Meet our lawyers.

I first experienced MTO’s team-oriented culture as a summer associate, working on an emergency hearing involving cutting-edge copyright and trade secret issues arising from the world of reality TV. Despite being a summer associate, I was included in team meetings, looped into key emails and encouraged to contribute research and analysis by senior partners like Glenn Pomerantz and Carolyn Luedtke. From the start, I felt like a valued member of the team.

That culture of community and development continues throughout an attorney’s career here. MTO offers great formal training on the nuts and bolts of litigation—sessions on depositions, trial skills, written discovery and California civil procedure—led by experienced partners. But in my experience, the most meaningful learning happens by doing, and from my first days at the firm I was consistently given significant opportunities to do just that—from holding the pen on major briefs to examining witnesses at trial. As a junior lawyer, what helped me grow most were the informal moments on my case teams: a partner’s encouraging phone call before my first deposition, or a teammate’s creative input during trial prep. Partners here won’t throw you into the deep end without support—but they will trust you with real responsibility early, because they’re invested in your development.

Our firm also emphasizes connection and knowledge-sharing through regular practice and industry group meetings, firmwide lunches and “sherry sips,” where attorneys informally share insights from exciting cases and deals. These gatherings foster connection with the broader MTO community, beyond our personal case teams. Hearing about our colleagues’ cases during practice group meetings and at firm lunches also offers a window into what it’s like to work in various sectors and areas of the law. This exposure to concrete examples of the kinds of matters handled across the firm is especially valuable for more junior attorneys who are trying to decide what kind of practice they would like to pursue.

At MTO, you’re not just building legal skills—you’re growing within a community that invests in your success and wants you to thrive.

A week after I started with Munger Tolles & Olson, I was asked to work on a large case that offered me a great deal of opportunity. This case is one that I recall fondly because of the scope, magnitude and respect it afforded me from my colleagues. This case was brought to MTO by a high-profile financial services client, and immediately after we resolved it five other similar cases followed on its heels. I spent more than eight years successfully litigating those cases. In one of them, in which our client faced the greatest potential exposure, I took the lead in crafting our defense. With the support of a senior colleague, we developed a defense that was innovative, novel and, most importantly, successful. On that theory, the case was dismissed on the pleadings, then knocked out entirely when we had their motion to amend denied. This was early in my career.

Each partner devoted time to nurturing my development as I grew as an attorney. While they gave me the reins, they also sat beside me, giving pointers as we went and specific feedback at each turn to help make me a better attorney all around. Day-to-day mentorship like that is standard fare here. That culture fosters real opportunities for growth.

Beyond our formal mentorship program, the firm has an incredibly strong culture of informal mentoring. When I wanted to sharpen my writing skills as a senior associate, a partner connected me with one of the firm’s most respected writers. He generously edited my work and walked me through every change. I studied his approach, refined my own, and became a far stronger writer. That feedback loop was transformational. Now, as a more experienced mentor myself, I often think about how to help others grow in the same way. This is a place where exceptional lawyers are empowered to do meaningful work.  Growth is both intentional and organic, and mentoring is a shared value—not just a policy. That culture of mutual investment is what truly sets MTO apart.

On my very first day at Munger Tolles, I was asked to work on a major class action with tentacles in two federal courts and an arbitration forum. For two years, I ran the day-to-day operations on the case, doing everything from digging through documents to traveling around the world with senior clients to take depositions. When it was time to go to trial, I knew the client and the facts very well. I had the opportunity to cross-examine more than a dozen witnesses, put on key direct examination witnesses and deliver part of the closing argument. After a three-month trial, we won the case.

This initial trial experience paved the way for me to serve as first chair, or lead counsel, defending the University of California in a highly publicized privacy lawsuit. With the full support of more senior attorneys, I worked on every stage of the case, from the motion to dismiss and summary judgment argument through mediation and depositions—ultimately representing the University at trial. I also formed a close working relationship with the press, who covered every step of the trial. The trust and autonomy I was given early on led to more opportunities for trials, opened up a world of higher education work, and shaped my path to partnership.

Once I became a partner, I committed to mentoring junior lawyers the way I was mentored. At MTO, we don’t just talk about development—we act on it. I regularly include associates in client pitches and put them forward for leading roles on cases.

In one instance, an associate who co-authored a pitch memo joined me in presenting to a general counsel during a pitch meeting. Her performance was so impressive that not only did we win the work, but the client later was enthusiastic about having her argue the motion to dismiss—an argument she delivered flawlessly in federal court, securing a complete win.

That moment exemplifies what makes MTO special: we trust our talent, invest in their growth, and give them real opportunities to shine.

One of the most memorable moments of my career at Munger Tolles came at the close of a four-week jury trial in a high-profile copyright infringement case. After the verdict, we spoke with jurors—mostly women—who shared how powerful it was to see a woman attorney playing a leading role on our trial team. That attorney was Blanca Young, one of my most impactful role models as a woman litigator.

Blanca skillfully examined both sides’ technical experts on complex technological issues at the center of the Plaintiffs’ bid for an eight-figure verdict against a major movie studio. Yet, when praised by the jurors, Blanca immediately shifted the spotlight. She made a point to recognize that the entire associate team at the trial—me, Anne Conley, and Shannon Aminirad— were also women, and highlighted each of our contributions.

That was one of the proudest moments of my career at MTO. It was a quintessential example of the firm’s culture: senior lawyers don’t just support junior attorneys—they champion them and make sure that clients, colleagues and even jurors see and appreciate the contributions of every member of the team.

What also stood out during the trial was the team’s commitment to each other. We were working long hours on a high-stakes case the entire month of December—away from our families during the holiday season. But even in that pressure-cooker environment, we found ways to support one another and boost morale—from brightening up the war room with holiday decorations to surprising our paralegal and case clerk with birthday treats.

At MTO, we take on our clients’ highest-stakes legal challenges, while supporting, promoting and valuing the contributions of every member of the team. Camaraderie, respect and empathy are cornerstones of our firm and of the results we deliver.