Wilson Sonsini Names New CEO

Steven Bochner has been named CEO of law firm Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, following the news that current CEO John Roos has been confirmed as U.S. Ambassador to Japan. Bochner joined the firm in 1981, and was named a partner in 1988.

PRESS RELEASE

Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, the premier provider of legal services to technology, life sciences, and growth enterprises worldwide, today announced that Steven E. Bochner will become the law firm’s chief executive officer. He succeeds John V. Roos, who recently was confirmed as the U.S. Ambassador to Japan.

“Steve joined the firm right out of law school and has been a major contributor ever since,” said Chairman Larry Sonsini. “Over the past 28 years, he has built an incredibly successful practice and increasingly assumed leadership roles at the firm. He is uniquely qualified to pick up the mantle from John, who did such a superb job as CEO. We will miss John greatly, but we are sure that he will serve the country ably and honorably as ambassador to Japan. We also congratulate Steve, and look forward to him putting his own distinctive stamp on the post of CEO.”

“I am deeply honored to represent our country as ambassador to Japan, but it will be difficult to say goodbye to my colleagues at the firm, whom I consider the best in the business and a pleasure to know,” Roos said. “However, I am completely confident in the firm’s future and the strength of its management team, and I know that Steve will be an effective and insightful CEO.”

“Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati is truly fortunate in its strong and broad platform, deep pool of talent, and amazing client base, and I am excited about the opportunities that lie ahead for us,” Bochner said. “I look forward to working with Larry, our board, and our partners as we help position the firm for even greater success in the future.”

Bochner joined the firm in 1981 upon graduation from the UC Berkeley School of Law, and became a partner in 1988. During his nearly 28-year tenure, he has amassed vast expertise in corporate and securities law, serving as lead counsel for some of Silicon Valley’s most prominent companies and assisting clients in venture capital, public offering, and merger transactions valued in the billions of dollars. He also has represented numerous start-up companies, as well as leading venture capital and investment banking firms. Over the course of his career, Bochner has served in various leadership positions at the firm, including as a member of the board of directors, a member of the Policy Committee, and chair of the Compensation Committee. He also has served as an advisor to the Securities & Exchange Commission and Nasdaq. In addition, Bochner is a lecturer in the fields of both law and business at UC Berkeley, and is a well-known speaker and author on a variety of securities law topics.

About Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati

Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati’s broad range of services and legal disciplines is focused on serving the principal challenges faced by the management and boards of directors of business enterprises. The firm is nationally recognized as a leader in the fields of corporate governance and finance, mergers and acquisitions, private equity, securities class action litigation, employment law, intellectual property, and antitrust, among many other areas of law. With long-standing roots in Silicon Valley, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati has offices in Austin, New York, Palo Alto, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Shanghai, and Washington, D.C. For additional information, please visit www.wsgr.com.