MoForever Alumni News - Summer 2020

MoForever Summer 2020 | 2 At this critical time in history, Morrison & Foerster will not be casual observers to racial injustice. We strongly reaffirm our commitment to supporting racial justice and fighting systemic racism. We will do more, and we will do it together. In the spirit of our shared commitment to promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion, we recently established engagement committees focused on four core areas—legal services to support racial justice, charitable donations, community action, and education—to ensure that this important work gets done. For those interested in collaboration with our engagement committees, please submit your contact information here so we can send you future opportunities. Since its founding in 1986, the MoFo Foundation has contributed more than $60 million to a wide variety of nonprofit organizations that strengthen communities and address societal inequities, and on June 1st, we launched a fundraising campaign and a special match program resulting in $175,000 in firm racial justice donations. Our commitment to civil rights can be seen in two recent wins. MoFo helped secure a landmark settlement that included $53 million in funding for California schoolchildren in the first civil rights lawsuit ever brought under any state constitution to secure students’ right to achieve literacy. Additionally, two wrongful arrests were turned into a settlement of $1.475 million on behalf of our pro bono clients in a civil rights lawsuit against the City of San Diego and two police officers. As we discuss the importance of ensuring equal justice for all, this June marked a significant victory for our LGBTQ+ community. In a landmark decision the U.S. Supreme Court extended the protections of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to gay and transgender workers. While there are many more stages in our journey towards complete equality, this decision marked a big step towards that goal. The decision was made even more significant having taken place during Pride Month, a time when we celebrate and honor the many contributions of our LGBTQ+ friends and colleagues. As we continue to navigate the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, our MoFo family has been busy helping in the communities where we work and live. We are proud of our team’s collective efforts, including the involvement of Suz Mac Cormac and Kaela Colwell in the Bay Area Small/Social Enterprise Task Force that collects local, state, federal, and private/nonprofit resources for Bay Area small businesses impacted by COVID-19. Another significant effort led by Matthew Karlyn aims to help a fast-growing grassroots movement, Survivor Corps, transform into a nonprofit that connects COVID-19 survivors with medical, science, and academic professionals to help develop treatments and vaccines. As of early May, contributions to Survivor Corps by the MoFo Foundation, our partners, and employees exceeded $200,000. Also in this edition of the magazine’s Alumna Spotlight, you’ll meet Ivy Tang, General Atlantic’s (GA) Head of Legal for Greater China and Southeast Asia, who oversees the region’s corporate investment deals. Ivy explains firsthand about how COVID-19 has impacted the way GA is scrutinizing potential new investments as well as potential long-term partners in today’s ever- changing legal and economic landscapes. We thank Ivy for her insights on this important topic. You can also read about how COVID-19 is exacerbating efforts on the pro bono front lines in this issue’s Pro Bono Update with Laurie Joyce, Pro Bono Network Coordinator of Legal Aid of Marin in San Rafael, California. We appreciate Laurie for sharing her experiences in representing low-income immigrants and residents in housing and employment matters. Additionally, we recently issued a second COVID-19 impact survey of 100+ general counsel at global corporations to understand how this ongoing health crisis is impacting our clients. As expected, our study shows the pandemic is forecasted to have long-term business ramifications. To help our clients stay apprised of these important issues, we make regular updates to our Coronavirus Resource Center . We also launched a podcast where our partners talk about the legal issues arising as a result of COVID-19 and the reopening of businesses over the immediate and long term. I hope you take the time to read and enjoy this issue of MoForever . While we may still face a great deal of uncertainty, it is my hope that the stories shared in this issue, including our alumna and pro bono spotlights and our other firm updates, will help uplift and inspire you. Thank you once again for your time, effort, and dedication and for making our MoFo alumni network a wonderful source of support for all our colleagues, former and current, no matter what obstacles we face. LARREN M. NASHELSKY CHA I RMAN ' S L E T T ER WELCOME TO THE 2020 SUMMER ISSUE OF MOFOREVER . IT HAS BEEN AN UNEXPECTED FIRST HALF OF 2020. IN THE MIDST OF A TRAGIC PANDEMIC AND RESULTING ECONOMIC CRISIS, WE ARE CONFRONTING ANOTHER LONG-RUNNING BATTLE, STANDING UP FOR JUSTICE AND ADDRESSING SYSTEMIC RACISIM.