Orrick Welcomes the Partner Class of 2024

8 minute read | January.23.2024

Orrick’s 10 new partners reflect the firm’s focus on tech, life sciences, energy and finance, and include six litigators.
The class also reflects Orrick’s innovative approach to attracting, retaining and promoting the best talent, with four having begun their careers at Orrick and two advancing to partner in just eight years of practice. Half of our new partners work a flexible schedule and/or fully remotely.
For the ninth year in a row, more than half of the class is diverse and/or women.

Orrick Chair Mitch Zuklie said: “This is a class of exceptional talent – who will help our clients innovate in the sectors we serve and defend their toughest cases. We are honored to welcome them as our partners and future leaders of our firm.”

TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION

Michael Chow defends major technology companies in IP litigation, spanning patent, trade secret misappropriation and employee mobility matters.
He draws on his background in mechanical engineering to defend clients such as Canon, eBay, Robert Bosch, Foxconn and others. He is fluent in Chinese and has built strong relationships with clients in Taiwan, China and Japan.
Michael has been part of Orrick’s pro bono Permanency Project since 2015, which has helped over 100 low-income clients become lawful permanent U.S. residents.
He joined Team Orrick as a summer associate and is based in Orange County.

Michael said, “What I enjoy most is digging in with colleagues to understand and address our clients’ most challenging technological needs efficiently and innovatively. Solving those problems – and getting the best results for our clients – allows me to combine my engineering background with my legal knowledge to develop successful strategies.”

Rebecca Harlow is a cyber and privacy class action litigator and a member of Orrick’s nationally Chambers Band 1-ranked practice.
She defends clients in litigation arising from data breaches, including multiple cases stemming from a widespread attack on the MOVEit file transfer application, as well as class actions bringing wiretapping claims.
Rebecca co-leads Orrick’s Women’s Initiative in San Francisco.

Rebecca said, “Cyber and privacy litigation is so exciting because the law is constantly evolving as technologies change, laws are enacted and cases are decided. From chatbots to pixels to AI, every technological innovation creates new risks and challenges that our clients must navigate as they too evolve.”

Will Melehani is an intellectual property litigator based in San Francisco who has served on many winning Orrick teams in tech and biotech. He recently helped secure a complete trial win for Zynga in its battle with IGT over a mobile gaming technology patent.
With a bachelor’s degree in genetics, Will draws on his life sciences background to help protect the innovations of major biotech companies in complex patent cases.
Will joined Team Orrick as a summer associate. He maintains an active pro bono practice.

Will said, “For me, the best part of IP litigation is finding ways to unravel the complexity of cases with cutting-edge technology and murky legal standards to highlight the simple, clear reasons that our client should win.”

Paige Pavone manages and litigates complex matters, including class actions, multidistrict litigation and cases set for trial, often at the intersection of mass torts and the tech sector.
She has an active pro bono practice, largely focused on immigrant rights.
Paige is based in New York.

Paige said, “At Orrick, we are encouraged to be compassionate attorneys – to listen to our clients and each other, to recognize nuance and to litigate thoughtfully. I’m so proud to work for a firm that seeks to refresh the practice of law.”

Michael Ruiz is a lifelong technology enthusiast and a member of Orrick’s gaming practice. He advises on issues at the convergence of video games, entertainment, eSports and AI.
Michael guides founders, companies and investors on corporate formation and structure, venture capital financings, board and stockholder relationships, and exit transactions.
He joined Team Orrick as a summer associate and is based in Seattle.

Michael said, “I love new technology, and helping the brilliant people who are developing cutting-edge tech never gets old. I get to work every day with founders who have big dreams and even bigger ideas.”

ENERGY & INFRASTRUCTURE

Sue Cowell, who is being promoted from senior counsel, advises clients on environmental and permitting matters across a wide range of sectors, including all types of power generation and infrastructure projects.
She is also experienced with climate change matters, carbon capture and sequestration, and carbon reduction credits. Sue works with our deal teams to identify and negotiate the allocation of environmental risk in financing agreements, purchase and sale agreements, and leases.
Based in Washington, D.C., she is also experienced with the environmental facets of ESG, including advising companies on reporting and disclosure requirements.

Sue said, “Orrick provides a fantastic platform to work on cutting-edge projects, particularly those contributing to the decarbonization of the economy. I look forward to continuing to help our clients achieve their energy transition goals through innovative legal and business solutions.”

Victor Hanna is a member of Orrick’s Chambers Band 1-ranked renewable energy team. He advises lenders, borrowers, sponsors and equity investors on renewable energy project financings spanning utility-scale, distributed generation and residential power projects.
Victor works with some of the most active players in energy transition across a variety of debt and equity project financing structures, including mezzanine, back-leverage, bridge and construction loans, as well as cash equity, tax equity and joint ventures.
He is based in San Francisco.

Victor said, “The complex commercial and legal issues we tackle daily require more than just individual talent – a true team effort is necessary. I’m proud to be part of a team that embraces this and works alongside all parties on a transaction – whether it be internally, with our client or with counterparties and their counsel – to solve these issues collaboratively.”

Lana Le Hir, who is being promoted from senior counsel, is a member of Orrick’s No. 1 ranking global renewable PPA team. She helps major corporate purchasers and developers meet their net-zero carbon goals by crafting and negotiating innovative, long-term offtake structures that include renewable PPAs, carbon removal agreements and other unique sustainability solutions.
Lana has been a key member of the Orrick team that implemented the first energy justice and other ESG considerations in PPAs, the first nuclear fusion PPA, one of the largest direct air capture carbon removal agreements to date, as well as a 24/7 energy delivery structure for Microsoft’s data centers that was recognized in Financial Times’ 2023 Innovative Lawyers report.
A former electrical engineer, Lana combines deep technical knowledge and legal expertise to help clients advance climate solutions.

Lana said, “Leading corporates are now transitioning to the next phase of their sustainability journeys. They are seeking more advanced renewable energy purchase structures and looking beyond renewables to nature-based and breakthrough technology solutions to reduce their carbon footprint. I’m honored to join the partnership at Orrick, with its emphasis on innovation and emerging technologies, to help buyers and sellers create and set the market for these sustainability endeavors.”

FINANCE

Harry Murphy represents financial institutions and other large corporations in high-stakes litigation, with an emphasis on securities, commodities and other financial products. He has significant experience defending clients in class action litigation.
As part of Orrick teams advising UBS, Louis Dreyfus, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and JPMorgan, Harry brings a deep understanding of complex financial markets at issue in litigation as well as broader business and regulatory perspectives. He recently completed a weeklong bench trial in bankruptcy court on behalf of several private credit funds.
Harry is based in New York.

Harry said, “Orrick’s financial services litigation practice has grown exponentially over the last several years. I’m looking forward to working with this incredible team to continue to build our practice in this rapidly changing market.”

Camille Rosca is a member of Orrick’s financial services litigation team and a part of the group that won recognition as a 2022 Banking Practice Group of the Year by Law360.
An advocate inside and outside the courtroom, Camille helped secure a precedent-setting decision in RMBS litigation for Credit Suisse in 2022. She is an integral member of the Orrick litigation team for one of the largest non-bank mortgage servicers in the United States, and has played a significant role in advising financial institutions on civil and class action matters.
Camille clerked for Justice Anne M. Patterson of the New Jersey Supreme Court before joining Orrick in New York. She serves as co-chair of the Financial Services Network of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association.

Camille said, “Our financial services litigation team is top-notch. Not only are we known for our innovative and strategic approaches to discovery and pretrial resolutions, but our clients appreciate and trust that our team is always trial ready. We know how to keep the pressure on our adversaries and have the skills, experience and willingness to take trials to completion.”