Morrison Foerster Announces 17 New Partners for 2026

The firm said the 2026 partner class reflects a wide range of legal disciplines, including finance, mergers and acquisitions, intellectual property, litigation, antitrust, government contracts, real estate, and executive compensation. The promotions underscore Morrison Foerster’s continued focus on building depth across its global platform, per a statement.

Eric McCrath, chair of Morrison Foerster, commented on the announcement, saying, “It is my privilege to welcome the talented members of our 2026 class of attorneys to the partnership at Morrison Foerster. The members of this class individually and collectively personify the firm’s commitment to client service, the constant pursuit of excellence, and our collaborative professional environment. I am eager to see the myriad ways they will continue to contribute to the firm’s success in the years to come.”

Among those elevated to partner is Jake Burne in Denver, who works in the firm’s Finance Group and advises private equity sponsors and portfolio companies on complex domestic and cross-border financings. In Washington, D.C., Josh Crawford joins the partnership from the Patent Group, where his practice centers on U.S. and international patent prosecution and related litigation support. Also in Washington, Caitlin Crujido was promoted from the Government Contracts Group, advising contractors on procurement disputes, investigations, and transactional matters.

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New York-based Raff Ferraioli, a member of the Business Restructuring and Insolvency Group, was also elected partner, bringing experience from restructurings and bankruptcy proceedings. In Austin, Lawrence Gallick of the Technology Transactions Group was recognized for his work at the intersection of software, technology, and commercial agreements, informed by his prior career in web and UX design, according to a statement.

The firm’s litigation practices were also well represented. Jenny Galloway in London was promoted from the Investigations and White Collar Defense Group, where she advises companies and executives facing parallel regulatory, criminal, and reputational challenges. In California, Hannah Jiam in San Francisco and Sumaiya Sharmeen in Palo Alto were elevated from the Intellectual Property Litigation Group, with practices spanning technology, life sciences, and biotechnology disputes. Camila Tapernoux, based in San Francisco, joins the partnership from the Complex Litigation Group, focusing on class actions and commercial litigation.

Additional promotions include Julia Koch in Boston from the Securities Litigation Group; Astrid Menendez-Muharram in Miami from the Mergers and Acquisitions Group, with a focus on private equity investments; and Christoph Nüßing in Berlin from the Antitrust Group, where he advises on digital regulation and technology law matters in Europe, per a statement.

In Asia, Hisatada Ohashi and Takaki Sato were named partners in Tokyo. Ohashi focuses on complex real estate transactions for international investors, while Sato advises on mergers and acquisitions with a particular emphasis on data privacy. Luke Rowland in London was also promoted from the Mergers and Acquisitions Group, advising on cross-border public and private transactions.

The 2026 class further includes Ben Rosenzweig in Boston from the Finance Group, who represents banks and financial institutions in lending transactions, and Yuan Xia in Palo Alto from the Executive Compensation and Benefits Group, where she advises on compensation issues arising in mergers, acquisitions, and other corporate transactions.

Morrison Foerster said the new partners collectively bring experience across a broad array of industries and regulatory environments, reinforcing the firm’s global reach and multidisciplinary approach to client service, according to a statement.

Source: MoFo