People

Young Lee Partner

New York

Young is recognized as a Leading Lawyer by Chambers USA and Chambers Global (2010-2024), where clients state, “Young is a spectacular lawyer. She is smart, creative and commercial - a stand out person to work with,” she “provides expert representation in the development and financing of high-value and sophisticated infrastructure projects,” and is “very insightful and bringing a lot of practical experience to deals.”

Young represents sponsors, lenders and investors in the development, construction, financing and operation and maintenance of complex infrastructure projects and the acquisition and sale of projects and companies in the infrastructure sector. She has been involved in many of the largest U.S. PPP transactions that have achieved financial close in the past several years.

Young has acted as lead counsel in numerous project financings, acquisitions and other strategic arrangements in the United States and abroad. These transactions have involved, among other assets, toll roads, airports, port facilities, generation assets, telecommunications infrastructure, water and waste facilities, and companies owning portfolios of infrastructure assets.

Young also serves as Lead Director of Orrick's Board.

Jennifer C. Lee Partner

San Francisco

Jennifer defends her clients in federal and state litigation across the country that allege fraud, breach of contract, or securities law violations.  She is a key member of an Orrick trial team that has shaped the legal landscape of RMBS litigation after the 2009 financial crisis, delivering out-of-the box arguments and innovative solutions for her clients, from initial receipt of pre-litigation demands through expert work, summary judgment and trial.  

Jennifer's mortgage-backed securities litigation experience, which spans the last decade, includes:

• Representing Credit Suisse Securities in multiple million and billion-dollar actions across the country brought by monoline insurers, trustees, and regulators alleging breaches of representations and warranties, fraud, and securities violations.  Recent highlights include conducting direct examination of an expert witness in a trial in February 2023, and securing partial dismissal of claims in December 2023 after arguing a motion to dismiss. 

• Representing Goldman Sachs in two RMBS putback actions pending in the Southern District of New York alleging that Goldman breached representations and warranties regarding the characteristics of the deal loans.

Jennifer also has significant mortgage servicing expertise, including the following matters:

• Representing Nationstar in a breach of contract dispute alleging that Nationstar failed to properly service and made misrepresentations regarding thousands of early buy-out loans.
  

• Representing Ocwen Mortgage Servicing in a consumer class action in the Eastern District of California alleging numerous claims including RICO, California consumer protection statutes and fraud.  

Jennifer also represents financial services companies related to commercial disputes, including:

• Representing Pipe Technologies, Inc. in multiple commercial disputes regarding payment of services.

• Representing a large financial services platform in multiple subpoenas issued for production of documents.

Jennifer is dedicated to pro bono work, including asylum claims, a cause close to her heart as a child of immigrants. Prior to joining Orrick, she held a fellowship position in the Law Reform Unit at the Legal Aid Society of New York, litigating both individual cases as well as class actions.

Jennifer is a leader and advocate for diversity and inclusion initiatives in the legal profession. She leads Orrick's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee in San Francisco. She has served as a fellow for the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity, and is active in the California Minority Counsel Program.  

Daniel Lee Counsel

Houston

He represents corporate buyers, project sponsors, developers, and financial institutions in the negotiation of a broad variety of agreements:

• Virtual and physical power purchase agreements, REC agreements, and other long-term offtake contracts for wind and solar;
• Joint ventures, acquisitions, and divestitures of renewable energy project equity and assets;
• Engineering, procurement, and construction agreements;
• Major equipment supply contracts; and
• Interconnection, site control, and other project development transactions.

In addition to project development, Daniel has assisted energy clients in environmental, energy regulatory, restructuring, and financing matters.

Prior to joining Orrick, Daniel was a Senior Counsel at Vestas Development and a Senior Associate in an international law firm’s energy practice group. In these roles, he negotiated transactions involving over 3.5 GWs of renewable energy projects in matters ranging from utility scale to community solar.

Aaron Lee Managing Associate

San Francisco

Aaron advises sponsors, lenders and financial institutions in debt and equity financings across the renewable energy, conventional energy and infrastructure sectors.

As a law student, Aaron worked as a legal intern at the International Finance Corporation. Prior to law school, Aaron worked as a credit ratings analyst for public finance transactions in the water and wastewater sectors. Aaron is also a licensed civil engineer in the State of California.

Elizabeth Lefever Of Counsel

Silicon Valley; Washington, D.C.

She focuses on high growth technology companies and represents both public and private companies and venture capital funds in many areas, including corporate and securities law, venture capital financings, mergers and acquisitions, public offerings, public company representation and private equity.

Prior to joining Orrick, Elizabeth was of counsel with Clifford Chance and an associate at Brobeck Phleger and Harrison.

Christophe Lefort Partner

Paris

For over 30 years, Christophe has advised public and private operators, government bodies, contractors and financial institutions on the construction and financing of major telecoms, energy (solar, renewable energy, biomass, etc.) and infrastructure (road, rail, port and airport, nuclear, etc.) projects in Europe, Africa and elsewhere.

In the Telecom sector, Christophe has advised Marguerite Adviser on multiple French delegations de service public (concession arrangements), in Alsace, Grand Est and the Haute Loire regions and Cellnex Telecom on most of their fiber and tower investments in France, Italy, Switzerland and Poland for a total amount of circa 10bn€

He is ranked as one of the top lawyers in international projects and energy by Chambers Global 2024, as well as in the Africa Business Top 100 Legal Powerlist of the most influential lawyers in French-speaking Africa (2023).

Prior to joining Orrick, Christophe worked for a leading law firm in Paris, and was previously General Counsel of Bouygues Travaux Publics and International Legal Manager for Veolia Environnement (CGEA) for many years.

Eliza Lehner Senior Associate

New York

Before joining Orrick, Eliza served as a law clerk to Judge Paul J. Watford on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, Judge Jesse M. Furman on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, and Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Elena Kagan. She also worked as a temporary Special Counsel to the Senate Judiciary Committee on the confirmation of Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. 

Lauren Leibovitch Senior Associate

Santa Monica

Lauren focuses on defending employers in complex wage-and-hour lawsuits, including class, representative, and collective actions in both federal and state courts. She is a persuasive writer and experienced litigator who leverages her substantial wage-and-hour knowledge to develop creative strategies and solutions. Lauren has been a key player in successfully defeating class certification and securing dismissals of PAGA actions. Through smart litigation, Lauren ensures favorable outcomes for her clients.

Lauren has authored numerous articles and client alerts, providing valuable insights on various aspects of employment law. Before joining Orrick, Lauren served as co-editor of Morrison & Foerster's Employment Law Commentary blog, which covers judicial, litigation, and legislative developments, their implications for employers, and strategies to ensure compliance and avoid lawsuits.

Lauren graduated cum laude from the University of California, San Francisco (formerly UC Hastings), where she was Senior Articles Editor for the Hastings Law Journal and received CALI Awards for earning the highest grade in Legal Writing & Research, E-Discovery, and Critical Studies I: Writing. During pursuit of her J.D., she served as a judicial extern for the Honorable Mary E. Wiss and the Honorable Curtis E.A. Karnow in the San Francisco Superior Court of Complex Civil Litigation, and for the Honorable Consuelo B. Marshall in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. In undergrad, Lauren was an NCAA Division I coxswain on UCLA’s rowing team.

Rachel Leigh Senior Associate

London

Rachel acts for early-stage and high-growth companies primarily in the technology sector.

Léo LEMAIRE Associate

Paris

Léo is experienced in the resolution of business law disputes. He assists French and international companies in the amicable or contentious handling of their disputes.

Prior to joining the firm, Léo was an intern in the litigation department of Orrick and also achieved several internships in different international law firms.

Grace Lentz Senior Associate

Houston

Grace counsels energy clients on a wide range of transactions in the energy industry with a particular focus on renewable energy matters. Grace regularly advises clients on project development matters, including power purchase agreements and other long-term offtake agreements, physical and financial swaps, engineering, procurement and construction contracts, equipment supply and warranty agreements, and operation and maintenance agreements, as well as mergers and acquisitions involving energy companies and assets.

Mayling Leong Of Counsel

Sacramento

In addition, Mayling serves as issuer’s counsel to the California Statewide Communities Development Authority and the California Public Finance Authority for 501(c)(3) conduit financings, and as special counsel to the California State Treasurer’s Office in transactions for bonds insured through the California Department of Health Care Access and Information’s Cal-Mortgage Loan Insurance program.