RISING STARS TIRZAH LOWE
KNOBBE MARTENS OLSON & BEAR, LLP Orange County, CA
WHAT DO OSCAR DE LA HOYA, Taco Bell, Diedrich Coffee, Ruby’s Diner, and Shaquille O’Neal all have in common? Tey trust Tirzah Lowe with their brands. Lowe, an accom-
plished intellectual property lawyer and
partner at Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear, LLP, has built an impressive foreign trademark practice while remaining at the forefront of new media technology in order to protect infringement of copyright materials by major social media outlets. In addition to an impressive practice, Lowe works hard, pro bono, as a leader and organizer for ending
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human trafficking and homelessness among teens. She was recognized by other organizations as an
up-and-coming lawyer as well as a top lawyer under 40 to watch out for. She knows that her hard work, willing- ness to help, and desire to contribute to many causes has factored into her recognition and her success. “It’s important to get involved in the broader legal
community. As lawyers, we hold a lot of power in society and with that power comes responsibility… We should take broad actions to help a greater society,” she says. A third-generation lawyer, Lowe was exposed to
the legal system as a child and learned to appreciate its value early. She says being considered a Rising Star gives her an opportunity look back at her work and use the knowledge she’s gained to help other younger attorneys and law students. “I want them to love the law and to love being
a lawyer. If people can look at me and see the law can help people, and see a mentor in me, then that’s very satisfying.”
Rising Stars MARIE MA
MARIE MA IS THE ONLY RISING STAR who went directly in- house after law school. She worked as a para- legal for Te Gap, Inc. before she completed law school. She is one of only two attorneys who have been hired
straight out of law school by Gap. Ma says her nine years with Gap have made her
very comfortable dealing with corporate law and its ever-changing landscape. Ma has made the most of going in-house immedi-
ately after law school, which even Ma sees as atypical, and something some believe can halt the growth of new lawyers. “I am lucky to work for Gap because the company
participates in and encourages a number of pro bono and diversity-focused initiatives in the legal world, some- thing that many in-house legal departments have trouble
DIVERSITY & THE BAR® MARCH/APRIL 2013
THE GAP, INC. San Francisco, CA
doing because of a lack of resources,” she says. Ma participates in a number of pipeline programs to
encourage young people and minorities to pursue law school and to ultimately increase diversity in the legal field. She also donates some of her time to teaching high school students about the legal process through mock trials—she is the mock trial vice committee chair for the Bar Association of San Francisco. She is currently plan- ning the annual Gap Inc. Legal Department fundraiser, which she started three years ago. Ma’s proudest accomplishment is the U-Visa pro-
gram. She initiated Gap’s involvement with the program and continues to be involved in it. It provides undocu- mented immigrants who have been victims of a crime, and cooperate with law enforcement, to bear witness against offenders, and get temporary visas that become a gateway to permanent residency status.
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