People

Jonas Robison Of Counsel

New York

He regularly advises on bank regulations (including, but not limited to, the Bank Holding Company Act and Regulation Y; the Federal Reserve Act; OCC regulations; Regulations U, X, and T; Regulation W; Regulation K; New York Banking Law; and U.S. regulation of foreign banks); CFTC and derivatives regulatory matters (including uncleared swap margin and capital rules, commodity pool operator and commodity trading advisor requirements, product and registrant definitions, the application of CFTC requirements to digital assets, the cross-border framework, swap data reporting, business conduct rules, mandatory clearing and related exceptions, and various key issues for derivatives end users); broker-dealer regulation; regulation of fintech companies, including digital asset clients, robo-advisers, and nonbank lenders; the Investment Advisers Act; the Investment Company Act; and the securities laws generally.

He also regularly negotiates equity and other types of derivatives transactions and related derivatives documentation on both the sell and the buy sides. In addition, he represents issuers and underwriters in commercial mortgage, auto loan, credit card, and other types of securitizations. He also has a broad background in mergers and acquisitions, capital markets, venture capital, corporate governance, and general corporate matters.

Alison Roffi General Counsel

New York

Alison advises the firm on matters related to corporate governance, client relationships, and professional responsibility and ethics related to the practice of law. She has developed deep experience in the ethical considerations surrounding the use of legal tech, including AI and GenAI tools.

Alison provides legal advice to Orrick’s Board and Management Committee regarding firm management, growth, and policies. She is a member of the firm’s Operations Team and sits on the Risk Management Committee and AI Council. She also serves on the Risk Management Committee of MPC, the firm’s malpractice insurer.

Prior to joining the firm’s Office of General Counsel, Alison was a litigator in the firm’s Complex Litigation and Dispute Resolution group. Her practice focused on representing audit firms and accountants in regulatory proceedings as well as civil disputes related to professional liability and representing insurance policyholders in matters related to coverage, claims, and recovery. She has experience managing and conducting large-scale internal investigations, liaising with regulators, and managing cross-border risk and liability. Alison also defended financial institutions in lawsuits arising out of the global financial crisis.

Leah Sanzari Partner

New York

Having long represented issuers of asset backed securities and drawing on that experience, today, in addition to issuer representation, Leah’s practice includes a significant focus on investor-side representation. Leah represents both issuers and investors in complex deals of first impression and brings a unique, creative approach to securitization transactions, with deal execution as top priority.

Leah and her team have pioneered proved developed producing (PDP) oil & gas wellbore securitizations, acting as investor counsel on substantially all of the transactions that have been executed in the market to date. Also a pioneer of the C-PACE market, Leah regularly advises the top C-PACE issuers in both 144A and 4(a)(2) transactions, including Greenwork Lending’s first Rule 144A Commercial PACE securitization which was recognized as the 2022 Esoteric ABS Deal of the Year by GlobalCapital. Leah also advises on novel IP securitizations related to musical composition, sound recording copyrights, television and other royalties. Most recently, Leah represented the investors in the groundbreaking securitization by Syco Entertainment of intellectual property in the “Got Talent” franchise.

Leah’s experience further extends to a wide variety of other esoteric assets, including tax liens, diamond receivables, participations, tax credits, solar and wind ground leases and whole business operating company securitizations.

Recognized in Band 1 of Chambers USA Nationwide Securitization: PACE, Leah is described by clients as “one of the best lawyers that I have worked with” and someone who “fights tooth and nail for her clients.” Resources for the Legal 500 USA directory have called Leah “the best there is in esoteric financing products and bonds,” and note they are “incredibly impressed with the gender diversity on the team. Extremely ethical – name carries a lot of weight with investors.”

Gaelyn Sharp Of Counsel

Los Angeles; New York

Gaelyn has represented a wide range of financial institutions including fund sponsors, issuers, underwriters, placement agents, investment advisers and investors in connection with a wide range of financing transactions including collateralized loan, bond and debt obligations; synthetic collateralized debt obligations; trade receivables; various derivative instruments and structured finance products; and private equity funds and hedge funds.

Jie Jeffrey Sun Partner

Beijing

Jeffrey has extensive experience representing both Chinese enterprises in fund raising and investing abroad and foreign investors investing in China.

He regularly represents issuers and underwriters in the U.S. and Hong Kong public securities offerings, including initial public offerings (IPOs) and Rule 144A/Regulation S offerings for PRC-based companies.

In addition, he is experienced in handling complex cross-border mergers and acquisitions, foreign direct investment, strategic alliances, joint ventures and regulatory compliance matters for numerous foreign investors and Chinese companies. He also counsels global private equity funds on their investment activity throughout Greater China and across Asia.

Some clients he has represented include Bright Food, JD.com, Trina Solar, China Sunergy, Perfect World, ReneSola, Tudou, Pactera Technologies and some international investment banks and private equity funds.

Jeffrey is consistently recognized as a leading lawyer for China M&A by prestigious legal publications such as Chambers Asia, Asia-Pacific Legal 500 and IFLR1000. Clients recognizes him as “an excellent business partner, above his legal counsel role”, who “gives practical advice not only based on legal proficiency, but really helpful for our business”.

Prior to joining Orrick, Mr. Sun worked with a major international law firm, and he was a former partner in a local law firm based in Shanghai.

Stephen Thau Partner

New York; Silicon Valley

Stephen’s practice focuses on the representation of life science, medical device, health IT, and other technology companies in transactional matters, including public and private financings, licensing, collaborations and strategic alliances, and mergers and acquisitions. He also represents venture capital firms in public and private financing transactions.

Stephen is recognized as a Leading Life Sciences Lawyer by LMG Life Sciences in their 2021/2022 rankings and short-listed as Venture Capital Attorney of the Year. He has served as a member of the Board of Tech Council of Maryland, the leading technology and life science association in that state, and of BayBio, Northern California’s leading life sciences association. Stephen is a frequent speaker on venture capital financings and served on the faculty at the 2005 and 2007 Emerging Entrepreneurs workshops at Stanford University.

Prior to joining Orrick, Stephen was a partner at Morrison & Foerster, Venture Law Group and Heller Ehrman. He began his legal practice as a litigator, focusing on securities and intellectual property. He also served as a law clerk to the Hon. Vaughn R. Walker in the United States District Court in the Northern District of California. Stephen graduated Order of the Coif from Stanford Law School, where he was managing editor of the Stanford Law Review, and graduated magna cum laude from Harvard College in Biology.

Albert Vanderlaan Partner

Boston

Albert is involved in a broad range of corporate legal engagements for high growth technology companies, including IPOs, follow-on public offerings, private and public company securities law compliance matters, public company disclosure obligations, venture financings, mergers and acquisitions,  de-SPAC transactions and SPAC IPOs. He also regularly advises public and private companies and their boards of directors on corporate governance issues.

Albert's clients include public and private companies in technology, energy, automotive, Internet related industries, real estate, finance and the life sciences (including, among others, immuno-oncology, gene therapy, restorative cell therapy and medical device companies). He also represents underwriters in initial public offerings, follow-on offerings and PIPE offerings and venture capital firms in a variety of investment transactions.

Albert was named to the Deal’s Top Rising Stars 2021 list, which recognizes top new partners at U.S. law firms who are “doing spectacular work in the field of deal-making and who have continued to progress in their career despite the obstacles put in front of them.”

Ashley Walter Partner & Chief Sustainability Officer

Seattle

As Orrick’s Chief Sustainability Officer, he also oversees Orrick's strategic sustainability initiatives. Ashley focuses on developing innovative methods of supporting clients in achieving ESG objectives, including designing novel systems to manage supply chain risk; forming and guiding management-level ESG Steering Committees; and helping clients address the ESG requirements of major customers by engaging with those customers on our clients’ behalf.

Ashley is a co-founder and past chair of the Corporate Social Responsibility Law Committee of the ABA Business Law Section, has co-chaired the Practising Law Institute's annual ESG program for the last four years, and is heavily involved in ESG initiatives at Stanford Law School, where has served as a moderator at the Stanford Directors' College, has lectured on ESG at business law courses, has taught the course “Corporate Social Responsibility,” and will be teaching the course “Law and Governance in ESG Strategy” in the spring of 2025. Prior to Orrick, Ashley founded the corporate social responsibility practice at a Silicon Valley-based law firm.

How I help clients:

• Customer ESG Engagement: Engaging with clients’ major customers in response to ESG inquiries or requirements
• Supply Chain Risk: Developing responsible sourcing systems for high-risk supply chains
• ESG Goal Management: Advice regarding retaining, modifying or withdrawing ESG goals
• ESG Steering Committees: Forming and guiding management-level ESG Steering Committees
• ESG Due Diligence: Conducting ESG due diligence with a focus on post-closing program building
• Quarterbacking Compliance: Creating and advancing a project plan for regulatory compliance, including working with third-party consultants