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3.30.26
Firm Attorneys Named to 2026 Lawdragon’s “500 Global Leaders in Crisis Management” Guide
On March 25, 2026, Wilson Sonsini’s Moe Fodeman, Caz Hashemi, and Tarek Helou were named to the second edition of Lawdragon’s “500 Global Leaders in Crisis Management” guide, which highlights advisors who have been at the forefront of crisis management across industries.
News Articles
6.13.25
Wilson Sonsini Attorneys Named to 2025 Lawdragon 500 Global Leaders in Crisis Management Guide
On June 13, 2025, Lawdragon announced the honorees to its inaugural edition of The Lawdragon 500 Global Leaders in Crisis Management guide, which highlights individuals who have been at the forefront of crisis management across industries. Wilson Sonsini’s Moe Fodeman, Caz Hashemi, and Tarek Helou have been named to this year’s guide.
Alerts
4.05.23
Strings Attached: New Proposed Rules Outline National Security Guardrails for CHIPS Act Funding Recipients
On March 23, 2023, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (proposed rule) that sets forth the national security guardrails for funding under the CHIPS and Science Act (CHIPS). The proposed rule is titled “Preventing the Improper Use of CHIPS Act Funding” and, as that name implies, its purpose is to ensure CHIPS-funded technology and innovation is not used by adversarial countries against the interests of United States or its allies and partners.
Alerts
3.29.23
CHIPS Program Office Releases Resources for Preparation of Applications
As described in our client alert earlier this month, the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s CHIPS Program Office published a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) directed towards funding the construction, expansion, or modernization of commercial facilities for the front- and back-end fabrication of leading-edge, current-generation, and mature-node semiconductors. During this last week of March, the CHIPS Program Office made available a series of resources to help applicants prepare their pre-application and application materials for the FOA. A summary of and links to those resources are set forth below:
Alerts
3.20.23
Congress Ramping Up Focus on Artificial Intelligence: American Companies Will Need a Strong Response
This month, the Senate Homeland Security and Government Accountability Committee (HSGAC) and the House Subcommittee on Cyber Security, Information Technology, and Government Innovation held hearings on the risks and opportunities presented by artificial intelligence (AI). The pervasive concern throughout both hearings, voiced by lawmakers and witnesses alike, was that the government is not adequately prepared to harness or regulate the coming advancements in AI. Eric Schmidt, former CEO and Executive Chairman of Google, testified that this moment in the development of AI represents a “clear demarcation, a before and an after,” and lawmakers sought input from witnesses on the best ways to hold tech companies accountable and to protect consumers and workers. Members repeatedly noted that AI can be a force for good, but also expressed concern about the risks it poses to privacy, safety, and national security.
Alerts
3.14.23
Bipartisan Calls for Congressional Investigations in the Wake of Silicon Valley Bank Collapse
As Congress and the White House continue to grapple with the fallout of Silicon Valley Bank’s (SVB) collapse, both parties are united on one thing: Congress must investigate what happened. Following news that regulators seized New York-based Signature Bank on March 12, 2023, President Biden addressed the nation the next morning to reassure consumers and the markets that the broader financial system remains stable. But he also said that “there are important questions of how these banks got into these circumstances in the first place.” He urged a “full accounting of what happened and why those responsible can be held accountable,” saying that “no one is above the law.”1
Alerts
3.13.23
Important Tips When Establishing New Bank Accounts and Updating Wire Transfer Information
With the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s (FDIC) takeover of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), we expect a number of entities to begin establishing new bank accounts and updating wire transfer information. This creates opportunities for hackers and criminal organizations to introduce fraudulent wire transfer information in order to steal wire transfers. Failure to verify new wire transfer information prior to transferring money may be considered a failure of financial controls, and each year millions of dollars are lost to this type of fraud. Please keep the following information in mind if you are asked to wire money to a new bank account.
Alerts
3.01.23
CHIPS Act Funding Kicks Off: First Tranche of Funding Announced
On February 28, 2023, the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST’s) CHIPS Program Office published the first Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) under the CHIPS and Science Act (for background on this Act, see Wilson Sonsini’s prior alert, here). This initial FOA is directed towards funding the construction, expansion, or modernization of commercial facilities for the front- and back-end fabrication of leading-edge, current-generation, and mature-node semiconductors. Those interested in obtaining funds should review the FOA and related documentation at https://www.nist.gov/chips/notice-funding-opportunity-commercial-fabrication-facilities. Further FOAs focused on funding opportunities for facilities that build semiconductor materials and manufacturing equipment and facilities that support semiconductor research and development will be released later this year. A brief outline of the eligibility requirements, application process, and evaluation criteria for this initial FOA are set forth below:
Alerts
2.16.23
Congressional Concerns About China Continue to Balloon
As the new Congress ramps up its oversight efforts, concerns about China and the threats it poses to the United States have emerged as a leading bipartisan focus. Last week, two House committees—the House Financial Services Committee and the House Armed Services Committee—focused their respective first hearings of the new Congress on China. In the Democratic-controlled Senate, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee held its second hearing of the 118th Congress on “Evaluating U.S.-China Policy in the Era of Strategic Competition.” Perhaps the most important takeaway from the trio of hearings is that concerns about China are not a Democratic or Republican issue. Both parties emphasized the need for the United States to counter the geopolitical, economic, and military threats that China poses.
Alerts
1.26.23
Delaware Court of Chancery Concludes That Duty of Oversight Applies to Officers
In an important decision addressing an issue of first impression, the Delaware Court of Chancery determined that corporate officers owe a fiduciary duty of oversight under Delaware law. The case, In re McDonald’s Corporation Stockholder Derivative Litigation, C.A. No. 2021-0324-JTL (Del. Ch. Jan. 26, 2023), involved derivative claims asserted by stockholders of McDonald’s against its board of directors and certain officers, including McDonald’s former Chief People Officer, who was the subject of the court’s decision resolving his motion to dismiss the claims against him. The complaint alleged that the executive and the human resources department that he oversaw had “turned a blind eye” to sexual harassment at McDonald’s, which had become pervasive under his watch. The complaint further alleged that the executive himself had engaged in sexual harassment on multiple occasions, which eventually resulted in his 2019 termination, and that such conduct separately constituted a breach of the executive’s fiduciary duties.
Press Releases
8.16.22
Wilson Sonsini Adds Former Acting U.S. Attorney Christopher Chiou to Fast-Growing Litigation Department
Christopher (Chris) Chiou has joined Wilson Sonsini's litigation department as a partner in the Los Angeles office. He joins the firm’s expanding trial and commercial litigation practices after serving as Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Nevada.
Alerts
8.09.22
CHIPS Act Basics for Semiconductor Companies: Early Answers on Finding Funding and Resulting Risks
On August 9, 2022, President Biden signed into law the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 (the CHIPS Act), a significant investment in industrial policy that offers, among other things, funding for the development of facilities to research, manufacture, and produce semiconductors and semiconductor-related materials and equipment. As always, however, there is no free lunch, and this money comes with some strings attached. Many aspects of the process for obtaining federal financial assistance will ultimately be determined by the Secretary of Commerce (the Secretary), who is responsible for disbursing the funds, but the statute provides some useful preliminary guidance. In addition, there are national security and oversight considerations when receiving funding under the CHIPS Act that potential recipients should keep in mind.