Daily Journal Names Marisa Chun to 2021 “Top Women Lawyers” List

San Francisco – May 20, 2021: The Daily Journal has named partner A. Marisa Chun to its 2021 list of Top Women Lawyers in California. The annual award series recognizes the successes and victories of women lawyers in the courtroom and at the negotiating table, as well as their advancements in the legal industry. Chun is a member of Crowell & Moring’s Litigation Group in the firm’s San Francisco office and is co-chair of the firm’s Appellate practice.

The publication noted Chun’s depth and breadth of experience as a first chair trial lawyer, an appellate advocate, and a white collar defense partner who advises leading state, national, and global clients, including those navigating high-profile or sensitive litigation and investigations. Chun previously served as deputy associate attorney general, a civil rights lawyer, and a prosecutor at the U.S. Department of Justice.

The Daily Journal highlighted Chun’s role representing the University of California in a constitutional case stemming from the threat of COVID-19 cases converging with the 2020 flu season. Then-UC president Janet Napolitano sought to protect the UC community and conserve critical hospital resources by requiring flu shots for all UC students, employees, and faculty who studied, worked, or lived on campus, subject to certain exceptions. When plaintiffs challenged Napolitano’s order, Chun moved quickly and effectively to block their preliminary injunction request. Working within a condensed timeline, Chun and her Crowell & Moring team argued that UC’s flu vaccine requirement was constitutional because there was a real and substantial relationship between the mandate and public health concerns. The court agreed, holding that the balance of harms tipped toward a finding that the vaccine policy was likely to be constitutional. Days after their defeat, the plaintiffs voluntarily dismissed the lawsuit with prejudice, bringing the case to a swift end. The Daily Journal observed that the court’s ruling could influence future COVID-19 vaccine mandate controversies.