denied private rights of action under the Child Welfare Act in precedential decisions. Brian also led the Morrison Foerster team who co-counseled a successful Eighth Amendment challenge to Florida’s imposition of a life without the possibility of parole sentence to a juvenile offender convicted of a non-homicide crime.Brian serves on the board of directors of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. For years, Brian chaired the ABA’s seven-person Standing Committee for Amicus Curiae Briefs. He served on the American Intellectual Property Law Association’s amicus committee and co-chaired the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association’s amicus committee. Brian also served as an appellate lawyer representative for the Ninth Circuit. Before entering private practice, Brian clerked on the United States Supreme Court for Justice Anthony M. Kennedy. He also clerked for Judge Pamela Ann Rymer in the Ninth Circuit and Judge David F. Levi in the Eastern District of California.While in law school, Brian served as managing editor of Volume 51 of the Stanford Law Review and was elected to the Order of the Coif.<h4>Representative Oral Arguments</h4><ul><li><a href="/resources/video-audio/260219-snipr-technologies-ltd-v-rockefeller" target="_blank">SNIPR Technologies Ltd. v. Rockefeller University</a> (Fed. Cir.). Prevailed in a precedential decision reversing the Patent Office’s interpretation of the America Invents Act (AIA) that subjected patents post-dating the Act to pre-AIA interference proceedings. The decision revived five of SNIPR’s patents related to CRISPR technology. </li><li><a href="/resources/video-audio/220114-broadcom-corporation-v-renesas-matsui" target="_self">Renesas Electronics Corporation v. Broadcom Corporation</a> (12:40) (Fed. Cir.). Successfully argued and briefed multiple appeals from an International Trade Commission (ITC) decision and several Patent Trial and Appeal Board decisions related to an ITC investigation initiated by Broadcom involving systems-on-chip powering automobile infotainment systems. </li><li><a href="/resources/video-audio/210706-cr-bard-v-medline-industries" target="_self">C.R. Bard Inc. v. Medline Industries, Inc.</a> (0:45) (Fed. Cir.). Won vacatur of three Patent Trial and Appeal Board decisions on obviousness. </li><li><a href="/resources/video-audio/260219-advanced-voice-recognition-systems-inc" target="_self">Advanced Voice Recognition Systems, Inc. v. Apple Inc.</a> (14:30) (Fed. Cir.). Secured a complete victory in appeal from Patent Trial and Appeal Board that all challenged patent claims were unpatentable. </li><li><a href="/resources/video-audio/260219-william-paulus-v-ocera-therapeutics" target="_self">William Paulus v. Ocera Therapeutics, Inc.</a> (13:25) (9th Cir.). Successfully argued and briefed appeal in a putative shareholder class action involving a tender offer. </li><li><a href="/resources/video-audio/260219-kurtz-v-costco-wholesale-corporation" target="_self">Kurtz v. Costco Wholesale Corporation</a> (9:23) (2d Cir.). Successfully petitioned for review of a class certification decision, then argued and obtained a remand for the district court to reconsider its certification decision, and an eventual reversal on an injunctive class certification decision. </li><li><a href="/resources/video-audio/161117-gregory-bartko-v-sec.html" target="_self">Gregory Bartko v. SEC</a> (0:53) (D.C. Cir.). Successfully argued and obtained precedential ruling that the Securities and Exchange Commission could not retroactively apply the Dodd-Frank Act’s industry-wide sanctions on securities professionals for certain securities violations. </li></ul>

Brian Matsui

Tara K. McGrath is a partner in the Litigation Department of Morrison Foerster’s San Diego office.Tara McGrath is a partner in Morrison Foerster’s Investigations + White Collar Defense practice and a former U. S. attorney for the Southern District of California. She advises companies, boards, nonprofits, education institutions, and executives on high-stakes investigations, enforcement actions, and crisis situations.Tara is a trusted advisor in complex, multidimensional matters, with particular strength in navigating parallel civil, criminal, and regulatory proceedings. She counsels clients facing investigations by the U.S. Department of Justice, as well as companies managing internal investigations, enforcement exposure, and critical decision-making, with a particular focus on national security concerns, regulatory risk, and environmental enforcement.Drawing on her experience as U.S. attorney, Tara brings a leadership and strategic perspective to advising clients on how enforcement actions develop, escalate, and resolve. She regularly engages with senior leadership and boards to assess risk, respond to government inquiries, and manage high-stakes situations where legal, operational, and reputational considerations converge.Tara also advises companies on climate and ESG-related enforcement risk, including compliance, disclosure obligations, and emerging areas of regulatory scrutiny. Her approach reflects a broader view of climate as a public safety and accountability issue, particularly for companies operating in regulated industries or critical infrastructure sectors.As a U.S. attorney, Tara led one of the Department of Justice’s largest and busiest offices, overseeing enforcement across a wide range of criminal and civil matters, including organized crime, fraud, cybercrime, corruption, environmental violations, and national security violations. She played a key role in DOJ-wide initiatives addressing emerging threats and coordinated complex, multi-agency investigations.Earlier in her career, Tara served for more than a decade as an assistant U.S. attorney and DOJ trial attorney in San Diego and Washington, D.C., where she handled numerous high-profile investigations and trials and argued multiple times before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.Tara also served on active duty in the United States Marine Corps and has held leadership roles in various civic and professional organizations. She has received multiple awards from the Department of Justice and the Department of Defense recognizing her work in enforcement, litigation, and national security. Tara earned her J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School and received her B.A. cum laude in political science from Boston College.

Tara McGrath

Kevin is former Co-chair of Morrison Foerster’s Government Contracts & Public Procurement practice. Kevin has broad experience in numerous facets of government contracts matters including agency procurements, subcontracting, teaming and joint venture relationships, contract performance issues, intellectual property, compliance matters, due diligence for mergers and acquisitions, and procurement fraud matters. He represents clients in the preparation and litigation of contract adjustment claims and terminations for both government contracts and construction projects. Over the course of his 35-year career, Kevin has handled more than 300 bid protest cases, representing both protesters and contract awardees before the U.S. Government Accountability Office, the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, federal district courts, and state protest forums.Kevin is active in the Public Contract Law Section of the American Bar Association, where he has served as a Co-Chair of the Contract Claims and Disputes Resolution Committee and the Bid Protest Committee, and a Vice-Chair of the Acquisition Reform and Emerging Issues Committee, as well as a member of the Section’s Council and its Interim Membership Director. He also served on the Board of Governors of the U.S. Court of Federal Claims Bar Association. Kevin is an adjunct professor of government contract law at the University of Virginia School of Law in Charlottesville, Virginia.Kevin has been recognized by Chambers & Partners USA and Legal 500 US as one of the leading lawyers nationwide in the area of Government Contracts and has been named a “Top Washington Lawyer” in Government Contracts Law by Washingtonian magazine. Since 2010, Chambers & Partners USA has placed Kevin on the short list of National Tier One Government Contracts lawyers and, since 2020, Chambers has included him in its Bid Protest Spotlight table. He was named to the BTI Consulting Group’s “Client Service All-Stars 2016” list, a registry of 354 of the legal profession’s client service elite.Kevin received his J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1988 and his B.A. from the University of Virginia in 1984. He is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia and the state of Georgia, and before the United States Supreme Court, the United States Courts of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and the Fourth Circuit, and the United States Court of Federal Claims.

Kevin Mullen

Senior Of Counsel

Karen Potter, Ph.D., J.D., is a nationally recognized patent attorney and leader of Morrison Foerster’s Cell and Gene Therapy Patent practice in San Diego, California. With over 20 years of experience in life sciences intellectual property law, Karen specializes in patent strategy, prosecution, and portfolio management for biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies worldwide.Karen’s technical background in cellular and molecular biology and immunology uniquely positions her as a trusted advisor for innovators in:<ul><li>Cell and gene therapies (including T cell, Natural Killer cell, stem cell, gene-based, and epigenetic therapies)</li><li>Immunotherapies (antibody and protein-based therapies)</li><li>Virus and vaccine therapies</li><li>Companion diagnostics and diagnostic assays</li><li>Protein therapeutics and bioassays</li></ul>Karen leads and mentors a multidisciplinary team of patent attorneys, agents, and scientific analysts, delivering strategic and comprehensive intellectual property services. Her practice includes:<ul><li>U.S. and international patent preparation and prosecution</li><li>Patent portfolio development and management</li><li>Patentability and freedom-to-operate analyses</li><li>Patent term extension strategies</li><li>Due diligence for investors and M&A transactions</li><li>Strategic counseling for startups, emerging, and established life sciences companies</li></ul>Karen is widely recognized for her ability to deliver pragmatic, creative patent solutions tailored to the unique needs of life sciences clients. She has been honored by publications for her leadership and innovative approach in biotechnology patent law.Before her legal career, Karen completed postdoctoral research at the La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology and earned her Ph.D. in cellular and molecular biology from Duke University. Her scientific research has been published in leading peer-reviewed journals and presented at national conferences.

Karen Potter

Recognized as an authority on financial privacy issues, Nathan helps financial institutions and other companies develop practical solutions for complying with privacy and data security laws. In particular, Nathan tackles the most complex issues relating to the privacy and security of financial information.Co-author of the leading financial privacy treatise, The Law of Financial Privacy, Nathan is recognized in the industry for his exceptional legal work, including being named as an Up and Coming Nationwide Privacy & Data Security practitioner on Chambers USA’s 2018, 2019, and 2020 lists. In his many accolades, his clients praise him as “a tremendous lawyer” who is “smart and quick on his feet,” with a “strong depth of knowledge and experience.” Nathan is also known as “a go-to guy for a deeper dive on bank privacy issues, the Fair Credit Reporting Act and other matters. When he gives you a memo, it is gold-plated – you know that you can rely upon it and that it will be thoughtful” (Chambers USA 2021). Nathan is ranked in Chambers USA and Chambers Global 2021, with clients noting his exceptional work in financial privacy law, proficiency at handling various governmental investigations, and his “deep well of knowledge, which he delivers in a well-organised, thoughtful and extremely helpful manner."As state privacy law appears to be entering a new era with the adoption of the California Consumer Privacy Act (“CCPA”), Nathan is assisting many banks, insurance companies, broker dealers, and other financial institutions in making sense of the complex law and the challenges presented by significant, but often confusing, new privacy obligations. Given the breadth of his work on CCPA issues, Nathan provides clients with valuable benchmarking across the financial industry.Nathan also continues to help companies across industries develop solutions to comply with the myriad state data breach and data security laws that have been enacted since 2003. Understanding the complexities that businesses face in complying with these laws, Nathan testified before Congress on the <a href="https://financialservices.house.gov/uploadedfiles/02.14.2018_nathan_taylor_testimony.pdf" target="_blank">challenges</a> that the ever-growing patchwork of state laws present. These are complexities that he understands intimately, having advised companies on hundreds of significant data incidents, including many of the nation’s largest and highest-profile data breaches.Nathan also has defended companies in Congressional and state AG investigations regarding data, cyber, and privacy. He represented Target in its defense of a multistate AG investigation into the company’s 2013 data breach, resulting in a settlement with 47 states and the District of Columbia, at the time the largest-ever multistate settlement for a data security incident.Nathan contributes to the development of the firm’s <a href="/privacy-library/">Privacy Library</a> and MoFoNotes subscription database, which help companies keep apprised of data, cyber, and privacy compliance requirements in jurisdictions around the world.