Former Biotech Executive and White House Counsel Brings Two Decades of Experience at the Intersection of Law, Life Sciences, and Technology
PALO ALTO, CA (March 31, 2026)—Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, the premier provider of legal services to technology, life sciences, and growth enterprises worldwide, today announced that Alexander Nguyen has joined its General Counsel in Residence (GCIR) program. Nguyen brings 20 years of experience helping boards and executives navigate complex legal, regulatory, and operational landscapes across the technology and life sciences sectors.
“Alex’s background is rare and extremely relevant to the challenges our clients face,” said Philip Oettinger, a partner at Wilson Sonsini. “He has handled high-stakes enforcement as a federal prosecutor, shaped national policy at the White House, and led the execution of major biotech transactions. Alex has a knack for seeing the big picture and translating it into actionable strategies that boards and executives can rely on.”
Nguyen joins from UNITY Biotechnology, a clinical-stage company developing therapies for diseases of aging. As chief legal officer and head of operations, he led financings, strategic partnerships, licensing deals, and corporate governance initiatives, while overseeing enterprise operations across clinical programs, IT, HR, and intellectual property. He also built integrated compliance and risk frameworks covering SEC and FDA requirements, cybersecurity, and operational risk—creating the infrastructure to support innovation without compromising corporate governance objectives.
Earlier, Nguyen held senior roles across Roivant Sciences, advising on legal strategy, acquisitions, and corporate governance matters across multiple ventures. He was a partner at Edelson PC, leading high-profile technology and data-privacy litigation, and served as a federal prosecutor and deputy chief in the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in Alexandria, Virginia, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, directing cybercrime, corporate fraud, and regulatory enforcement investigations and prosecutions.
Nguyen also served as assistant counsel at the White House, guiding ethics, data governance, cybersecurity, and technology policy initiatives across federal agencies. He began his legal career at Kirkland & Ellis and holds a B.A. from Harvard University and a J.D. from Yale Law School.
“Joining the GCIR program is energizing,” said Nguyen. “From the courtroom to the White House to biotech boards, I’ve learned that risk and opportunity are always intertwined. I look forward to helping the firm’s clients navigate that balance, make bold and disciplined decisions, and build teams and organizations that thrive long term.”
With Nguyen’s addition, the GCIR program strengthens its bench of leaders with experience at the highest levels of business and government, now totaling six current and former participants, providing clients with practical, seasoned guidance on growth, strategy, and risk.
About Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati
For more than 60 years, Wilson Sonsini’s services and legal disciplines have focused on serving the principal challenges faced by the management and boards of directors of business enterprises. The firm is nationally recognized as a leading provider to growing and established clients seeking legal counsel to complete sophisticated corporate and technology transactions; manage governance and enterprise-scale matters; assist with intellectual property development, protection, and IP-driven transactions; represent them in contested disputes; and/or advise them on antitrust or other regulatory matters. With deep roots in Silicon Valley, Wilson Sonsini has more than 1,000 attorneys and 17 offices in 16 technology, business, and regulatory markets across the United States, Asia, and Europe. For more information, please visit www.wsgr.com.