Overview
Introduction
A leader in venture capital work and highly regarded for its intellectual property, Wilson Sonsini is a go-to firm for tech industry clients. Lawyers at the firm have an entrepreneurial mindset and strike the right balance between being hardworking and affable. With its history deeply rooted in the evolution of Silicon Valley, Wilson Sonsini values innovation and improvement and is the chief provider of legal services to technology and life sciences clients. The West Coast firm culture is “chill.”
Firm Stats
Total No. Attorneys (2024)
No. of Partners Named (2023)
Featured Rankings
No. of 1st Year Associates Hired (2024)
No. of Summer Associates (2024)
Base Salary
Vault Verdict
Wilson Sonsini represents clients across the technology spectrum, from small startups to giants such as Apple and Google. Therefore, the firm hires candidates who fit in with its unique culture; that is, the firm seeks attorneys who are entrepreneurial, creative, and innovative. Having a tech background doesn’t hurt either. Grades and law school matter, but the firm is open to a wider range of law schools than many BigLaw peers and often hires from schools near its offices. Associates describe the culture as practice group-specific with some more social than others, but the overall vibe of the firm is “West Coast” and “chill.” The firm is filled with friendly and fun people who enjoy each other’s company at work. Partners treat associates “as human beings,” respect their personal ...
About the Firm
With 950 attorneys across 19 offices around the world, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati is a global player with specialty practices in technology and life sciences financings and M&A, tech licensing transactions, intellectual property, 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.
On...
Associate Reviews
- “Different groups have very different personalities. Some are very collegial and regularly get together, while others have more of a ‘just get your work done and get home’ kind of attitude. We have some flexibility through the Launch program to slot into the group that best fits our personality.”
- “It's chill. It's clear we're a West Coast firm and often have happy hours. People engage mostly in their teams for projects.”
- “The firm culture is relaxed and pleasant. People dress casually and seem to genuinely care about one another, not just as workers. Conversations and questions about families/hobbies/life outside the office are normal. Staff are treated just as respectfully as attorneys.”
- “Our group does not do much socializing, but we have a monthly lunch that is well-attended. There are many other groups that do regular events together (ski trips, lunches, dinners). The firm hosts social events centered around welcoming laterals and other new hires about once a month. There are also many volunteer events that you can sign up for, and those are good ways to socialize across different practice groups.”
Why Work Here
What You May Not Know About Us
Wilson Sonsini fosters an entrepreneurial and collaborative environment across its attorney ranks. We understand the importance of mentorship and strive to promote career growth and help our attorneys build leadership and relationship skills with clients and colleagues. We want to inspire them to think about the best strategies to enhance their practices.
Wilson Sonsini's culture encourages independence and responsibility from an early stage. We motivate our attorneys at each step of the way, helping them to contribute at a sophisticated level across all work areas and increase accountability and ownership levels.
In addition to having a robust M&A and capital markets practice, we represent and advise clients on a broad array of other legal matters, including litigation, intellectual property, employment law, taxation, employee benefits, and more. Some details:
Getting Hired Here
- “The firm is generally looking for chill, low-key but hardworking people who are humble and nice to work with. Also need an entrepreneurship spirit. No specific feeder schools, but in the PA office, we like to take more local candidates.”
- “I appreciate that the firm is happy to look at anyone and does not restrain itself by grades or schools. I think we want people who are enjoyable to work with but are very intelligent and willing to learn about markets and products that are difficult to grasp.”
- “The firm is open-minded about schools but pays attention to work experience, grades, activities, and connections within the industry. Several members of my team have multiple degrees or have clerked for a federal judge, and the laterals are almost always from other competitive firms.”
- “There seems to be a mix of T14 schools and non-T14 schools hired from. My firm really likes those who have worked at a startup or have experience working in-house and are passionate about working in the startup ecosystem. They seem to prefer those with work experience. Journal doesn't seem to matter. Personality seems to be quite introverted. Berkeley , UVA, and Georgetown Law seem to be represented a bit more than other schools in my class.”
Perks & Benefits