Morrison Foerster - The Inside View

“I’ll be frank,” one source chuckled, “the name MoFo did make me laugh.” It’s a striking nickname for San-Francisco-headquartered Morrison Foerster, but there’s nothing laughable about MoFo’s performance in the market. Chambers USA places its teams for artificial intelligence, FCPA, government contracts, impact investing, intellectual property: appellate, privacy & data security, projects: agency financing, and technology all in the top band nationwide. Meanwhile, our sister guide, Chambers Global, rates MoFo as among the worldwide market leaders in agribusiness and artificial intelligence. Clearly, MoFo is a big name (and not just a funny one) in tech-related fields, and given the firm’s origins near Silicon Valley, it won’t surprise you to hear that sources described it as “as bunch of nerdy people doing high-level law.”

“I just got a better vibe from them than from other firms…”

However, let’s not get too serious, because it doesn’t usually take long for new lawyers to realize that there is indeed a lighter side to this powerhouse firm. One associate we spoke to felt that “it wasn’t the legal side that made me choose MoFo – at the end of the day I just got a better vibe from them than from other firms.” Another related that, during screening calls, the interviewers “were more interested in me as a person – they didn’t really talk about school at all, it was about me and my interests! They wanted to know who was going to fit in, which was really promising to me.” Indeed, the more we heard, the more we learned that MoFo has plenty of things beyond its name that might put a smile on your face.

Morrison Foerster is recognized as a Strong Performer for Junior Satisfaction and a Strong Performer for Mid to Senior Satisfaction in our 2026 associate satisfaction survey.

Strategy & Future

All of our interviewees were of the opinion that, when it comes to strategy, they weren’t kept in the dark, and they were quick to identify the linchpin of the firm’s approach: dominance in tech. Vice-chair Jennifer Marines echoed the sentiment, highlighting the firm’s leadership in this space as something MoFo has been “leaning into,” given recent developments in AI and other software. Marines emphasizes that the firm’s strategy is “not just about traditional tech now, because tech runs through every sector of the economy – it’s shaping everything from how our food is produced to how energy is produced with data centers, and we’re advising institutions and investors on all of this.” Outside of tech, particular areas of focus for MoFo include its well-regarded practices in securities and government law, so “firmwide we’re bringing in exceptional talent from the government sector.”

“We’ve been in the space since long before the generative AI boom.”

AI is also playing a part in the firm’s internal strategy. “We’ve been in the space since long before the generative AI boom,”  Marines tells us, noting that “we do see tech as continuing to reshape the profession – not by replacing lawyers, but by demanding that we operate at a higher level of expertise and insight.” On this point, the firm has recently onboarded a new chief innovation and information officer, Chris Bowers.

Development of associates has similarly been a focus for MoFo over the last couple of years. The firm is forging ahead with a raft of programs, including MoFo Navigate (for structured onboarding and mentoring), MoFo success profiles (for making upskilling expectations transparent), and MoFo Next (where associates can “start thinking about long-term goals – whether that’s a career here or new opportunities”).

Morrison Foerster is recognized as an Excellent Performer for AI Integration in our 2026 associate satisfaction survey.

The Work

MoFo operates an open market system; “there is no formal work coordinator,” one junior told us, “so you’re on your own to reach out and find work your own way.” All of our interviewees were positive about this setup, but some people prefer more structure when it comes to work allocation, so for those it may not be ideal. As a junior, you typically work in one of the broad transactions or litigation groups up until the end of second year, when you “slot yourself into a specialized group and start to do 50% or more of your work in that department,” though the firm does sometimes hire into specialized departments too.

Morrison Foerster is recognized as a Strong Performer for Work Allocation & Autonomy in our 2026 associate satisfaction survey.

“The firm encourages you to take the initiative.”

Given the firm’s nationwide excellence in IP litigation, it should come as no surprise that associates reported that the firm’s teams working on this are “very cross-office staffed.” This allows associates to tailor their practice to their interests, regardless of their office’s specific areas of focus. For example, although in California false advertising claims make up a large part of the practice, an associate in DC would typically face little friction if they also wanted to take on matters in this area. “The system is so effective that, when you raise your hand, word gets out very quickly,” we were told.As for how this manifests itself in the day to day for newbies, work “can be a slog when there’s a lot of fact discovery,” but “the firm encourages you to take the initiative,” so juniors can very quickly take on high-level tasks once they’ve proven their skills. IP litigation juniors valued the opportunities to get involved in brief writing, communicating with the other side, and even taking depositions early in their second year.

IP litigation clients: Crowdstrike, Cisco Systems, Epic Games. Secured a summary judgment win for Sony in a case where Quantum sought over $800 million by alleging that products and services for PlayStation 4 and 5 had infringed on patents related to the integration of business-specific content and electronic games.

Those in complex litigation and general litigation were similarly positive about the level of responsibility bestowed on newcomers. Interviewees from both groups described research and writing motions as common in the daily life of a litigation junior, alongside more substantive tasks like leading matters and tracking deadlines. “I take the first run at pretty much everything and if I have any questions I can go up to the senior and work it out with them,” one junior noted, adding that it is typically “the same sorts of clients with the same sort of cases, so after a while the partners are more than happy to let you jump in and get the most of it.”

Litigation clients: Represented McKinsey regarding a multi-year investigation into its work for opioid manufacturers with a settlement amounting to $650 million. Secured a class action settlement for Bumble in a matter involving potential exposure of over $1 billion.

MoFo’s M&A associates are similarly given work befitting their capabilities, so “if you are showing you can go beyond the typical tasks, they will give you more.” As a result, although due diligence remains a staple of newbies’ workloads, “it’s very individualized, so partners get to know each person, what they’re comfortable doing and what they’re not comfortable doing.” This means high achievers can easily find themselves doing anything from taking the first cut at a purchase agreement to handling client communications. Capital markets, private equity and work for public companies all form parts of the practice, which engages with industries such as retail, life sciences, digital assets and sustainability, to name a few.

M&A clients: eBay, Nikon, Uber Technologies. Advised Softbank on its role in financing the Stargate Project joint venture with OpenAI, which also involves Oracle, NVIDIA, Arm, Microsoft and MGX.

Finance at MoFo generally focuses on the lender side, working with banks and other institutions at an early stage. Fund finance, venture debt and private equity mandates make up a significant part of the practice, with juniors able to work across the range of matters in the department. “The grunt work has to get done,” so drafting ancillary docs at the start is a given, but before long most juniors can help “take the deal from beginning to the end, so you kind of do it all!” Partners and seniors are still on hand to offer plenty of support, but newbies get involved in negotiations, running closings, and drafting full loan agreements by the end of their time as juniors. As associates approach midlevel, they’re given more complicated deal work running transactions; “over the first two years you’re building up that trust, and the handholding gets less to the point where you’re making judgment calls yourself.”

Finance clients: Experian, Visa, American Bankers Association. Advised Upland Software on a $240 million term loan and related revolving facility, involving four separate jurisdictions.

Career Development

Reflecting a sentiment shared by all of our interviewees, one associate told us that “what stands out is that the partners really care about associate development.” That care shines through in both informal and formal experiences of mentorship, feedback and general training. Critically, most of the training happens through the work, leading to one source feeling that “the work here is setting me up to pursue what I want to pursue in the future.” Juniors told us that feedback is a big strength when it comes to development at MoFo; “There’s informal training where I’ve been visited by partners to go over markups, especially if it’s a new concept, or they’ll recap things so you do feel heavily supported.” Beyond this, we heard that the firm’s mentorship program pairing juniors and laterals with an associate and partner mentor is “super helpful at the beginning!” Assigned partner mentors have meetings with associates to overview their progression and ensure they are on the right track.

“You can become a partner if that’s something you seek.”

When it comes to long-term prospects, there was a consensus that “you can become a partner if that’s something you seek.” The firm also recently moved to a two-tier partnership model, so that pathway is now a little shorter. For those whose interests lie more in going into government or in-house, the firm is described as “super supportive.” Its MoFo Next program gives associates a confidential resource within the firm that helps associates tap into their network; it’s like “an independent career adviser for if you want to move on, so there is a path for everyone.”

Morrison Foerster is recognized as a Strong Performer for Career Development in our 2026 associate satisfaction survey.

Culture

Across the board, associates were positive about the culture at MoFo, with one reporting it being far from the “horror stories you hear about BigLaw.” Instead, at MoFo “it feels sort of informal in a good way, because everyone is warm,” something that seems to reflect the firm’s West Coast roots. “It’s very California!” one junior proclaimed, with the firm being seen as pretty relaxed; “my first day I came in in a suit, but everyone else was dressed casually, in jeans!” Another junior in one of the firm’s West Coast offices confirmed the relatively casual dress code, mentioning that “I wear a t-shirt to the office – though it is steamed.”

“There’s ample opportunity for networking.”

Although the general feeling was that the whole firm shares the same chilled-out California vibe, we heard that there are slight differences between the offices. “Conversation topics are different,” one associate told us, as “in New York, for example, they tend to focus more on the work itself, while in San Francisco you’re more likely to talk about what’s going on at the weekend!” Nonetheless, wherever you’re based, there’s plenty going on within the office itself. Associates are expected to be in the office three days a week, which helps to drive attendance at weekly or bi-weekly office socials – “pretty much everyone I know goes to those!” – and more organized annual events like “bring your child to work day where they put Bluey on (fake) trial!” Our sources didn’t confirm whether the cartoon dog will finally face jail time, but all in all, it’s clear that “there’s ample opportunity for networking.”

Hours & Compensation

Billable hours: 1,950 target

MoFo sets a target of 1,950 hours, which is pretty typical for BigLaw firms, but our interviewees felt that they were “not just corporate cogs!” For juniors, the aforementioned “relaxed” culture meant that even when hours do heat up, “you’re encouraged to talk about and be open about mental health.” Overall, the firm’s approach is to make the experience “as sustainable as possible.” Associates had mixed feelings about their ability to meet the target on the transactional front because “it’s heavily dependent on the market,” but for the most part they were comfortable with the “push and pull” nature of the work.

On the whole, our interviewees didn’t spend “a ton” of weekends working, and when they did, we’re told that “if you’ve worked a whole weekend and might need a day to rest, you can do that; you just need to ask someone if they can handle X, Y, Z.” The inevitability of a few periods of long hours is also balanced by the firm giving associates unlimited PTO, and we hear that it’s “fantastic at honoring vacation.” An insider confirmed that “if you’re hitting your hours, you can take as much as you want, and nobody is going to bother you on vacation so long as you prepare adequately beforehand.”

“Nobody is going to bother you on vacation.”

Associates have to work a minimum of 1,800 billable hours for clients, with anything (D&I, pro bono, business development, knowledge management etc.) above that counting towards the legal services hours. To be bonus eligible, associates just need to meet the 1,950 hours target. Beyond that milestone, there are additional incentive bonuses relating to higher hours and merit – “and there’s no cap on that – that includes legal services like pitches and substantive legal business development like articles.”

Morrison Foerster is recognized as a Strong Performer for Benefits & Quality of Life in our 2026 associate satisfaction survey.

Pro Bono

There was a shared consensus that MoFo is committed to this work, and we heard there is an expectation for associates to do at least 25 hours per year. “They even run competitions for pro bono hours,” we learned, “and you can take on anything as long as you get a partner on it.” The firm has four pro bono counsels firmwide who help associates to find opportunities, which can include assisting low-income elderly people with end-of-life planning and will prep, as well as a lot of clinics to help people become citizens or file asylum papers.

Pro bono hours

• For all (US) attorneys: 71,817
• Average per (US) attorney: Undisclosed

Get Hired

The first stage: recruitment on and off campus

Partners typically conduct the interviews at OCIs, although senior associates may do so on occasion as well. As chief legal talent officer Diane Downs says, “we encourage interviewers to build a rapport with students, ask behavioural questions, and answer questions about the firm.” Downs says interviewers want to get “a memorable picture of who you are and how you will add value as a member of one of our work teams. To achieve this, we ask questions like ‘What are the top attributes that you consider most important in a job?’ ‘Share an example of a time when you collaborated with multiple departments or teams to successfully complete a project.’ And ‘Tell me about a situation where you identified a problem affecting others and took steps to resolve it. What was the outcome?’”

In 2024, MoFo launched its Advanced Consideration Track (ACT) to provide rising 2Ls the option to be considered for summer associate positions before the on-campus interview process. Ashley Grinchis, Associate Director of Campus Recruiting and Engagement, says “with MoFo ACT, law students are able to apply and interview at a time that is most convenient for them, allowing them to make more informed decisions as to where they want to begin their legal career.”

Top tips for this stage:

“A genuine interest in the firm you’re interviewing with goes a long way. Be sure to do your research and come prepared with questions about the Summer Associate Program and the firm in general.” – Chief legal talent officer Diane Downs

Callbacks  

Candidates meet with four to six attorneys during callbacks (some offices also include a lunch as part of the process). On arrival, candidates are met by a recruitment team member “who’ll walk them through the process for the day and be a contact between interviews to help interviewees feel comfortable.” Downs says that “students should conduct research on the firm, practice area strengths at the firm, and have an understanding of what the attorneys do.”

Virtual interviews, once an exception pre-pandemic, are now a cornerstone of the candidate experience. At the callback stage, candidates have the flexibility to choose between virtual or in-person interviews. As Nicole Wanzer, Director of Attorney Recruiting, states, “We have completely reimagined our entire interview process to ensure that students can truly connect with our attorneys, and vice versa, in a virtual setting.”

Top tips for this stage:

“It’s not just about selling your past accomplishments; it’s more about selling what you’ll do great here.” – a second-year junior associate

“Bring your energy and engage with our interviewers in a conversation that highlights what you bring to the table and avoid canned answers.” – Chief legal talent officer Diane Downs

Summer Associate Program (U.S. Offices)

• Total Summer 2026 Class: 112

Some summer associates come into the firm with an assigned practice area and will return to that practice area as a junior associate. These are typically MoFo’s tech-focused practices, like Patent Prosecution, IP Litigation, and Technology Transactions. Other summer associates are hired into a department, either Litigation or Transactions, and are invited to explore practice areas with that department during their summer. They will then receive an offer to return to that department as a generalist upon graduation. In those cases, “practice areas are chosen in their third year as an associate based on mutual interest and practice needs,” according to Downs.

Summer associates get work from a central assignment system by a work coordinator (either a partner or senior associate). There isn’t a formal rotational system among practice areas, but Downs says the firm encourages students to explore different assignments “and remain curious throughout the summer.” Each office sets up orientation and training programs to integrate summer associates, as well as special activities “including sporting events and cultural events, and events that reflect each office’s unique geographic and cultural attributes.”

Associates said MoFo’s Summer Associate Program is “designed to help you develop lasting relationships, because once you start at the firm it’s hard to find time to really hang out and have fun with the people you’re working with.”

Top tips for this stage:

“Summer associates will have ample opportunity to solicit feedback and should feel comfortable seeking and implementing feedback.” – Chief legal talent officer Diane Downs

And finally….

Chief legal talent officer Diane Downs tells us the firm also likes “to incorporate pro bono opportunities and workplace experience events throughout the summer.”

Interview with global vice chair Jennifer Marines

Commercial strategy, market position and trends

Chambers Associate: How would you define your firm’s current position and identity in the legal market? What differentiates your firm from your peer firms in the market?

Jennifer Marines: First and foremost, Morrison Foerster is a leader in tech, and we’ve really been leaning into that with all the recent innovations regarding tech and AI. We represent a lot of the world’s most significant clients in the tech space we all know, and they rely on us because we don’t just understand the law, we understand the business and business challenges they have. It’s not just about traditional tech now, because tech runs through every sector of the economy - it’s shaping everything from how our food is produced to how energy is produced with data centers, and we’re advising institutions and investors on all of this. That’s not to say we’re solely focused on tech, though; another key area we are well respected in is securities and government law, so that’s starting out of Washington, DC, but firmwide we’re bringing in exceptional talent from the government sector.

CA: Have there been any developments at the firm over the past year that you’d like law students to know about?

Marines: The biggest shift we’ve seen is the rise and the regulation of AI, which is something we are constantly monitoring. What that means for us as a global law firm is that, rather than diminishing the role of lawyers it’s amplifying judgement; we view it as a force multiplier, so internally it’s helping us work more efficiently. Externally, we’ve been in the space since long before the generative AI boom, helping to craft internal AI frameworks, but more broadly we do see tech as continuing to reshape the profession – not by replacing lawyers, but demanding we operate at a higher level of expertise and insight. Ultimately, the ones that will thrive are the ones that combine innovation with judgment and empathy. One other thing is that we are anticipating more integration between law and other disciplines including technology, finance, and public policy, so we’ve been focused on international and interdisciplinary work with us, last year, pivoting to more of an industry sector focus.

CA: You mentioned the recent development of the firm’s MoFo next scheme last year – what has been the response and uptake to this?

Marines: Our training programs in general we have rebuilt, so that we can better partner with lawyer talent throughout the lifecycle of their career. We have done that with the premise that all of them expect transparency, development, and practice. So, we start with MoFo Navigate, structured onboarding and mentoring, which helps attorneys connect quickly with each other and the firm, build relationships, and gain confidence from day one. Then we have MoFo Success Profiles which makes expectations transparent, drilling down on the granularity and what skills are needed at each level. In parallel with all that, when they start thinking about long-term goals – whether that’s a career here or new opportunities – that’s when MoFo Next comes in.

Inside the Firm

CA: How is the firm evolving to accommodate the needs/expectations of the next generation of lawyers?

Marines: We recognize that there is a new way attorneys can work successfully and collaborate across practices. Most clients are global in nature and require support from each one of our practices, so we provide significant tech to support attorneys in what they’re doing, but we also believe that being together is very important. Mentorship is important, organic sponsorship when you’re speaking to someone is important, and being together creates intangible benefits. Our associates thrive in the office, they want to be there in person, and our partners are in the office, so it hasn’t been a difficult transition back to in-office work.

The Legal Profession

CA: How do you predict the rise in AI will affect the ways in which lawyers work? How will it affect the services law firms provide?

Marines: On technology and AI, we are definitely embracing that. We’ve recently onboarded Chris Bowers as Chief Innovation and Information Officer, and we are embracing technology to make our work more efficiently with AI tools and innovations that drives transformation. All of these things have been helping our lawyers focus on higher-level strategic work, helping them do mundane tasks. I am probably an earlier adopter of AI than maybe some of our associates, but we’re still trying to figure out the implications of using it and the safety of using it. So, we have training sessions on the use of AI, and how to use it on behalf of clients and internally.

The Fun Bit

CA: Throwing it back to law school: it's been a long day of classes and studying. What's your go-to easy meal to have before you crash?

Marines: Easy meal? Anything that came in a box that had carbs - anything you could scissor off the top, but I’m now an avid cook, so I make all my food from scratch!

CA: What was the first concert you attended?

Marines: Dave Matthews – it’s classic rock.

CA: Thinking about the ways in which the legal profession is developing, what is the one skill you have learnt in your career that you think is key for young attorneys to learn?

Marines: There are so many, but I think that the key skill is not waiting until you feel completely ready. Take the opportunity and grow into it. The most pivotal moments in my career came before I felt fully prepared - you are rarely ready in advance.