People

Johann Jabes Managing Associate

Paris; Paris Tech Studio

Johann advises startups and tech companies as well as VC funds in on their fundraising, external growth operations, and exits. He has been involved in more than 40 transactions with companies such as Mistral AI, Alan, BeReal, amo, Dust or Nabla, or investors such as Cathay Innovation, Highland Europe, RA Capital Management and Sequoia Capital.

Throughout the growth lifecycle of startups, Johann assists management teams in setting up employee incentive plans and providing practical advice on corporate governance.

As a dual-qualified lawyer admitted to the Paris and New-York bars, Johann supports companies in their cross-border operations and their establishment in the United States.

Prior to joining Orrick, Johann was an associate in the Paris office of an American law firm.

Stephen Jackson Partner

Paris; New York

Steve is admitted in New York California, England and Wales, and Paris and his primary focus is on U.S. taxation of securitizations and re-securitizations, including collateralized debt and loan obligations, mortgage-backed securitizations, structured investment vehicles and other structured finance and financial markets transactions.

For over fifteen years, Steve has served as tax counsel to issuers and underwriters in numerous registered, agency and privately-placed CMBS and RMBS transactions (primary issuances and re-securitizations), involving performing loans and non-performing loans, as well as other mortgage-related asset classes, such as servicing advances and tax liens, and in securitizations involving other asset classes such as credit card and auto loan/lease receivables. Steve also provides tax advice in connection with whole loan purchase transactions, including leveraged and nonleveraged acquisitions, joint ventures involving mortgage assets and repo and warehouse financings for various asset classes. Steve also advises financial institutions on tax issues in connection with their role as servicer, trustee or securities administrator under various securitization programs, as well as with respect to FATCA.

Steve writes and lectures on finance and international related tax topics and also participates actively in the tax committee and other initiatives of the Structured Finance Association and other industry and bar-related organizations.

Philip Jackson Managing Associate

London

Philip frequently acts on M&A, private equity and equity capital markets transactions in a range of sectors, including in the energy and infrastructure, technology and financial services sectors, and has experience in working with a range of clients, including institutional investors, funds, private equity and large private and listed companies.

Richard Jacobsen Partner

New York

Rich serves as lead counsel for Credit Suisse’s entire residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS) docket in federal and state courts throughout the country. He is lead counsel for Goldman Sachs in two RMBS cases in the SDNY. For nearly a decade, he has been lead counsel for Ocwen Financial Services in all matters concerning its market-leading business servicing loans in residential mortgage-backed securitizations. He is currently lead counsel for Nationstar Mortgage LLC d/b/a Mr. Cooper in a breach of contract action pending in the Delaware Court of Chancery. Rich has also frequently represented companies with respect to disputes involving the distressed debt trading market, including Jefferies and Citibank, and frequently tries nine figure disputes in the most important bankruptcy jurisdictions in the United States for clients such as UBS and Blackstone.

He and his Orrick team bring to each representation a combination of deep financial markets knowledge, holistic litigation strategy and a problem-solving mentality. In an industry where many cases are settled, he has established a formidable record at trial and on appeal, while achieving regulatory settlements at a small fraction of the industry benchmarks.

Named Litigators of the Week by The American Lawyer for his representation of Credit Suisse that yielded a precedent-setting decision from the New York Court of Appeals that will change the future of RMBS litigation, clients laud Rich telling Chambers (2022), “He makes my job easier by deploying a combination of impeccable legal skill, excellent judgment and a knowledge of the financial services industry.” “I would recommend Rich to anyone.”  (2024) "He makes my job easier by deploying a combination of strengths - impeccable legal skills, excellent judgment, knowledge of the finance sector and a formidable reputation."  Echoing that praise, clients say (2021) “I would recommend Richard Jacobsen in the highest terms,” he is (2020) “an exceptional litigator” and “a master of navigating commercial disputes.” Chambers also reports that clients regard him as “a commercial disputes wizard.” Clients hold Rich in high regard, telling Legal 500 our commercial disputes team is (2021) “brilliant,” while the publication calls out his “business critical disputes” work for Credit Suisse and Goldman Sachs. Clients further endorse Rich when speaking to Legal 500, noting he (2020) “is always available and willing to do what is necessary in any situation. His knowledge of the industry and more importantly where we fit in the industry has paid tremendous dividends from a legal representation perspective. I have not dealt with an attorney from any other firm that had the combination of knowledge, ability, reputation and judgment that Rich has.” Another client called out Rich’s “razor sharp intellect” which sets him apart from other disputes and trial lawyers.

A first-chair trial lawyer recognized as one of Lawdragon’s 500 Leading Litigators in America, Rich has litigated commercial, securities and product liability disputes for clients in many other industries in venues across the country. His clients have included: Amazon, Caesars Entertainment, Inc., The Dow Chemical Company, Microsoft, DISH Network, Acer and Wyeth. He has argued numerous appeals at the state and federal levels and frequently represents clients before state and federal regulators. He has argued multiple times before seven of the eight current justices in the Commercial Division of New York’s Supreme Court, New York County, and has arbitrated before the American Arbitration Association and London Court of International Arbitration.

Violette Jacquot Associate

Paris

She advised private and public companies on corporate transactions, including M&A, joint ventures and private equity transactions.

Prior to joining Orrick, Violette has completed several internships at the various law firms and in the legal department of TotalEnergies’ (refining-chemicals).

Violette recently joined the Orrick team as an associate, after successfully completing her training with the team.

Marine Jamain Partner

Paris

Marine Jamain advises infrastructure funds, pension funds and other long-term investors in their acquisition, disposal or restructuring transactions in the energy and infrastructure sectors in Europe.

Marine also regularly advises clients in the fast-growing EnergyTech and InfraTech sectors.

Legal 500 EMEA 2023 has ranked Marine in the "Rising Star" category, she is recognized as "building a prominent reputation for transactions within the energy and infrastructure fields".

Rebecca James Managing Associate

London

Rebecca has worked with regulated companies and financial institutions on, among other things, authorisation, outsourcing, systems and controls, payment services, e-money, consumer credit and anti-money laundering regulations. Her clients include retail and wholesale businesses across the financial services sector.

Rebecca has a passion for Fintech and has experience working with clients in the Fintech space. In particular, she has provided advice on crypto assets to e-money platforms, exchanges and firms looking to launch token offerings, including initial coin offerings, security token offerings, initial exchange offerings and NFTs.

Thomas James Senior Associate

Chicago

Thomas's patent litigation practice is an outgrowth of his deep interest in technology and love of client service. Thomas has assisted clients, large and small, plaintiff and defendant, in obtaining outcomes that serve their unique business goals. Thomas is well-versed in a variety of technologies including semiconductor devices, telecommunications, and other electrical and mechanical disciplines. Prior to entering private practice Thomas served as a patent examiner with the United States Patent and Trademark Office for many years.

Melania Jankowski Managing Associate

Boston

Her experience includes advising on corporate practice of medicine and scope of practice issues, state licensure requirements for physicians and non-physician practitioners, controlled substance prescribing considerations, and health care privacy concerns. Melania also assists with regulatory due diligence for stakeholders interested in investments in digital health and health care technology ventures.

Matt Janosko Career Associate

Wheeling, W.V. (GOIC)

Matt focuses his practice on mid-sized sponsor formation, with experience in  private equity, real estate, debt and hedge funds, but a focus in venture capital and similar alternative investment funds. Matt works closely with his sponsor side clients to form, structure and negotiate the foundational terms of their funds. 

On the investor side, Matt has worked with a number of institutional investors providing guidance on the terms and structuring of investment opportunities in their own private fund investments, including drafting of documents and negotiating with other fund counsel. 

Margot Janot Senior Associate

Paris

Margot advises French and international companies and private equity funds on transactional tax matters. She advises companies on their development in France and abroad, mergers and acquisitions, restructurings and refinancing. She also assists companies in tax audits and litigation.

Margot also advises individuals on the management and transfer of their assets.

Before joining Orrick, Margot Janot worked in international firms such as Dentons, Pwc Law Firm and Fidal. She has also worked at the Klépierre real estate company and at the P20 section of the Parquet du TGI de Paris.

Foucaud Jaulin Partner

Paris

Foucaud's practice focuses on public-private partnerships and concession projects, as well as on privatizations and acquisitions in the infrastructure and energy sectors. He also advises on the financing aspects of infrastructure projects.

Having solid experience in emerging markets, Foucaud has been involved over the past few years in the development and financing of various large-scale projects, in particular in the fields of energy (renewables, natural gas) and transportation.

Prior to joining Orrick, Foucaud worked for a leading French law firm, both in the Moscow and Paris offices