People

Millay Kogan Project Attorney

Wheeling, W.V. (GOIC)

Millay is a recent addition to the Orrick Analytics team, where she will leverage her unique background, as well as extensive experience in operational planning, development and execution, to support wide variety of business units across the Orrick's practices.

Joseph Kolar Partner

Washington, D.C.

In addition to closely monitoring the regulatory and enforcement activity of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), Joe advises on Federal Housing Administration-insured and Department of Veterans Affairs-guaranteed single-family loan programs, Ginnie Mae guaranteed securities programs and the programs and policies of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac as they relate to loan origination, servicing, and secondary market transactions. In addition, Joe frequently represents mortgage lenders and others in negotiating joint ventures, marketing and internet origination agreements, vendor agreements, as well as other contracts used or needed by a wide variety of financial services companies.

He is a member of the Consumer Financial Services Committee of the American Bar Association, where he is a past Co-chair of the Housing Finance and RESPA Subcommittee, and a member of the American College of Consumer Financial Services Lawyers. Prior to practicing law, Joe worked as a staff member for former U.S. Representative Jim Leach (R-IA).

Joe currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Legal Counsel for the Elderly, which is associated with AARP, and of Samaritan Ministry of Greater Washington. He was President of the Kolar Charitable Foundation at Buckley.

Joseph Kolker Senior Associate

New York

In his trial-level practice, Joey develops legal strategy, writes persuasive and accessible briefs, and works as embedded appellate counsel at trial. Joey has drafted dozens of briefs in litigation involving patent infringement claims, false advertising claims, and other complex business disputes. At trial, in his hybrid role as embedded appellate counsel, Joey advises on legal strategy and preservation issues and drafts and argues trial motions, briefs, and jury instructions. 

In his appellate practice, Joey has presented argument before the Federal Circuit and Third Circuit, and drafted briefs at the Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, Eighth, Ninth, and Federal Circuits, and at the U.S. Supreme Court, across a wide range of subject matters--ranging from patents, copyright, and contract interpretation to white collar and criminal procedure, immigration, and civil rights law.

Before joining Orrick, Joey served as a law clerk to Chief Judge Michael A. Chagares of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and Judge Janet Bond Arterton of the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut. Prior to clerking, he worked as a civil rights litigation fellow in the New York office of a national firm.

Katherine M. Kopp Senior Career Associate

Washington, D.C.

Katie leverages her deep experience in the Federal Circuit into efficient case management strategies that slash client costs. She has represented clients such as Dow AgroSciences LLC in two Federal Circuit victories in a multifaceted patent dispute with Bayer CropScience AG; VeriFone Systems, Inc. in an appeal from a district court order that would have undermined its ubiquitous payment terminals; Nintendo Co. in defense of its most important product―the Wii; and EMC Corp. in obtaining the definitive pre-America Invents Act opinion addressing the improper use of joinder in patent cases. 

Katie also has an active pro bono practice. She petitioned the Supreme Court to reconsider its rule regarding retroactive application of changes to the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. The Court ruled 6-3 for our client after having previously divided 4-1-4 on the same issue. In addition, she has represented

• a class of detained immigrants challenging ICE’s systemic response to COVID-19 in its detention facilities;
• veterans’ service organizations supporting a reversal of the Feres doctrine, which broadly prohibits tort recovery for injuries sustained by military personnel “incident to service;” and
• a group of former Division 1 student-athletes supporting the NCAA in its prominent pay-for-play battle.

Christine M. Kosir Audit&Special Project Attorney

Wheeling, W.V. (GOIC)

Christine utilizes her extensive project management experience to work with Orrick team members in developing, implementing and managing the firm's overall audit response program.

In addition to her firm responsibilities, Christine works with Orrick's Finance teams on various transactional matters, including performing due diligence and drafting deal documents and opinions for collateralized loan and debt obligations, synthetic collateralized debt obligations and various other financial products. 

Christine is also active in her local community, serving as a Girl Scout Troop Leader.

Adil Kourtih Managing Associate

Paris

Adil focuses on the development, construction and acquisition of projects in the energy and infrastructure sector as well as complex litigation. He has extensive experience of advising on complex infrastructure projects and corporate power purchase agreements, including notably the structuring / bankability analysis of project agreements and regulatory / public law aspects. 

Adil advises clients on public law and highly specific regulatory issues, as well as on transactional matters (analysis and drafting of concession agreements, EPC, O&M, PPAs, etc).

Prior to joining Orrick, Adil worked for two leading law firms in Paris.

Adil is also Teacher/Lecturer in Law at the Ecole Normale Supérieure preparatory class of Lycée Turgot and at the University of Paris II Panthéon-Assas.

Adam Kowis Partner

Houston

Adam has significant experience in transactions across the energy and infrastructure sectors, including in oil and gas, hydrogen and ammonia, carbon capture and storage, energy infrastructure, and core and core-plus infrastructure. He has advised clients across the full spectrum of energy and infrastructure assets, including upstream oil and gas assets, gathering and processing facilities, pipelines, carbon storage facilities, gas storage facilities, refined products terminals, toll roads, district energy systems, and water and waste facilities.

He regularly represents domestic and international energy companies, energy and infrastructure private equity funds, midstream companies, and industrial and environmental services companies, among others.

David Krakoff Partner

Washington, D.C.

His clients are investigated and prosecuted by the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Treasury Department and other domestic and foreign enforcement agencies. They face prosecution for potential violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), and the laws regulating securities enforcement, accounting fraud, public corruption, antitrust, tax health care, export control, False Claims Act (FCA), trade secrets and the environment. In addition, his clients are often involved in high-stakes shareholder class action litigation. He has had primary trial responsibility in more than 50 cases.

David is a recognized leader in the field of white collar and complex litigation. He is a Fellow in The American College of Trial Lawyers. Chambers USA has ranked him as a leading Litigation lawyer (2006-2022), and described him as "one of the best trial lawyers in the city … a genuine lion of the white-collar Bar ... extremely thoughtful and imaginative in developing investigation and trial strategy … He really knows his way around the court and the justice system. One of his greatest strengths is that he is unflinching in his willingness to try cases." Chambers also noted his FCPA work: “He is a shrewd tactician and always thoroughly prepared … great tactical judgment and a sense for strategy." Other accolades include: Legal 500 (2012, 2015-2022), which recognized him as the leader of Buckley’s "terrific" team that is “highly active in a number of regulated industries, with noted expertise in the financial services sector." Benchmark Litigation 2019 named him as a top practitioner in White Collar and General Commercial Litigation. In 2015 he was named a Law360 Trial Ace and a National Law Journal White Collar Trailblazer.

Prior to joining Orrick, David was a partner at Buckley LLP. In addition to his experience in private practice, he served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia for 10 years.

James N. Kramer Partner

San Francisco; Silicon Valley

Recognized as a leader in Securities Litigation by Chambers USA, clients praise Jim as, “a spectacular relationship manager” and tell the publication, “Jim is one of the first people I will call to think through an issue. I would use him for any securities matters.” Jim is also regularly featured among Benchmark Litigation’s list of the nation’s Leading Litigators.

Jim is a frequent lecturer on securities and class action litigation and an editor for the Securities Reform Act Litigation Reporter. Jim is past chair of the Embarcadero YMCA Board of Managers and remains active in YMCA philanthropy. In his spare time, he enjoys time with his family and is a recreational long course triathlete.

Richard Krebs Partner

Orange County

As a co-lead of the Life Settlements group at Orrick, Rich has soared to the company of top attorneys in the space, bringing a wealth of experience to the table. From federal and state courts to private arbitration rooms, Rich has represented policyholders, investors, funds, trusts, asset managers, banks, and brokers and agents in a myriad of arenas, including cost of insurance (COI) disputes, carrier and estate challenges, ownership and coverage disputes, and fraud cases.

Rich’s extensive experience in the life settlements space goes far beyond litigation and dispute resolution. Rich is a trusted advisor to clients transacting in the space, guiding clients through complex portfolio transactions, due diligence, and restructurings. He also works closely with Orrick’s Public Policy group to pursue legislative solutions on behalf of his clients. Rich’s relentless pursuit of victory and record of success directly lends to his ingenuity and innovative strategies, setting him apart from competitors in the life settlements space.

Raghav Krishnapriyan Partner

San Francisco

Raghav has litigated a broad range of technology, life sciences, and trade secret cases through trial and appeal. In the life sciences space, he helped secure a $178 million patent infringement verdict for a Bay Area pharmaceutical client, was instrumental in obtaining a highly favorable settlement in a complex contract case involving CAR-T technology, and fended off IPRs filed against foundational fusion protein technology by biosimilar makers. In the technology space, his facility with both web programming and legal minutiae has resulted in victories in a bet-the-company trade secret litigation against a startup revolutionizing scientific research, summary judgment in an action against his client involving five widely-litigated web patents, and a judgment of patent invalidity under § 101 against seven patents. He has also litigated class actions and criminal cases that have a technology-related focus. He has assisted numerous emerging and venture-funded companies across industry sectors.

Raghav also maintains an active pro bono practice, representing asylum seekers and inmates seeking compassionate release.

Raghav holds a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of California, Davis, and a J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley. He clerked for the Honorable James Donato of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California and the Honorable Jane Kelly of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.

John Kromer Partner

Washington, D.C.

John helps clients navigate the complex maze of federal and state laws and regulations. He regularly counsels clients on compliance with regulations issued by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) as well as examination and enforcement actions by the bureau, federal banking agencies, state regulators and other enforcement agencies. He advises on the laws governing licensing and chartering, usury, advertising, disclosures, privacy, lending and servicing practices, and laws prohibiting unfair, deceptive, or abusive acts or practices (UDAAP).

He advises financial services firms on new product and business line development, including structuring and negotiating commercial relationships, joint ventures and partnership agreements. He also assists financial and strategic purchasers of fintechs and financial services firms on regulatory matters, including due diligence of companies, assets and portfolios, and transactional structuring in light of federal and state licensing and regulatory requirements.

John is recognized by Chambers USA as a leading attorney in the field of Consumer Finance Compliance and has been noted by The Legal 500, in the practice areas of Financial Services Regulation, Cyber Law (including Data Protection and Privacy), and Fintech. He frequently speaks at industry conferences on legal issues affecting consumer finance companies. John is a co-author of a number of publications, including Residential Mortgage Lending: State Regulation Manual; Residential Mortgage Lending: Brokers; Pratt’s State Regulation of Second Mortgages and Home Equity Loans; Mortgage Bankers Guide to Regulatory Compliance and The Law of Electronic Signatures and Records, and has written numerous articles for consumer financial services industry publications.

John is Fellow of the American College of Consumer Financial Services Lawyers, served on the Advisory Council of the American Association of Residential Mortgage Regulators from 1998-2018, was a Board member of the Online Lending Policy Institute from 2016-2021 and is a past Chair of the Housing Finance Subcommittee of the Consumer Financial Services Committee of the Business Law Section of the American Bar Association.

Prior to joining Orrick, John was a partner at Buckley LLP. He served as Buckley’s Co-Managing Partner from 2009-2019 and was a member of the firm’s partner board from 2019-2022.