* as of 8/1/23
An integral part of the fabric of the tech economy, our Palo Alto headquarters thrums with opportunity.
In the heart of Silicon Valley (and founded before it was even called “Silicon Valley”), Wilson Sonsini’s Palo Alto office is our largest and serves as the firm’s headquarters. This is the center of gravity where our industry-leading teams have written our history alongside clients we have had relationships with for many decades. This history also acts as a blueprint as we continue to form new relationships with technology and life sciences companies every day, helping them shape the future of our world.
Palo Alto also serves as the home base for our Summer Associate Academy, a week-long program filled with training and networking opportunities for our entire summer class. Each year, 35 to 40 summer associates are invited to join our Palo Alto teams.
Explore Palo Alto Practices
Join Our Team
With the largest Life Sciences-focused patent practice in the world, Wilson Sonsini’s unmatched expertise services a diverse client base from start-ups to established industry leaders on global patent portfolio development and management. Associates learn from the best through early, hands-on experience and comprehensive training and development opportunities. You will draft and prosecute patent applications, prepare patent opinion letters and provide IP counseling to clients as well as supervise junior attorneys and patent agents. We want to hear from you if you have 1-4 years of patent prosecution law firm experience, patent bar membership, and a background in one of the following fields: cell or molecular biology, immunology, biochemistry, bioinformatics, medicinal chemistry, cancer biology, pharmacology, organic chemistry, biophysics, or digital health focused disciplines.
The Legal Education Manager will work closely with the Director of Legal Education & Development; the Chief Professional Development, Engagement & Inclusion Officer; firm management; department and practice group leadership; and the broader PD team to implement relevant, effective, and dynamic legal training programs for our litigation and regulatory departments firmwide.
Wilson Sonsini's Accelerated Consideration for Employment (ACE) program is an opportunity for applicants with a serious interest in Wilson Sonsini to get a decision from us on a much earlier timeline. For those candidates who have done their research and know where they want to be, this program offers an opportunity to begin our application process earlier and move through more quickly.
The ACE application will remain open until May 27th. We will review applications on a rolling basis, and we will conduct screening interviews the week of June 10th. Callback interviews will take place beginning on June 17th. You will be asked to submit your Fall Semester grades as part of this application. Spring Semester grades will be collected at a later time. Our general Summer Associate application will open on May 28th.
The life science business advisory practice at Wilson Sonsini was formed in 2019 to provide emerging growth and more established life science companies with critical business advice and transactional support. This non-legal practice focuses on life science companies that need support raising capital, developing and evolving their business strategies, and developing and executing on partnership, licensing and M&A transactions. We are seeking to hire a Director, Life Science Business Advisory Practice, to grow the burgeoning practice. The Director will source clients and execute projects and transactions for clients to support on their business needs. The successful candidate will also support the strategic build out of the practice.
If you would like to submit an application to Wilson Sonsini, but do not see an active posting for the office or practice you are interested in, please apply here.
Did you know?
Attorneys receive unlimited billable hour credit for time spent on pro bono projects.