MoFo Perspectives Podcast

Watch our videocast or listen to the podcast conversation with Fractional CMO Amy Wilson and personal brand guru Matt Swain, on how founders can build a personal brand and the importance of emerging companies of having a well-thought-out marketing strategy.

The legal framework on AI in the UK is in a state of flux, with the UK government’s desire to be a “pro-innovation” hub for AI businesses yet to be underpinned by a clear legal framework. Join AI and Technology partner Charlotte Walker-Osborn and IP partner Steven James to discover some of the areas you need to be thinking about when developing, deploying or using AI systems.

AI is rapidly changing the way we do business. AI presents exciting opportunities for founders and emerging companies but the laws governing AI in the UK are in a state of flux. There are many different laws and guidance to understand and contend with, which can be challenging for emerging businesses. Join AI and Technology partner Charlotte Walker-Osborn and IP partner Steven James to hear about...

The 14th episode in this series focused on “Business Leadership in the Context of 2024’s Elections,” with Aron Cramer, President and CEO of BSR, interviewing Daniella Ballou-Aares, Founder and CEO of the Leadership Now Project. Daniella started the Leadership Now Project in 2017 to focus business leaders on the critical actions required to renew American democracy. Daniella began her career at Bai...

More than a quarter of respondents (26%) in our survey say they have left sustainability policies unchanged because of concerns raised by principals or investment professionals; almost as many (24%) cite the concerns of their limited partners (LPs). In this podcast, we discuss the backlash against ESG in the US and how it impacts Asia-headquartered GPs. Should GPs tweak their ESG policies or their...

The thirteenth episode in this series focused on “ESG: Looking Back and Ahead,” with Aron Cramer, president and CEO at BSR, and Susan H. Mac Cormac, co-chair of the ESG + Sustainability and Social Enterprise + Impact Investing practices at MoFo. The ESG and impact space witnessed interesting developments in 2023, ranging from new regulations to anti-ESG legislation, litigation, and enforcements. T...

In certain states in the US, the EU and the UK, there is a growing expectation for companies and funds to extend sustainability due diligence throughout their global supply chains. Companies and funds are also facing increasing customer demands with respect to sustainability. In this podcast, we discuss how companies and funds can think holistically about third-party risks, compliance, and sustain...

MoFounders Podcast: How to Disrupt an Outmoded Industry and Scale an App Nationwide by Morrison & Foerster LLP (MoFo)

The vast majority (80% ) of tech and tech-focused respondents to our survey responded that they have adopted or require their portfolio companies to adopt responsible tech policies. Data privacy and cybersecurity appear to be the top concerns of our respondents, particularly as data becomes more and more valuable. However, the risks involved with AI did not seem to be top of their agendas. In this...

“Responsible tech” is a hotly debated topic in the US and Europe, but less so in Asia. Our annual survey of Asia headquartered PE Funds reveals that many require their portfolio companies to apply responsible tech, but also that for many respondents “responsible tech” is synonymous with data privacy and cybersecurity. This narrow approach misses one of the key benefits of the concept of responsibl...

The twelfth episode in this series focuses on “Climate Disclosure Rules: Preparing For Regulatory Oversight,” with Kristina Wyatt, Deputy General Counsel and Chief Sustainability Officer at Persefoni, and Neil Stewart, Director of Corporate Outreach at the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB). The discussion was led by Jackie Liu. This year witnessed an unprecedented increase in cli...

One of the most important issues Entrepreneurs want to know about, is how to make their business more investable to investors. It can sometimes seem a bit of a mystery: why does one business skyrocket and another in the same sector struggles to take off? How do you put your business in the best possible position to secure investment? To find out about this and more join Michanne Steenbergen, an in...

In our 2022 report, we concluded that sustainability work had become a clear priority for GPs headquartered in Asia, with most organizations devoting increasingly significant resources to this area. However, we also noted that work was at an early stage for many in the region. One year later, this year’s research reveals that further progress has been made. But there is also evidence of concern ab...

The eleventh episode in this series focuses on “Just Transition: How Companies and Investors Can Ensure an Equitable and Sustainable Future,” with Aron Cramer, President and CEO of BSR, interviewing Kate Gordon, Former Senior Advisor to Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).  It is increasingly clear that the energy transition needs to be inclusive, not only to...

In this episode of the Above Board podcast, Morrison Foerster partner and host Dave Lynn speaks with Edward Imperatore, a partner in Morrison Foerster’s Investigations + White Collar Defense practice group and former Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, about the increasing securities enforcement focus on the life sciences and healthcare industry by the Securitie...

The tenth episode in this series focuses on “How Large Financial Institutions Are Integrating Climate Strategies,” with Suz Mac Cormac, Global Co-chair of the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) and Social Enterprise + Impact Investing practices at MoFo, interviewing Rama Variankaval, Global Head of Corporate Advisory & Sustainable Solutions at J.P. Morgan.

In this episode of the Above Board podcast, Morrison Foerster partner and host Dave Lynn speaks with Linda Clark, partner in Morrison Foerster’s market-leading global Privacy + Data Security Group and former Chief Data Security Counsel for RELX, about the roles of GCs and directors in protecting and maintaining their companies’ cybersecurity and mitigating the damage caused by cybersecurity incide...

In this episode of the Above Board podcast, Morrison Foerster partner and host Dave Lynn discusses recent developments at the DOJ, the SEC, and the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices regarding a variety of matters that are important for boards of directors and companies to consider when they approach corporate compliance issues with Morrison Foerster Securities Litigation, Enforcement, and White Collar + Inv...

The ninth episode in this series focuses on “Responsible Innovation: Ensuring Ethics in Emerging Technologies,” with Aron Cramer, President and CEO at BSR, interviewing Paula Goldman, Chief Ethical and Humane Use Officer at Salesforce, and Lokke Moerel, Senior Of Counsel, Privacy + Data Security practice and ESG Steering Committee member, at MoFo.

The eighth episode in this series focuses on the “Business Implications of the Supreme Court's Ruling on Affirmative Action” with Michael McAfee, President and CEO at PolicyLink, and Jarrid Green, Co-Director, Center for Business and Social Justice, at BSR. The discussion will be led by Mark L. Whitaker, Co-chair of the Intellectual Property Litigation Practice, and Co-chair of the Diversity Strat...

In this episode of the Above Board podcast, Morrison Foerster partner and host Dave Lynn discusses shareholder activism with the firm's global Mergers & Acquisitions Group co-chairs, Spencer Klein and Brandon Parris. They discuss the key shareholder activism developments that boards of directors should be considering in 2023, including the latest developments with proxy contests and M&A activism,...

In this episode of the Above Board podcast, Morrison Foerster partner and host Dave Lynn discusses the U.S. DOJ’s new corporate voluntary self-disclosure policy with Nate Mendell, the former Acting U.S. Attorney for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts and partner in the firm’s Investigations + White Collar Defense practice, and James Koukios, co-chair of the firm’s Securit...

The seventh episode in this series focuses on the “Net Zero Transition – Opportunities and Headwinds” with Aron Cramer, President and CEO, BSR, interviewing Curtis Ravenel, Senior Advisor to the Co-chairs and Vice Chair, Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ).

In this episode of the Above Board podcast, Morrison Foerster partner and host Dave Lynn discusses recent legal developments in human rights that are of concern to the boards of directors of public companies in the US and Europe with attorneys in the firm's Global Ethics + Compliance and FCPA + Global Anti-Corruption practices: San Francisco partner Stacey Sprenkel, London partner Gareth Rees KC,...

The sixth episode in this series focuses on “Embedding Impact in Mainstream Investments – Risks and Opportunities” with Suz Mac Cormac, Global Chair of the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG), Social Enterprise + Impact Investing, and Energy practices at MoFo, interviewing Kyung-Ah Park, Managing Director, ESG Investment Management at Temasek. Kyung-Ah will provide insights on how Temasek...