John Roos is the chief executive officer and a member of the board of directors of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, one of the nation's leading providers of legal services to technology, life sciences, and growth enterprises, as well as the capital markets that finance them. Rooted in Silicon Valley since 1961, the firm has seven offices in technological hubs across the United States and one in Shanghai, China. It is consistently ranked as one of the top law firms in the nation by
Corporate Board Member, American Lawyer, and other third-party sources. In addition, the firm was ranked No. 1 in the
Minority Law Journal's 2009 Diversity Scorecard and named as one of the 2008 Best Law Firms for Women by Working Mother Media and Flex-Time Lawyers.
Prior to becoming CEO in February 2005, John had been the firm's managing director of professional services for five years. He has been a partner at the firm since 1988. Throughout his tenure, John helped lead the firm during the various waves of innovation in Silicon Valley, from the growth of software and communications to the Internet Age, the emergence of biotechnology to the present focus on clean technology and renewable energy. Global in scope, his practice has included representing many major technology and life sciences companies in mergers and acquisitions, initial public offerings, strategic alliances, and joint ventures. He also has represented numerous start-up and early-stage companies in venture capital financings and other private placements of securities.
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EDUCATION: - J.D., Stanford Law School, 1980
Member, Stanford Law Review; Member, Order of the Coif - Undergraduate degree, Stanford University, 1977
With Honors and Distinction; Phi Beta Kappa
HONORS: - Selected for inclusion in 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010 editions of Best Lawyers in America
- AV Peer Review Rating, Martindale-Hubbell
ADMISSIONS: