Wilson Sonsini

With more than 1,100 attorneys across 17 offices around the world, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati is a global player with  practices in technology and life sciences financings and M&A, tech licensing transactions, intellectual property (IP), litigation, and regulatory and compliance matters.

Running Circles Around Everyone

Wilson Sonsini began as a simple three-man shop in Palo Alto founded by and named after Pete McCloskey, John Wilson, and Roger Mosher. McCloskey departed shortly thereafter to take a seat in Congress. Larry Sonsini became a name partner in 1973 after working at the firm for seven years. John Goodrich and Mario Rosati came on board in the early 1970s, and after Mosher’s departure, the firm became Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati.

One of the early hallmarks of the firm was its “three circles” business model, which focuses on representing enterprises through all stages of their growth.

All About Tech

Wilson Sonsini focuses on six major practice areas—corporate, IP, litigation, patents and innovations, regulatory, and technology transactions—and a host of subpractices. The firm’s technology industry experience has become as diverse as the industry itself. The firm works with clients in the AI, semiconductor, renewable energy, networking, digital media, fintech, social media, biotech, medical device, data storage and cloud, and consumer tech sectors. It also has a strong corporate finance practice with lawyers who work closely with financial institutions, including Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley. Moreover, the Wilson Sonsini venture capital practice has grown in tandem with its early clients such as Sequoia Capital, Mayfield, and Oak Investment Partners. To date, Wilson Sonsini has worked with thousands of companies and has helped raise billions of dollars. The firm has represented more than 100 venture capital and private equity firms—many of which it helped create.

The firm boasts an IP practice that ranks among the top 15 in Vault’s Intellectual Property practice area rankings. The patents and innovations team has over 170 attorneys, patent agents, and scientific advisors who work on everything from patent applications, prosecution, patent litigation, and portfolio management to licensing and regulatory and FDA-related submissions. Firm attorneys are regulars before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board. More than 80 of the firm’s lawyers focus exclusively on its unique technology transactions practice, specifically on commercial transactions based on IP. The group works with startups and tech clients across industries such as AI, , big data, biotech, communications, digital media entertainment, fintech, health IT, mobility, pharmaceuticals, and renewable energy.

Ready to Launch

First and second year corporate attorneys in the firm’s Bay Area offices can participate in Launch—a work allocation system for its corporate and securities practice. Associates in this program receive a variety of assignments across the practice and not specialized assignments in one area. A staff coordinator manages the workflow and provides regular feedback.

• Wilson Sonsini has a notable history of representing major technology companies in significant transactions. The firm represented Apple Inc. in its much-publicized initial public offering in 1980, and 2002, the firm represented Hewlett-Packard Co. in its $25 billion acquisition of Compaq Computer Corp. and its proxy fight with director Walter Hewlett Jr. In 2009, the firm handled its biggest deal to date, representing Genentech Inc. in its $47 billion purchase by Roche Pharmaceuticals. More recently, in 2022, Wilson Sonsini represented Twitter in its high-profile acquisition by Elon Musk, worth $44 billion.

• Finalist for Law Firm of the Year, Tech Industry Advisory Team of the Year, and Tech Industry Litigation Department of the Year, 2025—The Recorder
• Recognized in 36 geographic-specific practice categories with 79 attorneys ranked in Chambers USA; the firm and its attorneys were also ranked in Chambers China, Chambers Europe, Chambers Fintech, and Chambers UK, 2024—Chambers
• Outstanding Pro Bono Partner Award, 2024—Lawyers for Good Government
• Received National Public Service Award, 2025—American Bar Association
• Mansfield Certification Plus for the sixth consecutive year, 2024—Diversity Lab