Attorney Intel is pleased to announce The Top 50 Attorneys of San Francisco for 2022. With the sixth largest economy in the U.S. and as an critical hub to global wealth, San Francisco has a wide variety of attorneys who are experts in their industries. While the area has had some economic setbacks due to the pandemic, lawyers in the area are helping guide individuals and businesses back on track. This year’s awardees serve at some of the world’s most prestigious institutions. They are respected and admired for their work and are leaders within their local communities.
Among this year’s awardees is Aaron Schuer, General Counsel and Senior Vice President for Yelp, who as one of the company's first lawyers helped them grow from 500 to over 5000 employees, from offering content in 3 countries to over 30, and from 10 million reviews to over 200 million. Awardee Chrysty Esperanza, General Counsel of Block, has been credited with supporting not only customers but also their employees as they recover from the pandemic and come back stronger than ever. Also awarded is Stephanie Burns, Senior Vice President and General Counsel of PlayStation, who has spent the majority of her career serving in executive leadership roles with well-known companies like Amazon and StubHub.
This year’s awardees have an unmatched passion and dedication to the legal profession. Please join us in celebrating the accomplishments of The Top 50 Attorneys of San Francisco for 2022.
1. Aaron Schur
General Counsel & SVP, Yelp
Aaron Schur is a General Counsel and Senior Vice President for Yelp. He first joined the company in 2010 as deputy general counsel and vice president. Schur is known for being an experienced and innovative tech attorney with a successful record advising executives and employees at all levels on difficult legal areas, helping shape innovative product offerings, and prevailing in high stakes legal matters.
Previously, Schur was an associate at Arnold & Porter LLP, one of the first ten attorneys in the firm's growing San Francisco office. Earlier in his career he worked with Bingham McCutchen LLP as an associate. Schur earned a JD from New York University School of Law, an MA in nationalism studies from Central European University, and an undergraduate degree in history from the University of California, San Diego.
2. Mark Pearson
Senior Legal Counsel of Marketing & Intellectual Property, Airbnb
Mark Pearson is the Senior Legal Counsel of Marketing & Intellectual Property for Airbnb.
Additionally, he is an Attorney at Law for ARC Law Group, where he works with creative, talented, and entrepreneurial clients negotiating complex licensing agreements. He guides clients on protecting and exploiting their intellectual property and publicity rights and creating and funding business entities. Pearson has 24 years of experience. He began his career in 1998.
Before joining Airbnb, Pearson was an associate attorney at Berman Entertainment & Technology Law, and before that an attorney at Charles Schwab. Earlier in his career he worked with KIMO (ABC) as a sports reporter. Pearson is a sought-after public speaker and interview guest on radio and television on matters dealing with intellectual property and entertainment law. He graduated from Golden Gate University, School of Law with a JD and from Arizona State University with an undergraduate degree in journalism.
3. Tia Sherringham
General Counsel, DoorDash
Tia Sherringham began her professional career 14 years ago. Today, she is a General Counsel for DoorDash, the technology and logistics company that started with door-to-door delivery. Sherringham joined DoorDash in 2017 as the second legal hire and today oversees the legal team, as well as our information security & enterprise technology functions. As the executive sponsor of their Parents@ Employee Resource Group and champion of our Womens@ ERG, Sherringham is known for having helped foster and shape an inclusive culture at DoorDash.
Sherringham first got her start in 2008 as an associate at Latham & Watkins. From there, she went on to the U.S. Federal Courts before eventually moving on to become a commercial and product counsel at Instacart, her most recent position prior to joining DoorDash. Sherringham graduated from the University of California, Berkeley - School of Law with a JD and from Columbia University in the City of New York with an undergraduate degree in history.
4. Sapna Mithani
Senior Counsel of Commercial & Product, Instacart
Sapna Mithani is a Senior Counsel of Commercial and Product for Instacart. She first joined the company in 2018 as commercial and product counsel. Instacart, the leading grocery technology company in North America, works with grocers and retailers to transform how people shop. It partners with more than 800 national, regional, and local retail brands to facilitate online shopping, delivery and pickup services from more than 70,000 stores across more than 5,500 cities in North America on the Instacart Marketplace. The Instacart platform offers retailers a suite of enterprise-grade technology products and services to power their e-commerce experiences, fulfill orders, digitize brick-and-mortar stores, provide advertising services, and glean insights.
Previously, Mithani was a corporate counsel of legal and business affairs at App Annie and before that, an associate at Silicon Legal Strategy. Earlier in her career she worked with Gunderson Dettmer as a corporate and securities paralegal. Mithani earned a JD from Indiana University and an undergraduate degree in legal studies from the University of California, Berkeley.
5. Joan Villa
Counsel of Corporate Compliance, Netflix
Joan Villa is a Counsel of Corporate Compliance for Netflix. Her responsibilities include regulatory inquiries support, legal advice relating to anti-corruption and modern slavery, compliance training and communications, third party corporate due diligence, regulatory compliance risk assessments, political law compliance, conflicts of interest/gifts, travel and entertainment guidance, and the overall continuous improvement for the company’s compliance program. She has 14 years of experience. She began her career in 2008.
Before joining Netflix, Villa was an associate for the control room at JPMorgan Chase & Co. Earlier in her career she worked with Google as a legal assistant where she reviewed and produced responses to legal processes from law enforcement and government agencies. Villa graduated from Cardozo School of Law with a JD and from New York University with an undergraduate degree in political science.
6. Patrick Zhang
VP & Deputy General Counsel of IP, Public Policy & Regulatory Affairs, Atlassian
Patrick Zhang began his professional career 21 years ago. Today, he is the Vice President and Deputy General Counsel of IP, Public Policy & Regulatory Affairs for Atlassian. Atlassian is a leading provider of collaboration, development, and issue tracking software for teams. Driven by honest values, an amazing culture, and consistent revenue growth, they are out to unleash the potential of every team.
Zhang first got his start in 2001 as a technical advisor of patent prosecution & counseling at Ropes & Gray LLP (formerly Fish & Neave LLP). From there, he went on to Morrison & Foerster LLP, before eventually rising to become a VP of IP strategy and enforcement, and head of litigation at Technicolor, his most recent position prior to joining Atlassian. Zhang graduated from Fordham University School of Law with a JD and from Cornell University with an undergraduate degree in aerospace engineering.
7. Chrysty Esperanza
General Counsel, Block
Chrysty Esperanza is the General Counsel at Block, Inc., where she leads the litigation, corporate, employment, privacy, intellectual property, tax, and trust & safety teams. At Block, she provides strategic counsel on managing risk on a broad spectrum of issues, including leading the task force that has been managing the company’s response to Covid-19. She first joined the company in 2021.
Prior to Block, Esperanza was a senior counsel for Electronic Arts Inc. She previously served as a deputy attorney general at the California Department of Justice, and also as an associate at Farella, Braun and Martel. Esperanza graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles with an undergraduate degree in mass communications and media studies, and with a JD from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law.
8. Stephanie Burns
SVP & General Counsel, PlayStation
Stephanie Burns is a Senior Vice President and General Counsel for PlayStation. She first joined the company in 2021. Recognized as a global leader in interactive and digital entertainment, Sony Interactive Entertainment is responsible for the PlayStation brand and family of products and services. PlayStation has delivered innovation to the market since the launch of the original PlayStation in Japan in 1994. The original console was the first console of any type to ship over 100 million units, doing so in under a decade.
Previously, Burns was a VP and associate general counsel for Amazon where she led the legal support for the company’s consumer devices and services business, including Project Kuiper, Fire TV, Fire Tablet, Kindle, Ring, Blink, eero, Halo, Amazon Kids, Luna and the Amazon App Store. Before that, she served as a VP and general counsel at StubHub. Earlier in her career she worked with The Gary Law Group as an associate. Burns earned a JD from Santa Clara University School of Law, and an undergraduate degree in radio, TV and film from Northwestern University.
9. Anita Irwin
VP & Deputy General Counsel, Chegg
Anita Irwin is the Vice President and Deputy General Counsel of Chegg, an education technology company that provides digital and physical textbook rentals, textbooks, online tutoring, and other student services. It is the leading student-first interconnected learning platform, which is on-demand, adaptive, personalized, and backed up by a network of human help. In her role, Irwin leads the commercial, product, marketing, IP, privacy, and international legal teams. She has 21 years of experience. She began her career in 2001.
Before joining Chegg, Irwin was a senior director and associate general counsel at Twitter, and before that a senior legal director at Yahoo!. Earlier in her career she worked with FCB San Francisco as a VP of legal affairs and director. Irwin graduated from the University of San Francisco School of Law with a JD and from Loyola Marymount University with an undergraduate degree in marketing.
10. Sean Edgett
General Counsel, Twitter
Sean Edgett began his professional career 19 years ago. Today, he is a General Counsel for Twitter, the microblogging and social networking platform for public self-expression and conversation in real time. Edgett joined the company in 2012 and has served in roles increasing in responsibility including vice president of legal, chief legal officer, director of legal affairs and deputy general counsel.
Edgett first got his start in 2003 as an associate at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP. From there, he went on to Latham & Watkins before eventually rising to become the director of legal at NetApp, his most recent position prior to joining Twitter. Edgett graduated from Pepperdine Caruso Law with a JD, and from the University of California, San Diego with an undergraduate degree in cognitive science and psychology.
11. Najah Hopkins
Senior Counsel, Uber
Najah Hopkins is the Senior Counsel of Uber. She first joined the company in 2020 as a counsel managing the legal contracting and negotiation function for drivers and rider-facing strategic partnerships for mobility. In her current role, Hopkins builds out negotiation playbooks, templates, and other tools to better standardize commercial deal work. She also serves in a consulting capacity on all significant commercial deals, working closely with lead attorneys to ensure that the team is leveraging work across other deals and negotiating in a consistent manner.
Previously, Hopkins was an in-house counsel at BAE Systems, and before that a senior manager and legal advisor of commercial engine contracts at Raytheon Technologies. Earlier in her career she worked with the Kings County District Attorney's Office as a counselor. Hopkins earned a JD and an MBA from Howard University, an MSW from New York University, and an undergraduate degree in psychology from the University of Southern California.
12. Samantha Harnett
General Counsel, Logitech
Samantha Harnett is a General Counsel for Logitech, the world leader in products that connect people in a natural, intuitive way to the digital experiences they care about. Harnett is known for being an experienced executive with a track record of broad involvement and impact across organizations, including external parties and boards of directors. She has excelled in bringing teams together and aligning functional priorities to execute effectively on high-stakes initiatives. Harnett has 21 years of experience. She began her career in 2001.
Before joining Logitech, Harnett was a chief legal and operations officer at Eventbrite and before that, a general counsel and SVP of business development at ZipRealty where she led legal and compliance matters for the publicly traded real estate SaaS technology provider and online brokerage. Earlier in her career she worked with Gordon & Rees LLP as an associate. Harnett graduated from Santa Clara University School of Law with a JD and from California State University, Chico with an undergraduate degree in psychology.
13. Mark Danis
VP & Deputy General Counsel, The Clorox Company
Mark Danis began his professional career 38 years ago. Today, he is a Vice President and Deputy General Counsel for The Clorox Company. Danis has full oversight and management of U.S. litigation, regulatory, marketing, social media, privacy, and data security. He is a key member of the Specialty Division and Legal Services leadership teams.
Danis first got his start in 1984 as a software programmer at ADP. From there, he went on to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, before eventually rising to become a partner at Morrison & Foerster LLP where he was a trial lawyer representing clients in complex litigation and regulatory matters, including patent infringement, trade secrets, license disputes, and FCPA and data breach investigation. Danis graduated from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law with a JD and from the University of California, Berkeley with an undergraduate degree in philosophy.
14. Margie Gear
Senior Commercial Attorney, Automation Anywhere
Margie Gear is a Senior Commercial Attorney for Automation Anywhere. She first joined the company in 2016 as senior legal consultant. Automation Anywhere is a leader in the Gartner Magic Quadrant, and its AI-powered digital workforce platform optimizes the business processes of the world's largest enterprises and governments in virtually every industry including 85% of the top banks and financial institutions, 90% of the top healthcare institutions, 85% of the top technology companies, and 80% of the top telecom companies. Gear is known for being a savvy, experienced, successful lead counsel to early and late–stage global cloud startups and public companies.
Previously, Gear was a senior legal consultant at FLEX by Fenwick, and before that a senior legal consultant at DocuSign. Earlier in her career she worked with Sedgwick LLP as an associate. Gear earned a JD from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, and an undergraduate degree in political science and government from the University of Hawaii at Manoa.
15. Alexis Paddock
Senior Counsel, Silicon Valley Bank
Alexis Paddock is a Senior Counsel for Silicon Valley Bank, the bank of the world’s most innovative companies and investors, providing commercial banking services, expertise and insights to the technology, life science and healthcare, private equity, venture capital and premium wine industries. It works with clients through the ups and downs of growing a business, and has helped many leading innovators get their start. SVB operates in centers of innovation around the world. Paddock has 13 years of experience. She began her career in 2009.
Before joining Silicon Valley Bank, Paddock was an associate at K&L Gates, and before that an attorney at Morrison & Foerster LLP. Earlier in her career she worked with Peking University School of Transnational Law as a CV Starr lecturer. Paddock graduated from Georgetown University Law Center with a JD and from the University of California, San Diego with an undergraduate degree in political science and history.
16. Ken Hirschman
SVP of Operations & General Counsel, Udemy
Ken Hirschman began his professional career 27 years ago. Today, he is the Senior Vice President of Operations and General Counsel of Udemy. Udemy helps companies achieve critical business outcomes and stay competitive by offering engaging on-demand, immersive, and cohort-based learning. With its integrated learning solutions and strategic partnership, Udemy equips companies with the tools to build a future-ready workforce, increase employee engagement, and achieve business outcomes. Hirschman currently manages the customer operations, legal, corporate development, and equity functions for the company.
Hirschman first got his start in 1995 as an associate at Shearman & Sterling. From there, he went on to Digital Impact, before eventually rising to become the VP of corporate development at Rakuten Rewards, his most recent position prior to joining Udemy. Hirschman graduated from Cornell Law School with a JD and from the University of Pennsylvania with an undergraduate degree in political science and government.
17. Monica Bathija
Senior Immigration Attorney, Fragomen
Monica Bathija is a Senior Immigration Attorney for Fragomen. She first joined the company in 2017. Fragomen is a leading firm dedicated exclusively to immigration services worldwide. Founded in 1951, the firm represents a broad range of companies, organizations, and individuals to help facilitate the transfer of employees worldwide. It provides immigration support in more than 170 countries. In addition to her responsibilities with Fragomen, Bathija is a Pro Bono Immigration Attorney for Kids in Need of Defense.
Previously, Bathija was an immigration associate at Epstein Becker & Green, PC, and before that an associate and senior immigration counsel at Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP. Earlier in her career she worked with Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP as an immigration legal assistant and law clerk. Bathija earned a JD from the University of San Francisco School of Law and an undergraduate degree in mathematics and economics from the University of California, Los Angeles.
18. Renée Machi Lawson
VP of Legal & Deputy General Counsel, Dropbox
Renée Machi Lawson is the Vice President of Legal and Deputy General Counsel for Dropbox. Its platform allows individuals, families, teams, and organizations to collaborate and sign up for free through its website or app, as well as upgrade to a paid subscription plan for premium features. Lawson is an experienced legal and business advisor with strong roots in fast-paced and results-driven technology environments and in a breadth of legal areas. She is a strategic leader who thrives on developing and working collaboratively with teams and across functional areas to resolve complex legal issues in alignment with business objectives. Lawson has 26 years of experience. She began her career in 1996.
Before joining Dropbox, Lawson was a deputy general counsel at Airbnb and before that, she co-founded Alta Vista School, an independent, non-profit elementary and middle school in San Francisco dedicated to hands-on, experience-based learning with a focus on STEM. Earlier in her career she worked with Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison LLP as an associate. Lawson graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles with a JD, from the University of California, Santa Barbara with a master’s degree in German, and from Santa Clara University with an undergraduate degree in German.
19. Marisa Chaves
Senior Attorney, Morgan Lewis & Bockius
Marisa Chaves began her professional career 23 years ago. Today, she is a Senior Attorney with Morgan Lewis & Bockius, a multinational law firm with approximately 2,200 legal professionals in 31 offices across North America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. It is also the largest law firm chaired by a woman, and represents three-quarters of the Fortune 100 companies. A top firm for labor and employment work, Morgan Lewis & Bockius is proud of its reputation in both the legal and the business communities. Its teams of data analysts, data scientists, IT professionals, financial analysts, and business operations personnel support its lawyers’ elite legal counsel and advance its clients’ goals by refining matter management, streamlining document automation, and delivering real-time predictive analytics.
Chaves first got her start in 1999 as a litigation assistant at Scott, Douglas, & McConnico. From there, she went on to the Department of Justice, Antitrust Division before eventually moving on to become a senior counsel at Vasquez Estrada & Conway LLP. Chaves graduated from Boston University School of Law with a JD and from The University of Texas at Austin with an undergraduate degree in psychology.
20. James Nguyen
General Counsel & Chief Compliance Officer, Robinhood
James Nguyen is the General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer of Robinhood. He first joined the company in 2018 as an assistant general counsel. Robinhood is a stock brokerage firm providing brokerage clearing services and offers trading of stocks and funds, options and gold. The platform allows buying and selling of U.S. listed companies and exchange traded funds.
Previously, Nguyen was a senior counsel at Wells Fargo, and before that an associate at Morrison & Foerster LLP. Earlier in his career he worked with CFED as a research and program associate. Nguyen earned a JD from the University of California, Berkeley, an MPP from Harvard University, and an undergraduate degree in economics and political science from California State University San Marcos.
21. Elham Marder
Senior Employment Counsel, Box
Elham Marder is a Senior Employment Counsel for Box, a global technology company with worldwide connectivity at the core of its product. Marder has vast experience navigating both domestic and international employment laws in both in-house and law firm environments. She has managed employment litigation, employee matters in M&A transactions, and provided counseling on a wide range of situations throughout the employee life cycle. Marder has 15 years of experience. She began her career in 2007.
Before joining Box, Marder was an employment associate at DLA Piper LLP, and before that an employment attorney at Seyfarth Shaw LLP. Earlier in her career she worked with Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP as a litigation associate. Marder graduated from the University of California, Berkeley with a JD and an undergraduate degree in economics and mass communication.
22. Douglas Kramer
General Counsel, Cloudflare
Douglas Kramer began his professional career 21 years ago. Today, he is the General Counsel of Cloudflare, an Internet infrastructure company that operates one of the largest cloud networks in the world and offers security, performance, and reliability services to tens of millions of web-based properties. Kramer has served in this role since August 2016 and helped guide the company through a successful IPO in September 2019. He oversees the work of the legal, policy, and trusty & safety teams for the company.
Earlier in his career, Kramer held a number of senior positions in the Obama Administration, and worked as a litigator for law firms in Washington and Kansas City. He first got his start in 2001 as an associate at Covington & Burling. From there, he went on to University of Kansas, before eventually rising to deputy administrator at US Small Business Administration, his most recent position prior to joining Cloudflare. Kramer graduated from the University of Chicago Law School with a JD and from Georgetown University with an undergraduate degree in philosophy and English.
23. Ashianna Esmail
VP & General Counsel, Flexport
Ashianna Esmail is a Vice President and General Counsel for Flexport. She first joined the company in 2017 as director of legal and associate general counsel. Flexport is a multinational corporation that focuses on supply chain management and logistics, including freight forwarding and customs brokerage. It is a digitally enabled company that offers air and ocean freight, trucking, warehouse and fulfillment, and cargo insurance services. It helps businesses move goods across the globe while providing software that integrates and connects ERP data from various companies involved in a supply chain, which allows them to manage information about cargo and streamline freight processing, and also to track their shipments in real-time.
Previously, Esmail was a director of product, and regulatory legal counsel at PayPa where she was responsible for supporting the product, engineering, business development & compliance functions. Before that, she was a counsel for Xoom Corporation. Earlier in her career she worked with the U.S. Courts as a judicial law clerk. Esmail earned a JD from the University of Michigan Law School and an undergraduate degree from the University of California, Berkeley.
24. Monique Ho
General Counsel & Chief Compliance Officer, Course Hero
Monique Ho is a General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer for Course Hero, an online learning platform with over 60 million course-specific study resources contributed by its community of students and educators, and produced by its team of educational content specialists in collaboration with subject experts. In their platform, there are practice problems, study guides, videos, class notes, and step-by-step explanations for every subject from economics to literature, biology to history, accounting to psychology, and everything in between. Course Hero supports students on their unique learning journey as they seek help and resources to better understand their coursework, prepare for exams, learn and remember. Ho has 18 years of experience. She began her career in 2004.
Before joining Course Hero, Ho was a general counsel at Moogsoft Inc. where she advised founders, the senior executive team and board of directors on developing and implementing the company’s core business strategy for enterprise software and SaaS products. Before that, she was a senior director at Yahoo! Inc. (acquired BrightRoll). Earlier in her career she worked with Allen Matkins as a corporate associate. Ho graduated from the University of California, Davis with a JD.
25. Claudia Wilson
Deputy General Counsel & Head of Litigation, Zynga
Claudia Wilson began her professional career 21 years ago. Today, she is the Deputy General Counsel and Head of Litigation for Zynga, a leading developer of the world's most popular social games that are played by millions of people around the world each day. It develops, markets, and operates social games as live services played on mobile platforms, such as iOS and Android, and social networking sites, such as Facebook. Zynga generates revenue through mobile game downloads, in-games sales of virtual goods, and advertising services.
Wilson first got her start in 2001 as an associate litigation attorney at Bingham McCutchen. From there, she went on to the U.S. Federal Courts before eventually moving on to become an associate general counsel at Tesla, her most recent position prior to joining Zynga. Wilson graduated from Georgetown University Law Center with a JD and from Harvard University with an undergraduate degree in government.
26. Kirsten Daru
General Counsel & Chief Privacy Officer, Life360
Kirsten Daru is the General Counsel and Chief Privacy Officer of Life360, a family communication, location, and alert app for smartphones that allows users to share their locations with each other. She joined the company shortly after its acquisition of Tile, Inc, where she served as chief legal & privacy officer since early 2019.
Prior to Tile, Daru was the chief privacy officer of Electronic Arts, Inc. She began her career as a litigator with a focus on consumer protection and antitrust. Throughout her career, she has earned a reputation as a fierce advocate for protecting privacy and fostering a competitive marketplace where innovation can thrive. Daru has testified before Congress on a number of occasions, most recently in April 2021 when she advocated for legislation to protect privacy and competition in the digital marketplace. She graduated from the University of California, Davis with an undergraduate degree in Latin and with a JD from the University of San Francisco School of Law.
27. Paul Warenski
Chief Legal Officer & General Counsel, HashiCorp
Paul Warenski is a Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel of HashiCorp. HashiCorp believes infrastructure enables innovation, and it’s helping organizations to operate that infrastructure in the cloud. Its suite of multi-cloud infrastructure automation products, all with open source projects at their core, underpin the most important applications for the largest enterprises in the world. As part of the once-in-a-generation shift to the cloud, organizations of all sizes, from well-known brands to ambitious start-ups, rely on HashiCorp’s solutions to provision, secure, connect, and run their business-critical applications so they can deliver essential services, communications tools, and entertainment platforms worldwide. Warenski is known for being a business-minded professional with deep experience scaling private-companies, preparing technology companies for public offerings, and managing public-company legal departments. He has 35 years of experience. He began his career in 1987.
Before joining HashiCorp, Warenski was a chief legal officer and general counsel at Alfresco Software, and before that an EVP and general counsel at ServiceSource International, Inc. Earlier in his career he worked with the United States Congressman Wayne Owens as a legislative director. Warenski graduated from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law with a JD, from The London School of Economics and Political Science with an MS in economics and social philosophy, and from the University of Utah with an undergraduate degree in economics, political science, and philosophy.
28. Jane Froyd
SVP & General Counsel - Americas, Treasury Wine Estates
Jane Froyd began her professional career 22 years ago. Today, she is a Senior Vice President and General Counsel for the Americas of Treasury Wine Estates. With over 12,700 hectares of vineyards, 70-plus wine brands and over 2,600 team members, Treasury Wine Estates (TWE) brings together some of the most popular and collected wines from Australia, California, Italy, France, and New Zealand. Its treasured brands include Penfolds, Beringer, Wolf Blass, Stags' Leap, Beaulieu Vineyard, Lindeman's, Sterling Vineyards, 19 Crimes, and Wynns Coonawarra Estate.
Froyd first got her start in 2000 as an associate at Sonnenschein, Nath & Rosenthal. From there, she went on to Jones Day before eventually rising to become a general counsel at Flynn Restaurant Group, her most recent position prior to joining Treasury Wine Estates. Froyd graduated from Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law with a JD and from Drake University with an undergraduate degree in English and history.
29. Johanna Roberts
EVP & General Counsel, Penumbra
Johanna Roberts is an Executive Vice President and General Counsel for Penumbra. She first joined the company in 2014 as associate general counsel. Penumbra is a global healthcare company focused on innovative therapies. It designs, develops, manufactures, and markets novel products and has a broad portfolio that addresses challenging medical conditions in markets with significant unmet need. It sells its products to hospitals and healthcare providers primarily through its direct sales organization in the United States, most of Europe, Canada, and Australia, and through distributors in select international markets.
Previously, Roberts was a partner at Silverstein and Pomerantz LLP. Earlier in her career she worked with Morrison & Foerster LLP as a litigation associate. Roberts earned a JD from Harvard Law School and an undergraduate degree in government from Dartmouth College.
30. Rebecca Hazard
SVP, General Counsel, & Secretary, Riverbed Technology
Rebecca Hazard is a Senior Vice President, General Counsel, and Secretary for Riverbed Technology, the only company with the collective richness of telemetry from network to app to end user, that illuminates and then accelerates every interaction, so organizations can deliver a seamless digital experience and drive enterprise performance. Hazard has 19 years of experience. She began her career in 2003.
Before joining Riverbed Technology, Hazard was an associate at Kirkland & Ellis LLP. Earlier in her career she worked with O'Melveny & Myers LLP as an associate. Hazard graduated from Harvard Law School with a JD and from Dartmouth College with an undergraduate degree.
31. Megan Johnson
Managing Director & Deputy General Counsel, TPG Global
Megan Johnson began her professional career 22 years ago. Today, she is a Managing Director and Deputy General Counsel for TPG Global, a leading global alternative asset management firm with $127 billion of assets under management and investment and operational teams in 12 offices globally. It invests across five multi-product platforms including capital, growth, impact, real estate, and market solutions, and its unique strategy is driven by collaboration, innovation, and inclusion. TPG teams combine deep product and sector experience with broad capabilities and expertise to develop differentiated insights and add value for its fund investors, portfolio companies, management teams, and communities.
Johnson first got her start in 2000 as an associate at Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP. From there, she went on to Fortress Investment Group as managing director and deputy general counsel of Fortress credit funds, her most recent position prior to joining TPG Global. Johnson graduated from Yale Law School with a JD and from the College of the Holy Cross with an undergraduate degree in English.
32. Rob Pohls
Senior Counsel, Hinshaw & Culbertson
Rob Pohls is a Senior Counsel for Hinshaw & Culbertson, representing insurers and corporations in various forms of complex litigation. He has litigated hundreds of cases in state and federal courts throughout California, practicing at both the trial and appellate levels. He also has litigated cases in several other states. For more than 30 years, Pohls has focused his practice on representing life, health and disability insurance companies. He therefore defends insurers, managed care organizations, claim administrators, and agents in bad faith, ERISA, and other forms of litigation involving the sale, underwriting, and administration of life insurance, and annuities, accident and health insurance, disability insurance, health care service plans, long term care insurance, pensions and retirement plans. He also counsels insurers about claims administration, insurance fraud, regulatory compliance, risk mitigation and minimizing exposure to bad faith litigation.
Pohls joined the San Francisco office of Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP in September 2021. Previously, he managed a boutique law firm that he had established to both counsel life, health and disability insurers and represent them in bad faith, ERISA and other litigation. In addition, Pohls is a formally trained mediator and arbitrator who provides dispute resolution services, principally in disputes that involve life, health and disability insurance, ERISA and employee benefits, consumer lending and financial services, commercial disputes, labor and employment issues, and civil rights matters. He earned his JD from King Hall School of Law at the University of California, Davis and an undergraduate degree in political science from Bucknell University.
33. Irina Dardik
Senior Counsel, Credit Karma
Irina Dardik is a Senior Counsel for Credit Karma. While it is best known for pioneering free credit scores, members turn to Credit Karma for resources as they work toward their financial goals. Credit Karma has grown significantly through the years, adding more than 70 million members in the last five alone. It currently has more than 1,300 employees spread across offices in San Francisco, Charlotte, Los Angeles, Leeds, London and one coming soon to Oakland. Dardik has 11 years of experience. She began her career in 2011.
Before joining Credit Karma, Dardik was an attorney at Ropes & Gray LLP and before that, an attorney at Shartsis Friese LLP. Earlier in her career she worked with Wilson Sonsini Goodrich and Rosati as an attorney. Dardik graduated from the University of California, Berkeley with a JD and from the University of California, Davis with an undergraduate degree in economics.
34. Carrie Friesen-Meyers
VP & Deputy General Counsel, Upstart
Carrie Friesen-Meyers began her professional career 19 years ago. Today, she is the Vice President and Deputy General Counsel of Upstart, a leading AI lending marketplace partnering with banks and credit unions to expand access to affordable credit. As it transitioned to being a public company, Upstart is now poised to leverage its domain expertise and revolutionize every aspect of lending and credit risk evaluation. Friesen-Meyers is known for driving strategic decision-making and facilitating the resolution of a range of legal issues, including those in the area of finance, commercial contracts, HR/employment, privacy, M&A, litigation and other complex issues in collaboration with subject matter experts. She is also experienced in building legal teams and in managing outside counsel.
Friesen-Meyers first got her start in 2003 as a laboratory assistant at Howard Hughes Medical Institute. From there, she went on to the U.S. District Courts before eventually rising to become a deputy general counsel at Upgrade, Inc., her most recent position prior to joining Upstart. Friesen-Meyers graduated from Harvard Law School with a JD, from The Fletcher School at Tufts University with a master’s degree, and from Goshen College with an undergraduate degree.
35. Rachel Conn
Employment & OSHA Attorney, Nixon Peabody
Rachel Conn is an Attorney in Nixon Peabody’s Labor & Employment group and a member of the firm’s Occupational Safety & Health (OSHA) practice. She represent clients in both federal and state court litigation and before administrative agencies as well as providing labor and employment law advice and training to clients. Her practice also has a special focus on occupational safety and health compliance and litigation, including but not limited to Cal/OSHA and Fed/OSHA matters. This involves developing state of the art safety procedures and policies, training, safety and health audits, appeals of citations, obtaining variances and representing employers in the rulemaking process.
Previously, Conn was a law clerk at Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy and before that, a director of west finance at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Earlier in her career she worked with McGuireWoods as a file clerk. Conn earned a JD from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law and an undergraduate degree in political science and government from The Catholic University of America.
36. Christopher Campbell
VP & Deputy General Counsel, Rippling
Christopher Campbell is a Vice President and Deputy General Counsel for Rippling. Rippling is the first way for businesses to manage all of their HR and IT in one unified workforce platform. By connecting every workforce system to a single source of truth for employee data, businesses can automate all of the manual work they normally need to do to make employee changes. Campbell has 15 years of experience. He began his career in 2007.
Before joining Rippling, Campbell was a partner at Latham & Watkins, and before that a law clerk at Northern District of California. Earlier in his career he worked with Latham & Watkins as an associate. Campbell graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles with a JD and from the University of California, San Diego with an undergraduate degree in history.
37. Shella Neba
General Counsel, Gem
Shella Neba is the General Counsel and Corporate Secretary at Gem. Gem’s mission is to help companies hire great teams. Their talent engagement platform enables recruiting teams to build relationships that lead to diverse, high-quality talent pipelines, a great candidate experience, and predictable hiring at any scale. Neba oversees Gem’s legal department including all areas of privacy, compliance, and commercial.
Prior to joining Gem, Neba served as the head of global employment law for workplace collaboration hub Slack Technologies, where she was a key member of the direct listing team. Before her time at Slack, Neba was a partner at the largest labor and employment firm in the world, and was a trusted business advisor to numerous global HR and recruiting organizations. Neba received her JD from the University of Michigan and was a Judicial Extern with the United States District Court for the District of Colorado.
38. Susan Thomas
SVP & General Counsel of Investor & Capital Markets, LendingClub
Susan Thomas began her professional career 29 years ago. Today, she is a Senior Vice President and General Counsel of Investor & Capital Markets for LendingClub. Since its founding in 2006, LendingClub has transformed the banking industry by bringing a traditional credit product online, and it has been on the fast track ever since. It is one of the first fintechs to acquire a national bank charter, which has transformed its business economics and introduced all new capabilities, and now others are following its lead, validating the strength of its model. Thomas is an experienced attorney and industry leader in structured products and securitization with business and legal experience from law firm and in-house roles at corporations, national banks and other financial institutions.
Thomas first got her start in 1993 as a partner at Powell Goldstein LLP. From there, she went on to Ford Motor Credit Company before eventually rising to become a capital markets senior counsel at Wells Fargo, her most recent position prior to joining LendingClub. Thomas graduated from the University of Michigan with a JD and an undergraduate degree in English language and literature.
39. Connie Chen
General Counsel, Compliance Officer & Secretary, Quotient Technology
Connie Chen is a General Counsel, Compliance Officer, and Secretary for Quotient Technology, the leading digital media and promotions technology company that creates cohesive omnichannel brand-building and sales-driving opportunities to deliver valuable outcomes for advertisers, retailers and consumers. The Quotient platform is powered by exclusive consumer spending data, location intelligence and purchase intent data to reach millions of shoppers daily and deliver measurable, incremental sales. Quotient partners with leading advertisers, publishers and retailers, including Clorox, Procter & Gamble, General Mills, Unilever, CVS, Dollar General and Peapod Digital Labs, a company of Ahold Delhaize USA, Amazon and Microsoft. Chen has 29 years of experience. She began her career in 1993.
Before joining Quotient Technology, Chen was a VP of litigation and deputy general counsel at Rambus Inc. and before that, an associate at Morrison & Foerster LLP. Earlier in her career she worked with Bronson, Bronson & McKinnon as an associate. Chen graduated from Stanford University with a JD and an undergraduate degree in psychology.
40. Allison Keegan
VP & Deputy General Counsel, Turo
Allison Keegan began her professional career 22 years ago. Today, she is a Vice President and Deputy General Counsel of Turo, a car-sharing marketplace where travelers can rent any car they want, wherever they want it, from a community of local car owners. Travelers choose from a unique selection of nearby cars, while car owners earn extra money and help fuel the adventures of travelers they meet along the way.
Keegan first got her start in 2000 as a business analyst at marchFIRST. From there, she went on to Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati before eventually rising to become the lead counsel of commercial at Airbnb, her most recent position prior to joining Turo. Keegan graduated from Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law with a JD and from Stanford University with an undergraduate degree in human biology.
41. John Pingel
General Counsel, Unison
John Pingel began his professional career 12 years ago. Today, he is the General Counsel of Unison. Unison is a vertically integrated originator and investment manager in residential equity agreements. They connect the needs of homeowners and institutional investors, giving the investors access to residential home price appreciation while keeping ownership, control and enjoyment of houses where they belong, in the hands of the actual homeowners who live there. Pingel is experienced in litigation, transactions, compliance, and product counseling. He is known for his interest in companies and ideas that are changing the status quo.
Pingel first got his start in 2010 as a litigation and real estate associate at Reed Smith LLP. He graduated from the University of California, Davis with a JD and from Loyola Marymount University with an undergraduate degree in music.
42. Ed Brown
SVP, General Counsel, & Corporate Secretary, Malwarebytes
Ed Brown is a Senior Vice President, General Counsel, and Corporate Secretary for Malwarebytes. He first joined the company in 2015. Malwarebytes provides consumers and organizations with device protection, privacy, and prevention through effective, intuitive, and inclusive solutions in the home, on-the-go, at work, or on campus. Brown is known for being a global executive who helps innovative technology companies grow with a track record of success based on analysis, innovation, and execution. He ensures legal helps accelerate business goals at public and private companies.
Previously, Brown was a VP of legal affairs at Nominum and before that, a director of U.S. legal affairs at Trend Micro. Earlier in his career he worked with Great Outdoors Colorado as a counsel. Brown earned a JD from Vermont Law and Graduate School and an undergraduate degree in economics from the University of Connecticut.
43. Jennifer Yeh
SVP & General Counsel, Checkr
Jennifer Yeh is a Senior Vice President and General Counsel of Checkr, an API-first technology platform that combines the best in human expertise, AI, and machine learning. With fairness embedded and a focus on the candidate experience, Checkr makes it easy for people to understand reports and make fair decisions. With artificial intelligence and machine learning, the platform and solutions make background checks faster, easier, and more compliant. Using its advanced screening technology, companies can better understand the dynamics of the changing workforce, bring transparency and fairness to their hiring, and ultimately build a better future for workers. Yeh has 15 years of experience. She began her career in 2007.
Before joining Checkr, Yeh was an associate counsel to President Obama at The White House and before that, a senior counsel at the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Legal Policy. Earlier in her career she worked with the U.S. District Court for Hawaii as a law clerk to the Honorable Susan Oki Mollway. Yeh graduated from Harvard Law School with a JD and from the University of California, Berkeley with an undergraduate degree in business administration and management.
44. Dennis Sinclitico
Senior Counsel, Marqeta
Dennis Sinclitico began his professional career 17 years ago. Today, he is the Senior Counsel of Marqeta. Marqeta brings speed and efficiency to card issuing and payment processing with the world's first open API platform to developers, technical product managers, and visionary entrepreneurs. Its platform was built from the ground up to power an innovative payment experience for many of the apps and services you enjoy daily. Today, Marqeta has extensive partnerships with multiple banks and card networks including Visa, Mastercard & Discover, and its solutions are used by innovators in digital banking, lending, e-commerce, on-demand services and more.
Sinclitico first got his start in 2005 as an associate at Daniels, Fine, Israel, Schonbuch & Lebovits LLP. From there, he went on to Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, before eventually rising to become a counsel of intellectual property and strategic partnerships at Visa, his most recent position prior to joining Marqeta. Sinclitico graduated from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law with a JD and from the University of California, Los Angeles with an undergraduate degree in economics.
45. Patrick Kirby
SVP & General Counsel, Webcor
Patrick Kirby is a Senior Vice President and General Counsel of Webcor. He first joined the company in 2017 as an assistant general counsel. Webcor, a premier provider of commercial construction services, is known for its innovative and efficient approach, wide range of experience, cost-effective design-build methodology, skill in concrete construction, and expertise in building landmark projects. Its mission is to build structures of superior quality with integrity, continuously improve its processes by employing the best talent in the industry, and add social and economic value to its communities. Founded in 1971 and repeatedly honored as one of the Bay Area’s Best Places to Work, Webcor has offices throughout the state in San Francisco, Alameda, San Jose, Los Angeles, and San Diego.
Previously, Kirby was an associate attorney at Varela, Lee, Metz & Guarino LLP, and before that an associate attorney at Watt, Tieder, Hoffar & Fitzgerald. Earlier in his career he worked with Ebix as an account representative. Kirby earned a JD from the University of California, Los Angeles and an undergraduate degree in marketing from Azusa Pacific University.
46. Kathryn McCall
Chief Legal Officer & General Counsel, Trustly
Kathryn McCall is the Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel of Trustly, an open banking payment method that allows customers to shop and pay from their online bank account, without the use of a card or app. Its account-to-account network supports 6,300 banks, reaching 525 million consumers and bypassing the card networks. McCall is an experienced law firm partner for financial technology, emerging growth and cannabis companies. She is skilled in corporate governance, debt and equity financings, mergers and acquisitions, commercial agreements, licensing, securities, intellectual property, employment law, and compliance and regulatory affairs. McCall has 35 years of experience. She began her career in 1987.
Before joining Trustly, McCall was a partner at Sideman & Bancroft LLP, and before that an attorney at Carr & Ferrell LLP. Earlier in her career she worked with Trax Softworks, Inc. in marketing. She is a frequent speaker regarding corporate governance and financing issues facing startups and the cannabis industry. McCall graduated from California Western School of Law with a JD and from the University of Southern California with an undergraduate degree in marketing and finance.
47. Naomi McKean
SVP & Deputy General Counsel, AssetMark
Naomi McKean began her professional career 18 years ago. Today, she is the Senior Vice President and Deputy General Counsel of AssetMark. From portfolio construction and investment research to client communication and prospecting, AssetMark’s wealth management technology powers independent financial advisors with outsourced solutions that enable them to deliver better investor outcomes while successfully growing their practices. AssetMark isn’t like other third-party asset management platforms. It combines its solutions with a personal touch to serve as an extension of teams, ready to provide insightful guidance and support tailored to unique needs. Its consultants and support teams are available to provide platform support, ensure your practice is functioning smoothly, customize solutions, and connect with their clients.
McKean first got her start in 2004 as a heritage research officer at Stratford District Council. From there, she went on to Morrison Kent, before eventually rising to executive administrator to the CEO and president at Genworth Financial Wealth Management, her most recent position prior to joining AssetMark. McKean graduated from Victoria University of Wellington with undergraduate degrees in law, and English literature, and history.
48. Hajime Tada
General Counsel, Corporate Secretary, & Chief Compliance Officer, Shockwave Medical
Hajime Tada is a General Counsel, Corporate Secretary, and Chief Compliance Officer of Shockwave Medical, a medical device company focused on developing and commercializing products and technology that targets calcified plaque, intended to revolutionize the interventional treatment of advanced cardiovascular disease. Tada is responsible for all legal and compliance matters for the company. His initial areas of focus include sales support, securities, corporate governance, labor & employment, IP management and protection, and compliance, as well as developing the in-house legal and compliance functions. Reporting to the CEO, Tada is a member of the executive team and provides legal support to the board of directors and board committees.
Previously, Tada was a general counsel at LakePharma where he provided and created the legal and compliance support for the fast growing private company that provided R&D support to start-ups in the biologics space. Earlier in his career he worked with Agilent Technologies as a corporate counsel. Tada earned a JD from the New York University School of Law and an undergraduate degree in political science from Yale University.
49. Jeffrey Wohl
Partner, Paul Hastings
Jeffrey Wohl is a Partner with Paul Hastings. He first joined the company in 2009. Paul Hastings is a leading global law firm, pre-eminent in cross-border transactions and solving complex legal problems. Its purpose is to help clients and people navigate new paths to growth. Clients trust Paul Hastings to provide creative, business-savvy solutions, underpinned by exceptional client service delivered globally. The firm’s winning approach is anchored in its culture of collaboration and collegiality, and in always harnessing the insights of its diverse team to get to the best solutions. With a strong presence throughout Asia, Europe, Latin America, and the U.S., Paul Hastings is recognized as one of the world’s most innovative global law firms.
In addition to his roles with Paul Hastings, Wohl is the director, general counsel and chief ethics officer for United Way of the Bay Area. Previously, he was a partner at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP. Wohl earned a JD from Harvard Law School and an undergraduate degree from the University of California, Berkeley.
50. Christina Clemm
Attorney, Axiom
Christina Clemm is an Attorney with Axiom. She first joined the company in 2020. Axiom is a leading alternative legal services firm that caters to the financial services, technology, energy, and life science sector. The firm assists clients in project management, contract analytics, corporate transactions, diligence, talent partnerships, and general commercial agreements. Clemm is currently on assignment at Pinterest performing commercial contracting work.
Previously, Clemm was a senior commercial counsel at Slack and before that, a director and assistant general counsel at Sunrun. Earlier in her career she worked with the San Diego International Law Journal as an editor-in-chief. Clemm earned a JD and an LLM from the University of San Diego School of Law and an undergraduate degree in economics from California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo.
