People

Julia Apostle Partner

Paris

Julia counsels on compliance issues in relation to European and French tech and data regulations, including the GDPR, the Digital Services Act, the regulation of AI, the Data Act and other new and emerging legislation impacting online platforms, technology developers, and eCommerce businesses. She advises companies of all sizes on a wide range of compliance matters, ranging the drafting of internal policies, to assisting with regulatory investigations, and product counseling.

In the context of strategic transactions covering significant and complex technological issues, she is involved in the drafting and negotiation of agreements relating to data transfer, IT, software, content and brand licensing.

Qualified to practice in the UK and France, Julia is deeply familiar with the commercial considerations’ clients face, having practiced in-house at Twitter, Financial Times and CBS for more than a decade prior to joining Orrick.

Anna Aryankalayil Partner

Washington, D.C.

Having returned to private practice, Anna focuses on merger clearance and litigation, government conduct investigations, and antitrust counseling and compliance.

During her time at the FTC from March 2020 to September 2022, Anna advised on merger and anticompetitive conduct investigations and enforcement actions across a wide range of sectors, including tech, pharmaceutical and life sciences, healthcare, defense, oil & gas, retail, and consumer goods. She also advised on litigation and appellate strategy, the FTC’s advocacy through amicus briefs, and other cutting edge competition policy matters, such as, merger policy, digital platforms, intellectual property, and nascent competition in innovative industries.

Prior to joining the FTC, Anna was a senior associate in private practice where she focused on antitrust litigation, government conduct investigations and compliance, and the antitrust aspects of mergers, acquisitions, and joint ventures. In litigation, Anna has experience defending high-profile transactions against government challenge from the FTC and the United States Department of Justice Antitrust Division.

Dr. Daniel Ashkar Counsel

Munich

Having concentrated on data privacy law since 2012, Daniel provides comprehensive data privacy and cybersecurity advisory support to clients and has extensive experience in the areas of international data transfers (including on EU Standard Contractual Clauses and Binding Corporate Rules) as well as topics relating to the “Schrems II” judgment.

Daniel further drafts data privacy contracts (such as data processing agreements and joint controller agreements) as well as data privacy policies/notices and consent forms. On transactional matters, he supports clients with outsourcings and due diligences in the course of M&A transactions. Daniel also advises on data subject rights requests, data breaches and notification requirements related thereto, e-discovery requests, website tracking, marketing measures, privacy impact assessments as well as data privacy topics in the employment and reinsurance context.

He further advises on IT/IP and technology-related matters, including on contracts and matters relating to unfair and deceptive trade practices. Daniel also possesses years of experience regarding legal disputes and litigation matters and has represented clients in proceedings before different courts in Germany.

Prior to joining Orrick, Daniel was an in-house counsel for a German car maker and for one of the largest reinsurance corporations in the world. His in-house experiences at these large German multinationals allow him to understand the needs and requirements of globally operating clients.

Daniel started his career at another global law firm where he worked for several years with a focus on data privacy and litigation matters. He also wrote his doctoral thesis on data privacy law.

Shawn Atkinson Partner

London

In addition to sheer volume of deals, Shawn's incomparable market insight stems from his leadership roles at Orrick, the only global firm focused on technology, and his experience working throughout the UK & Europe, North America and Asia. Shawn leads Orrick's London Corporate practice, its Global Emerging Markets practice and co-leads the Global Fintech team and the Global Technology Companies Practice Group. These complement his practice serving public and private companies in UK multi-jurisdictional and complex corporate transactions, including countless acquisitions and disposals, cross-border mergers, bankruptcy infused asset sales, recapitalisations and reorganisations. He is also a recognised leader in late stage venture transactions and in early stage private equity transactions in Europe and the emerging markets. Shawn has been recognised as a leading individual in several legal directories, including Chambers and Legal 500, for his expertise and excellence in venture capital, M&A, emerging markets, and fintech. In addition, he has been ranked as a top 5 (by volume) UK M&A lawyer in each of 2017, 2020-2024 by Mergermarket, including a #1 ranking in 2021, 2022 and 2024.

Shawn also advises early stage businesses across a number of sectors – including insurtech, Fintech, Crypto, SaaS, EdTech, HRTech, Marketplace and EnergyTech. He assists them from incorporation through to M&A exit, initial public offerings and other growth opportunities. His participation in the private equity and venture capital sector spans his entire career - with time spent in private practice, in-house and advising investors as well as investor-backed businesses-and affords him a deep knowledge and understanding of the industry and client needs and expectations.

Among the leading investment funds he has represented are ABN Amro Ventures, Acton Capital Partners, ABRY Partners, Accel Partners, Apax Partners, Bain Capital, Balderton Capital, Battery Ventures, Beringea, Bessemer Venture Partners, Black Pearls VC, Black Sheep Ventures, BMWi Ventures, Coatue Management, Columbia Capital, CommerzVentures, Evolvence, FTV Capital, Golden Gate Capital, Stepstone Group, Headway Capital Partners, Innova Capital, Kinnevik, KPS Capital Partners, Marlin Equity Partners, Mangrove Capital Partners, M/C Partners, One Peak, Oxx, Pearson Ventures, Piper Private Equity, Piton Capital, Salesforce Ventures, Sprints Capital, Summit Partners, Updata Partners, VNV Global and VEF.

Allen Babajanian Senior Associate

Los Angeles

 Allen focuses on technology and intellectual property-related transactions, with a particular emphasis on drafting and negotiating complex commercial agreements, including:

• hardware, software, content, and data licensing agreements;
• IT-focused services agreements, including consulting, development, hosting, and cloud computing agreements, including software-as-a-service and platform-as-a-service arrangements; and
• technology and intellectual property development, acquisition, and disposition agreements.

In addition, Allen counsels clients on intellectual property issues in connection with mergers, acquisitions, and financing transactions.

Kaitlin F. Bagby Partner

Silicon Valley

She advises high-growth technology companies in various sectors and has significant experience with venture capital financings, general corporate representation and complex corporate governance matters.

Kaitlin is known for her work with Y Combinator companies.

Taylor Ball Senior Associate

Santa Monica

Taylor’s recent sell-side experience includes having represented 

• 21st Century Fox, Inc.* in its acquisition by The Walt Disney Company
• E Trade Financial Corporation* in its acquisition by Morgan Stanley
• Rockwell Collins, Inc.* in its acquisition by United Technologies Corp.
• DPx Holdings B.V.* in its acquisition by Thermo Fisher

Her recent buy-side experience includes having represented 

• IAC* in its acquisition of Care.com
• French Multinational Luxury Goods Company* in its acquisition of Tiffany & Co.
• Exact Sciences Corporation* in its acquisition of Genomic Health, Inc.
• Hillenbrand, Inc.* in its acquisition of Milacron Holdings

Juliano Banuelos Partner

San Francisco

Mr. Banuelos’ representative clients include Ancestry.com, Gap, Juniper Networks, Keysight Technologies, Oracle Corporation, Synopsys, Varex Imaging Corporation and Williams-Sonoma. Juliano is also a leader in providing compensation advice in mergers and acquisitions and regularly serves as special M&A tax counsel to in-house tax and HR departments.

In addition to being a recognized practitioner on IRC Section 409A, Juliano provides advice on the full range of compensation and benefits issues that arise ranging from designing and implementing equity-based, employment, separation, deferred compensation, change in control and similar arrangements to providing advice with respect to the design and legal compliance of qualified retirement plans, nonqualified deferred compensation plans and welfare plans.

Mr. Banuelos also advises companies on all aspects of the securities laws relating to such arrangements.

Clients interviewed for Chambers and Partners describe Mr. Banuelos as "incredibly bright and very creative," and "extremely knowledgeable, and extremely helpful, as he provides practical solutions."

Julien Barbey Senior Associate

New York

Julien advises startup clients as general outside corporate counsel assisting companies with all their legal needs including convertible note, debt and SAFE financings, preferred stock financings, employee equity and corporate governance. He has a broad range of corporate experience including company counsel to public companies, private equity acquisitions, preferred stock financings, mergers, joint ventures and commercial contract drafting.

Prior to focusing his practice on startups, Julien practiced mergers and acquisitions law which gives him added insight into positioning companies for a successful exit. Julien also worked as an in-house attorney at a late stage start-up which gives him added insight into the business needs of his clients.

Laura Rose Barr Partner

Seattle

Laura is a founding member of Orrick’s technology companies practice in the Pacific Northwest. She is passionate about working with women founders, other underrepresented entrepreneurs, and double bottom line companies. People who think differently, and set out to create impact, inspire her.

She represents companies and their investors in a variety of verticals, including AI & Machine Learning (Anthropic), consumer applications (AppSheet, Life360, Mylio), education technology (Go1), financial technology (SoFi), information security (Stairwell) and life sciences (Cortexyme, Inmedix), among others. 

Prior to joining Orrick, Laura worked in New York as a leveraged finance attorney at Milbank, and in-house at Goldman Sachs and the New York Stock Exchange. In addition to start-up representation, she regularly provides pro bono legal advice to charitable organizations regarding non-profit incorporation and tax exemption applications.

John Bautista Partner

San Francisco; Santa Monica; Silicon Valley

John focuses his practice on advising emerging companies and investors, and represents both public and private high-tech and life sciences companies in many areas, including corporate and securities law, venture capital financings, mergers and acquisitions, public offerings, public company representation and technology licensing.

The Recorder named John the “2019 Innovator of the Year” for his work as the chief lawyer on the Long-Term Stock Exchange, a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission-approved exchange designed to change the paradigm of traditional stock markets by rewarding entrepreneurs and investors committed to long-term business strategies. Financial Times recognized John as one of the Top 10 Most Innovative Individuals of the Year in 2017, calling him “one of the most influential lawyers in the technology ecosystem of Silicon Valley.” He is ranked Band 2 by Chambers USA California, for Venture Capital and Chambers USA Nationwide, ranked him Band 3 for Startups & Emerging Companies.

John is a Board member and co-founder of the Long-Term Stock Exchange, which is creating a new stock exchange for public companies supporting long-term investors, as well as an advisor and co-founder of Clerky.com, a company automating legal work for early-stage companies. He is also recognized for his work with Y Combinator companies.

Prior to joining Orrick, John was a founding attorney of Venture Law Group and served on the Executive Committee. John previously practiced at Wilson, Sonsini, Goodrich & Rosati. John also served as Mayor of the City of Cupertino, California and a council member from 1993-1997, where he helped build important public partnerships, including with Apple Computer, the Mid-Peninsula Open Space Preserve, and San Jose and California Water Companies.

Sabrina Benyammi Senior Associate

Silicon Valley

She advises companies throughout their lifecycle, including in formation and general corporate matters, venture capital financings and mergers and acquisitions. In addition to advising companies, Sabrina represents leading venture firms in connection with their investments in private companies.