People

Laura L. Becking Partner

New York

Her practice is unique in the market. In addition to leading Orrick’s Global Employment & Equity Compensation practice; she is also integrated into the firm’s top-tier employment practice and compensation and benefits practice, enabling her to offer comprehensive solutions for the modern workplace.

Her strategies extend beyond regulations and compliance, into the company’s overall culture and societal nuances of their local workforce. By blending these elements, her targeted plans address a wide range of issues, including hiring, performance management, terminations, discrimination, reclassification, HR data privacy compliance, employee handbooks and policies. She also helps implement employee equity and other compensation and benefits arrangements outside the United States, and covers all aspects of securities, foreign exchange and tax filings triggered by such rollouts. Whether working with a pre-IPO start-up or an international corporation, Laura remains focused on her client’s human capital.

Laura’s distinctive approach places her in high demand for corporate transactions, in particular IPOs and acquisitions. She advised on the employment and/or equity compensation aspects of a leading global technology company and a multinational digital communications technology conglomerate’s global acquisitions; various global transactions for GoPro, Sabre, and a U.S. social media company; the pre- and post-merger integration for DigiCert’s acquisition of Symantec’s Website Security Business; as well as the global acquisitions and global tender offers for a large number of pre-IPO clients. She has also advised companies such as Alcon, Pinterest, Elasticsearch, GitHub, Nvidia, Optimizely, Scale, Twist, Viasat, and Vice on global employment and equity compensation matters and transactions.

Laura serves as co-leader of Orrick’s Women’s Initiative.

Wendy Butler Curtis Chief Innovation Officer

Washington, D.C.

Named the "Most Innovative Lawyer of the Year" by Financial Times in 2018, Wendy is celebrated by clients for her “fresh thinking, legal nuance and practical understanding of the courts.” FT editors noted that “rarely have our panel of judges so quickly homed in on a top candidate for innovative individual.” As Orrick’s Chief Innovation Officer, Wendy leads Orrick’s efforts to operationalize innovation through novel products, streamlined processes, technology and client consulting on tailored solutions. These efforts have contributed to Orrick being named the Most Innovative Law Firm in North America by the Financial Times from 2016-2018 and seven consecutive years being in the top three. In 2018, The American Lawyer also honored Orrick with its first-ever Legal Services Innovation Award.

Wendy leads an innovation team of lawyers, technologists, developers, project managers and business professionals. FT notes that Wendy “understand[s] the diversity of roles that make a team great” and has “introduce[ed] many new technologies and delivery models that have transformed the way the firm operates and works with clients.” She is also recognized by Chambers as a leading individual, nationally, in the area of eDiscovery. Wendy is the chair of Orrick’s eDiscovery and Information Governance Group. She has been engaged by Fortune 100 companies and major financial institutions to create and deploy eDiscovery and records management programs. Wendy has substantial experience in pharmaceutical, product liability and class action litigation. Her litigation experience includes multiple trials, supervision of regional and local counsel, management of complex discovery and meet-and-confer negotiations.

Amanda Galton Partner

San Francisco

As Deputy Chair of our Corporate Business unit, Amanda uses her legal experience, business acumen, professional network and industry knowledge to resolve anticipated and unforeseen obstacles and developments. She advises at material stages of the corporate life cycle (formation, financings, and exits, including SPACs, direct listings and IPOs); and provides guidance and trusted governance advice on board, advisor, employment, separation, and other commercial matters. To further help companies thrive, Amanda keeps clients informed about recent developments in their space and helps connect entrepreneurs and investors with one another.

Amanda started her post-undergraduate professional career in West Africa as a Peace Corps Volunteer – a place where she got to deploy her French and Arabic language skills. Though the focus of her service was health education and community development, she also spent time in a village with Liberian refugees who were interested in implementing windmill technology. Her time in the Peace Corps remains a foundational experience for how she approaches her work today — as she continues to be inspired by the impact of technology and those who are tenacious in solving problems.

Now, Amanda works with companies and entrepreneurs in a number of industries including financial services, food and agriculture, mobility and energy infrastructure, clean tech, and health and professional services.

A portion of her work is also in representing certain investors and venture funds in their investments.

In addition to her practice, Amanda also dedicates time to advancing women in leadership in the U.S. and abroad. She has served as a cultural and professional resource for emerging women leaders from the Middle East, Central Asia and Africa through Tech Women, a U.S. State Department initiative dedicated to empowering women technology leaders in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), and has served on the Board of CodeChix, a non-profit corporation which recruits, retains and inspires women engineers.

True to her professional roots in Peace Corps service, Amanda remains actively committed to advancing global economic development. As a member of Orrick’s Impact Finance and Investment group, she supports investors and entrepreneurs who make social and environmental impacts alongside financial returns.

Prior to joining Orrick, Amanda was a corporate associate at the Menlo Park, California office of Gunderson Dettmer Stough Villeneuve Franklin & Hachigian, LLP.

Allison Riechert Giese Talent Counsel

Silicon Valley

Orrick’s Employment Law and Litigation group was recently named Labor & Employment Department of the Year in California by The Recorder, the premier source for legal news, in recognition of their significant wins on behalf of leading multinational companies on today’s most complex and challenging employment law matters.

Allison was a summer associate in Orrick's Silicon Valley office in 2008. Prior to joining Orrick, she interned in the San Mateo County Superior Court's legal research department.

Tami Grosko Director Court Services and Bar Admissions Counsel

Washington, D.C.

Tami manages the Court Services Department, which consists of the East Coast Managing Attorney's Offices and the West Coast Calendar Department. Tami advises on a range of issues related to civil and appellate procedure and court rules.

Before joining Orrick, Tami was an Assistant County Attorney for Miami-Dade County for three years defending the county and its employees in tort actions brought in federal and state courts.

James Hargrove Partner

Geneva; London

James has a particular specialization in arbitrations relating to energy, commodities, trading, finance and technology (he is particularly active in thought leadership on tech and arbitration issues).

Prior to joining Orrick, James practiced international arbitration and litigation at several international law firms in Geneva and London. James was, among other things, head of the Russia and CIS dispute resolution practice and has deep proficiency in Russia related-disputes and investigations and associated offshore litigation, applications and asset identification, tracing and enforcement.

Molly McCafferty Senior Associate

San Francisco

Molly has extensive experience in all phases of litigation. She has shepherded witnesses and defendants through all stages of state and federal investigations, government enforcement actions, and civil and criminal trials. She has served a pivotal role in multiple federal jury trials, including arguing motions and formulating effective direct and cross examination strategies. She has defended high-profile clients in the technology and finance sectors in securities class actions, and represents clients in shareholder derivative suits and other shareholder-related disputes.

Molly regularly represents companies and their officers and directors in connection with investigations by the SEC, DOJ, FINRA and other state and federal agencies. She has defended clients in SEC and DOJ enforcement actions. Molly's litigation experience also includes defending against allegations of securities fraud, the False Claims Act, and mail and wire fraud.

Molly's pro bono experience focuses on the assisted reproductive technology space, where she has become a go-to strategic advisor. In addition to representing individuals at all stages of the ART lifecycle, Molly regularly counsels organizations affected by assisted reproductive technology and third-party reproduction. Molly has appeared on The Doctors and in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and New York Magazine commenting on regulation and litigation in the gamete donation industry. Most recently, Molly secured a favorable ruling from the FDA on behalf of her clients.

Prior to joining Orrick, Molly was a Litigation and Enforcement associate in the San Francisco and Washington, D.C., offices of another international law firm. Prior to attending law school, Molly was a pianist and conductor on the national tour of Wicked and worked in the Massachusetts Legislature.

Denise Mingrone Senior Counsel

Silicon Valley

No stranger to the courtroom and having handled complex litigations for technology giants including Synopsys, Brocade, Applied Materials and Oracle, Denise seamlessly and efficiently manages large teams to secure victory. Clients appreciate her transparent collaboration and instinct for developing a strategy that ensures the right evidence is presented in the best manner.

The jury verdict Denise’s team obtained in the Netgear v. Ruckus Wireless patent trial, for example, surprised most because the team took over the case just weeks before jury selection, earning the number one place on that week’s “Top Jury Verdicts.” Prior to the Ruckus trial, Denise’s team similarly received accolades as “Top Verdict of the Year” for its jury win on behalf of Brocade against A10 Networks involving patent and copyright infringement. These victories were preceded by a trade secret win for MGA in the “Barbie v. Bratz” epic battle against Mattel, which earned Denise the “California Lawyer of the Year” award for her contributions.

In addition, Ms. Mingrone has led numerous software piracy matters, obtaining full relief whether through negotiation or litigation. Her work in this area encompasses both confidential as well as public investigations, all designed to ensure clients secure the protection of their intellectual property rights and receive appropriate relief when those rights are infringed.

As a former law clerk to several federal judges, Denise appreciates that cases do not turn on facts alone. She has waged and won numerous courtroom battles both obtaining and defending pre-trial injunction motions. As one opponent noted, “She’s a fierce advocate who will go to the mat for her client’s position.”

Brianna Pomatico Senior Associate

New York

Brianna's practice focuses on cross-border comparative employment law, including global business immigration. She works with clients to address critical questions related to the evolution and growth of their global workforce, including international employment contracts, employee handbooks and policies, contingent worker considerations, performance management, benefits, HR data privacy compliance, and equity compensation. Brianna also advises on the global employment aspects of corporate transactions.

Prior to joining Orrick, Brianna practiced corporate immigration law, gaining years of experience facilitating global mobility for large corporations, startups, and individuals alike. 

Adam Rizzo Partner

London

Adam is a disputes lawyer with a focus on high-stakes litigation and regulatory enforcement. He handles commercial disputes, internal investigations and regulatory enforcement matters. 

Adam has acted on disputes for a wide range of commercial clients including financial institutions, professional services firms, shipping and technology companies. He has pursued and defended claims (including in arbitration) for clients for breach of contract, misrepresentation, breach of fiduciary duties, negligence, breach of warranty, breach of confidence and fraud. Adam's cases are international in nature and often arise in an insolvency context in which he regularly assists clients with bringing and defending interim applications, and launching recovery and enforcement actions. 

Adam also conducts internal investigations for companies and boards of directors and has represented companies, firms and individuals in regulatory inquiries and enforcement actions including those brought by the Financial Reporting Council (FRC), the Insolvency Service and the Serious Fraud Office (SFO).  Adam has particular expertise in dealing with internal investigations and regulatory matters which relate to financial reporting, but has also acted in matters in the fintech, invoice finance and asset-based lending sectors. As part of his wider regulatory practice, Adam advises clients on the UK financial sanctions and export controls regime. 

Recognised by Legal 500 as a recommended individual, Adam is described as “efficient and highly personable... excellent at running cases on a day-to-day basis”.

Diana M. Rutowski Partner

Silicon Valley

As a seasoned IP litigator and counselor, Diana’s practice has run the gamut from high stakes trials, to take-down and anti-counterfeiting campaigns, to employee departure and trade secret investigations. She represents clients in District and state courts and before administrative bodies including the ITC and the USPTO. For example, Diana tried and won a complex case in which the other side sought to extend the monopoly of an expired utility patent by claiming trade dress rights in a technical product feature. Drawing upon experience handling both complex patent and trademark matters, her team successfully argued that the intersection of patent and trademark policy prevented the other side from continuing its monopoly, clearing the way for her client to enter the market. With Diana at their side, companies can rest assured that their essential assets are protected, from their core technologies, to assets including their company name, logo, and website.

While at Orrick, Diana was seconded to the City and County of San Francisco, where she had the privilege to serve as an Assistant District Attorney, and first-chair several trials. She was also seconded to Salesforce, where she learned first-hand that the law comprises just one component of a company’s overall business strategy.

Diana is also passionate about her pro bono work. For example, she represented two detainees in Guantanamo in connection with their petitions for a writ of habeas corpus, and she is currently working with the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area. Before joining the firm, Diana worked for the Legal Aid of Cambodia where she assisted with the prosecution of former Khmer Rouge officials and represented individuals who sought to reclaim land rights.

Diana is a member of the International Trademark Association, of ChIPs: Advancing Women in IP and of the Harvard Club of San Francisco.

James Stengel Partner

New York

Jim is consistently recognized as a leading lawyer in legal publications such as Chambers USA and Benchmark Litigation. Chambers notes Jim is "able to handle a wide range of mass torts and class actions, including particular strength in toxic tort-related mandates.” Clients told the publication that Jim “is extremely professional, with excellent brief writing and oral arguments,” calling him “a great guy and a great lawyer."  

Jim has served in a variety of management roles at Orrick, including Managing Director of Litigation, Member of the Executive Committee and Board, Lead Director, and as a member of the firm’s Management Committee.

Jim has written and lectured on complex litigation and mass tort subjects at a variety of law schools and seminars.

Before joining Orrick, Jim was a partner at Donovan Leisure Newton & Irvine LLP.