Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati

A Silicon Valley institution, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati is highly regarded for its robust financial and corporate practice focused on emerging life sciences companies. The firm assists clients in a number of matters involving transactions, licensing, collaboration, and venture capital.

Ian Edvalson advises a number of public and private life sciences companies on licensing agreements and strategic collaborative transactions. Among his recent clients, Edvalson represented CG Oncology in its collaboration agreement with Kissei Pharmaceutical for its oncolytic immunotherapy drug. In addition, Edvalson advised Mammoth Pharmaceuticals in a collaboration deal with GlaxoSmithKline to accelerate CRISPR-based Covid-19 diagnostics test.

Kenneth Clark is well known in the industry and has significant experience assisting clients with licensing agreements and collaborations, among other areas. Recently, Clark advised ORIC Pharmaceuticals in its $138 million IPO as well as IGM Biosciences with its offering which totaled $201.3 million.

Robert Ishii is based in San Francisco and primarily focuses on mergers and acquisitions in the life sciences space. Ishii was recently part of a Wilson Sonsini team that advised Forte Biosciences in its merger agreement with Tocagen, a biopharmaceutical company focused on gene therapy.

Bay Area staple Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati is highly recommended in generic Hatch-Waxman litigation and patent strategy. The firm is also notable for its expertise in patent filing and prosecution.

Vern Norviel is a preeminent patent strategist for clients in the life sciences industry and leader of the firm's patents and innovations counseling practice group. He specializes in patent prosecution, strategy and portfolio development. Norviel recently assisted client 10x Genomics in patent matters related to its $50 million Series D financing.

San Francisco partner Michael Hostetler was named the 2020 Patent Strategy Attorney of the Year in California for his notable year of practice assisting clients with portfolio management and deal-oriented advice. Among his many recent representations, Hostetler was active for Crinetics Pharmaceuticals in patent matters related to a recent public offering, and Horizon Therapeutics as IP counsel in its acquisition of Curzion Pharmaceuticals.

San Diego partner Jeffrey Guise specializes in patent protection, litigation strategy and transactions. He recently advised Takeda on IP matters connected to its acquisition of PvP Biologics totaling $330 million. James Heslin is an expert in the medical device field, drawing on more than 20 years of experience as a patent counselor.

In litigation, Douglas Carsten is a go-to professional for pharmaceutical disputes involving the firm's generic clientele. He recently represented Mylan as trial counsel in a notable dispute against Sanofi involving its branded Lantus insulin pen products. Following a week-long trial in the District of New Jersey, the Wilson Sonsini team secured a ruling from the Judge that found the device patent at suit was invalid due to lack of written description.