Rachel Krevans, the former head of Morrison & Foerster’s intellectual property practice who helped lead Apple’s ferocious smartphone IP war with Samsung, died Wednesday of cancer at age 60.

“She was brilliant, she was funny, she was interesting, she was passionate, she was compassionate,” said Morrison & Foerster chairman Larren Nashelsky. “She took her work seriously, but she didn’t take herself too seriously, and that’s what we all strive to do.”