Santa Monica
Ben’s diverse practice focuses on disputes where an understanding of technology and business is essential. Ben’s civil litigation practice includes trade secret misappropriation, breach of contract, and funder / founder disputes, through arbitration and trial and on appeal. Ben also has extensive experience in government enforcement actions before the SEC and FTC, as well as federal criminal matters ranging from fraud to FCPA to export controls. He has also conducted numerous internal investigations on behalf of corporate clients. Clients praise Ben’s understanding of the tech ecosystem, responsiveness, and practical, solutions-oriented business judgment.
Ben is committed to impacting his community and maintains an active pro bono practice, including representation and collaboration with the ACLU, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Asian Americans Advancing Justice, Electronic Frontier Foundation, and Equality California, on issues ranging from religious freedom, school integration, reproductive rights, privacy from government surveillance, and the right for same-sex couples to marry.
Ben currently serves on the Board of Directors of 826LA, a non-profit organization providing literacy and writing programs for children in underserved areas of Los Angeles. Since 2018, Ben has served on the Board of Directors for the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. He currently co-chairs its White-Collar Crime Committee and is the vice-chair of its Ninth Circuit Amicus Committee. Ben previously served on the Yale Law School Association Executive Committee, representing Northern and Southern California. The judges of the United States Court of Appeal for the Ninth Circuit appointed Ben to serve as an appellate lawyer representative to the court.
Santa Monica
Pia advises high-growth technology companies and venture capital firms in many areas, including venture financings, secondary transactions, corporate and securities law, governance matters, corporate formations, and day-to-day legal needs of executive teams. Pia represents companies and their investors across a variety of industries, including software, financial technology, consumer goods, aerospace, and life sciences.
While at Harvard Law School, Pia worked with a number of technology startups affiliated with the Harvard Innovation Lab and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Santa Monica
Taylor’s recent sell-side experience includes having represented
Her recent buy-side experience includes having represented
Santa Monica
Prior to joining Orrick, Ameerah was an associate at Buckley LLP. Prior to Buckley, she was an Assistant Vice President for a national consumer financial services company, where she maintained compliance with all applicable Consumer Finance Protection Board (CFPB) and other federal and state regulatory guidelines.
San Francisco; Santa Monica; Silicon Valley
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.
Santa Monica
David represents high growth technology companies and venture capital firms in many areas, including corporate and securities law, formation, ongoing corporate matters, and venture capital financings.
David began his legal career as a corporate associate at Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP. During his time at NYU School of Law, David worked with a number of startups.
Los Angeles; Santa Monica
Los Angeles; Santa Monica
He counsels clients nationwide on complex financial transactions and restructurings, including secured and unsecured loan transactions, project financings, leveraged buy-outs, dividend recapitalizations and insolvency matters.
In the California Banking & Finance category of Chambers USA, clients commend Alan, describing him as “a guru for gaming work" and noting “his extensive financing practice includes particular expertise in lending transactions involving Native American tribes.”
In addition to his practice responsibilities, Alan has held numerous firmwide positions, including recently as a member of Orrick's Board of Directors and as practice group leader of the firm’s Banking & Finance group. He was the Chair of the Firm’s Finance and Audit Committee from 2010 through 2019.
He is licensed to practice in California.
Los Angeles; Santa Monica
Los Angeles; Santa Monica
Alyssa represents companies in all stages of litigation — from pre-suit investigation, through trial, and on to appeals court. In 2023 alone, she was a key member of Orrick teams that won two jury verdicts, three ITC proceedings, and numerous IPRs and dispositive motions.
She draws upon her engineering degree from Harvey Mudd College to engage with technical professionals and quickly grasp new technologies. She brings experience with technologies ranging from medical devices, streaming media systems, software and peripheral computer components to projects in the aerospace and automotive industries.
She acts for companies of all sizes. Current clients include Sonos, Zynga, Micro Focus, Oracle, DISH, Checkpoint, RingCentral, and Cellink.
The Daily Journal recognized Alyssa as one of the Top Women Lawyers in California in 2023 and both Bloomberg Law and Daily Journal named her to their 40 Under 40 lists.
For Alyssa, IP protection is more than business; it’s personal. For more than a half-century, her family patented mechanical technologies that they developed into a thriving business, inspiring her love of science and technology as well as her desire to protect innovative ideas. Alyssa calls Southern California home, but remains loyal to the sports teams of her Bay Area childhood.
Santa Monica
Caroline advises emerging and high growth companies throughout their lifecycle, as well as venture funds and other investors, across a variety of industries. Her practice focuses on venture financings and corporate governance matters, and the general day-to-day legal needs of startups. She has also counseled companies on M&A, securities and technology transactions matters.
Caroline is a frequent speaker on fundraising essentials for emerging growth companies and sits on the board of the Los Angeles Venture Association.
Prior to joining Orrick, Caroline was a Partner and Co-Chair of the Venture Capital & Emerging Growth Practice at Stubbs Alderton & Markiles.
Santa Monica
Santa Monica
He regularly assists in the tax planning and structuring of emerging companies and other transactions relevant to their formation and sale, including founder loan share purchases and secondary sales, “Up-C” IPO transactions, obtaining and optimizing “qualified small business stock” tax benefits, conversions of limited liability companies, structuring and documenting “profits interests” and other favorable equity to founders, as well as M&A, joint ventures, equity and debt financings, buyouts, divestitures, and restructurings. He has significant experience in real estate and related transactions, including structuring and tax planning for private equity investment funds, joint ventures, and like kind exchanges and other tax-advantaged exit strategies, including:
Pete has spoken and written extensively in areas involving private equity, venture capital, hedge and real estate funds, real estate joint ventures and distressed debt, and private equity transactions.
Pete also is an adjunct professor at the U.C. Irvine School of Law, having created and taught classes focused on Tax Planning for Real Estate Transactions, for both JD and LLM (taxation) students.
Santa Monica
She advises on matters under the Electronic Fund Transfer Act (EFTA), Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA), state unfair practices, unfair competition and false advertising statutes, California’s Proposition 65, and state and federal privacy laws.
Prior to joining Orrick, Lauren was counsel at Buckley LLP. Previously, she was a litigation associate at Morrison & Foerster LLP and also clerked for the Honorable William B. Shubb of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California. Lauren also has extensive experience in providing arbitration-related advice and regularly drafts and revises arbitration agreements.
Santa Monica; Los Angeles
Santa Monica; Los Angeles
Andrew works closely with founders and venture capitalists globally on the formation, operations, fundraising and successful exits of technology and other venture-backed companies. Leveraging a unique professional background and skill set as well as the premiere, full suite of services of our global law firm to devise strategic and creative solutions for his clients, Andrew shares their vision for change, and helps them build the vessel that delivers that vision to the world.
Prior to joining Orrick, Andrew served as a legislative adviser to Congress, a lobbyist for the University of Illinois, and a tax fellow for Deloitte advising companies on Sarbanes-Oxley tax compliance and building internal control systems.