Morrison & Foerster Provides Comprehensive Legal Support to Pangaea

The international law firm of Morrison & Foerster LLP has provided pro bono legal services to Pangaea since the foundation came into being in December 2001. Led by former Morrison partner Kathy Fisher, who serves as Pangaea’s general counsel, Morrison & Foerster lawyers have contributed hundreds of hours of time to a wide variety of projects crucial to Pangaea, including the establishment of Pangaea as a 501(c)3 corporation, extensive project finance advice relating to the construction and development of the Infectious Disease Institute in Kampala Uganda, regular review of contracts and other agreements, and ongoing advice regarding the impact of intellectual property laws and regulations on HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention efforts. The firm has also underwritten Pangaea’s media and communications efforts for 2004.

Pangaea President Pat Christen commented on the firm’s support: “I can’t say enough about the work that the lawyers and staff at Morrison & Foerster have done for Pangaea. They provide a level of service and legal advice that is truly extraordinary. Having top tier legal advice allows the staff at Pangaea to leverage our activities to the greatest extent possible.” Morrison & Foerster Chair Keith Wetmore, who is a member of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation’s Board of Directors, has strongly supported the firm’s pro bono work on behalf of Pangaea.

Kathy Fisher herself has a long history of providing pro bono support to the San Francisco AIDS Foundation (SFAF), as well as Pangaea, and received the SFAF’s “Leadership Award” at the foundation’s Leadership Dinner on May 6, 2004. Kathy commented on Morrison & Foerster’s role: “It’s never been hard to recruit MoFo lawyers to work on Pangaea matters. The firm has a deep and abiding commitment to pro bono work, as well as having a strong commitment to the global struggle against AIDS. When SFAF decided to launch its global initiative in 2001, we felt honored to be asked to help. As general counsel, one of my primary roles has been to recruit lawyers at the firm with the requisite expertise to address a need. There have been so many contributors: corporate lawyer Russ Wood who handled Pangaea’s incorporation, Mark Paist and Nick Spilliotes who have done such a fantastic job on the Uganda project, Human Resources Director Kathy Dykstra who advised on an important initiative relating to South Africa, and many others.”

Pangaea’s role in the construction of the Infectious Diseases Institute at Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda offered a host of complex legal issues. Mark Paist, an attorney in Morrison’s Northern Virginia office with particular expertise in international transactions, played a key role in the negotiation of agreements necessary to develop the IDI. Mark helped Pangaea negotiate a memoranda of understanding with Pfizer Inc and the Pfizer Foundation for grants to construct the project, negotiated a license from Makerere University to use University property for construction and operation of the clinic, handled the negotiation of turnkey construction and equipment supply contracts necessary for the development of the project, and will be assisting Pangaea with the development of the agreement that will transfer the facility to Makerere University upon completion.

Mark commented: “My colleagues and I are very proud to have been a part of this project. Working with Pangaea’s project director Barbara Lawson, we have been able to create the legal structures necessary to keep things moving along on schedule. It’s always a challenge when you have parties to an agreement on three continents, but everyone shared a common goal and was committed to working hard to resolve any differences that did arise. It’s been a great experience for me and I hope that the firm can continue to make a contribution to the important work that Pangaea is doing around the world.”