U.S. Expansion
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Comprehensive U.S. Expansion Representation
Our U.S. expansion team assists start-ups, scale-ups, and other high-growth companies throughout their U.S. lifecycle—including with U.S. launch, expansion, fundraising, partnerships, M&A, and IPO—and helps facilitate access to our global network of capital providers, corporates, and advisors.
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An Experienced U.S. Expansion Team
We have advised hundreds of non-U.S. start-up and growth-stage technology companies, including clients based in Canada, South and Central America, Australia, Greater Asia, the U.K., Israel, and much of the EMEA region.
When technology-driven companies decide to enter the U.S. market—whether to expand, raise investment capital, or pursue a key transaction—Wilson Sonsini offers those companies distinct advantages:
- Unmatched experience representing U.S. and non-U.S. growth companies
- Established connections to U.S. and non-U.S. investment sources
- Comprehensive U.S. corporate, commercial, IP, employment, regulatory, and litigation representation
The firm’s U.S. expansion team has advised hundreds of non-U.S. start-up and growth-stage technology companies, including clients based in Canada, South and Central America, Australia, Greater Asia, the U.K., Israel, and much of the EMEA region.
We also work closely with key local stakeholders in those regions—investors, accelerators, incubators, professional advisors, strategic partners, and government economic development agencies—to provide home market support on U.S. matters and ensure our clients have the right teams around them to succeed in the United States.
Unmatched Experience Representing U.S. and Non-U.S. Growth Companies
Not only does the firm have attorneys focused on advising companies expanding into the U.S., but our 60-plus years of experience representing growth-oriented enterprises have helped us become the premier legal service provider to U.S. technology, life sciences, and energy companies.
First, Wilson Sonsini is consistently ranked No. 1 for the number of company-side deals handled each year, according to LSEG. Second, the firm is consistently ranked by Bloomberg, Thomson Reuters, and CapitalIQ as a leading advisor to companies and underwriters based on the number of completed IPOs and other public offerings. And third, the firm was recently ranked among the top firms worldwide, based on the number of M&A deals, in the 2024 Global M&A Review published by LSEG.
In addition, we are consistently ranked as the nation's leading law firm representing venture-backed companies, counseling thousands of entrepreneurs starting new businesses and advising on initial formation, equity structures, investor negotiations, intellectual property rights, and other issues vital to their success.
Established Connections to U.S. and Non-U.S. Investment Sources
The firm has an established, ever-growing network of contacts in the most important investment communities for start-ups and growth companies. From angel investors and accelerators to investment banks and venture capital firms, we offer clients important connections to funding sources throughout the U.S. and in many key non-U.S. markets.
Comprehensive U.S. Corporate, Commercial, IP, Employment, Regulatory, and Litigation Representation
With more than 1000 attorneys and 17 offices in technology and business hubs worldwide, Wilson Sonsini has the capacity to meet the diverse U.S. needs of technology-driven companies based outside of the U.S., and sophisticated transactional practices to assist clients as they grow and evolve.
When our clients are ready to raise additional capital, our corporate finance attorneys help them complete equity, debt, and structured finance transactions. As our corporate clients expand, they rely on the firm's Finance, M&A, IP, Technology Transactions, Tax, and Real Estate practices, among others. Our attorneys have also handled numerous spin-off and going-private transactions on behalf of corporate clients.
In addition, Wilson Sonsini has experienced employment, executive compensation, and employee benefits attorneys to help our clients manage people, products, and processes, and retain and manage talented executives and staff.
Our Intellectual Property and Trade Secret practices protect the valuable, innovative products and business processes that form our clients’ foundation. As these ideas and innovations continue to develop, our attorneys are able to provide strategic patent and trademark counsel. We also help our clients manage their global IP portfolios, including patent and trademark filings and maintenance in U.S. and non-U.S. markets. Further, we advise companies on how to retain their IP rights and trade secrets as employees leave their organizations.
Wilson Sonsini frequently represents clients in scores of proceedings involving federal and state regulatory agencies, particularly the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC), and their state equivalents. We have successfully defended clients against claims of anti-competitive behavior, consumer fraud, privacy law violations, cybersecurity breaches, and securities law infractions. Further, as regulatory pressures have increased with respect to the exportation of goods to (and business conduct in) global markets, our attorneys, many of whom previously held positions with the SEC, Department of Justice, and other government agencies, are well-placed to assist clients facing government inquiries and/or investigations, including those related to export controls and economic sanctions, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) laws, and matters involving Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) and national security issues.
As companies grow, unfortunately, they often become involved in a proportionately larger number of business disputes. Our attorneys have successfully represented clients engaged in litigation with competitors, suppliers, service providers, employees, and other entities, with disputes ranging from private antitrust lawsuits to high-stakes patent litigation. We have also successfully defended companies in class actions, including antitrust, consumer, and securities litigation matters. In addition to representing companies in federal and state courts throughout the U.S., our attorneys represent corporate clients in arbitrations and mediations.
As our clients continue to expand in the U.S, we are well-positioned to provide support with respect to the following areas, among others:
- Early corporate organization
- Venture financing and private equity
- Corporate (M&A and public equity-IPO exit)
- Tax
- Intellectual property
- Technology transactions
- Employment and executive compensation/benefits matters
- Commercial contracts and partnerships
- Data privacy
- Regulatory (antitrust, privacy and data protection, exports, FCPA/CFIUS)
- Litigation
- Real estate
This interdisciplinary approach, along with the breadth and depth of our practice, allows us to serve as a strategic advisor through each stage of a company's growth.
When technology-driven companies decide to enter the U.S. market—whether to expand, raise investment capital, or pursue a key transaction—Wilson Sonsini offers those companies distinct advantages:
- Unmatched experience representing U.S. and non-U.S. growth companies
- Established connections to U.S. and non-U.S. investment sources
- Comprehensive U.S. corporate, commercial, IP, employment, regulatory, and litigation representation
The firm’s U.S. expansion team has advised hundreds of non-U.S. start-up and growth-stage technology companies, including clients based in Canada, South and Central America, Australia, Greater Asia, the U.K., Israel, and much of the EMEA region.
We also work closely with key local stakeholders in those regions—investors, accelerators, incubators, professional advisors, strategic partners, and government economic development agencies—to provide home market support on U.S. matters and ensure our clients have the right teams around them to succeed in the United States.
Unmatched Experience Representing U.S. and Non-U.S. Growth Companies
Not only does the firm have attorneys focused on advising companies expanding into the U.S., but our 60-plus years of experience representing growth-oriented enterprises have helped us become the premier legal service provider to U.S. technology, life sciences, and energy companies.
First, Wilson Sonsini is consistently ranked No. 1 for the number of company-side deals handled each year, according to LSEG. Second, the firm is consistently ranked by Bloomberg, Thomson Reuters, and CapitalIQ as a leading advisor to companies and underwriters based on the number of completed IPOs and other public offerings. And third, the firm was recently ranked among the top firms worldwide, based on the number of M&A deals, in the 2024 Global M&A Review published by LSEG.
In addition, we are consistently ranked as the nation's leading law firm representing venture-backed companies, counseling thousands of entrepreneurs starting new businesses and advising on initial formation, equity structures, investor negotiations, intellectual property rights, and other issues vital to their success.
Established Connections to U.S. and Non-U.S. Investment Sources
The firm has an established, ever-growing network of contacts in the most important investment communities for start-ups and growth companies. From angel investors and accelerators to investment banks and venture capital firms, we offer clients important connections to funding sources throughout the U.S. and in many key non-U.S. markets.
Comprehensive U.S. Corporate, Commercial, IP, Employment, Regulatory, and Litigation Representation
With more than 1000 attorneys and 17 offices in technology and business hubs worldwide, Wilson Sonsini has the capacity to meet the diverse U.S. needs of technology-driven companies based outside of the U.S., and sophisticated transactional practices to assist clients as they grow and evolve.
When our clients are ready to raise additional capital, our corporate finance attorneys help them complete equity, debt, and structured finance transactions. As our corporate clients expand, they rely on the firm's Finance, M&A, IP, Technology Transactions, Tax, and Real Estate practices, among others. Our attorneys have also handled numerous spin-off and going-private transactions on behalf of corporate clients.
In addition, Wilson Sonsini has experienced employment, executive compensation, and employee benefits attorneys to help our clients manage people, products, and processes, and retain and manage talented executives and staff.
Our Intellectual Property and Trade Secret practices protect the valuable, innovative products and business processes that form our clients’ foundation. As these ideas and innovations continue to develop, our attorneys are able to provide strategic patent and trademark counsel. We also help our clients manage their global IP portfolios, including patent and trademark filings and maintenance in U.S. and non-U.S. markets. Further, we advise companies on how to retain their IP rights and trade secrets as employees leave their organizations.
Wilson Sonsini frequently represents clients in scores of proceedings involving federal and state regulatory agencies, particularly the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC), and their state equivalents. We have successfully defended clients against claims of anti-competitive behavior, consumer fraud, privacy law violations, cybersecurity breaches, and securities law infractions. Further, as regulatory pressures have increased with respect to the exportation of goods to (and business conduct in) global markets, our attorneys, many of whom previously held positions with the SEC, Department of Justice, and other government agencies, are well-placed to assist clients facing government inquiries and/or investigations, including those related to export controls and economic sanctions, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) laws, and matters involving Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) and national security issues.
As companies grow, unfortunately, they often become involved in a proportionately larger number of business disputes. Our attorneys have successfully represented clients engaged in litigation with competitors, suppliers, service providers, employees, and other entities, with disputes ranging from private antitrust lawsuits to high-stakes patent litigation. We have also successfully defended companies in class actions, including antitrust, consumer, and securities litigation matters. In addition to representing companies in federal and state courts throughout the U.S., our attorneys represent corporate clients in arbitrations and mediations.
As our clients continue to expand in the U.S, we are well-positioned to provide support with respect to the following areas, among others:
- Early corporate organization
- Venture financing and private equity
- Corporate (M&A and public equity-IPO exit)
- Tax
- Intellectual property
- Technology transactions
- Employment and executive compensation/benefits matters
- Commercial contracts and partnerships
- Data privacy
- Regulatory (antitrust, privacy and data protection, exports, FCPA/CFIUS)
- Litigation
- Real estate
This interdisciplinary approach, along with the breadth and depth of our practice, allows us to serve as a strategic advisor through each stage of a company's growth.
Steve has represented non-U.S. and domestic companies in U.S. IPOs, global securities offerings, cross-border M&A, and SEC compliance for more than 25 years.
Brad brings significant expertise in cross-border transactions across a range of sectors, with a particular focus on emerging companies, venture capital, and fund formation.
Steve has represented non-U.S. and domestic companies in U.S. IPOs, global securities offerings, cross-border M&A, and SEC compliance for more than 25 years.
Brad brings significant expertise in cross-border transactions across a range of sectors, with a particular focus on emerging companies, venture capital, and fund formation.
Wilson Sonsini supports technology-driven companies from all over the world looking to expand to and scale in the United States.
Our comprehensive collection of short videos and articles offer helpful tips for technology companies seeking to enter the U.S. market or to raise capital from U.S. investors.
Use the below categories to view our extensive U.S. Expansion Resources and Library:
- Launching in the U.S.: Steps UK companies can take to best position themselves for launching their business in the U.S.
- Raising U.S. Funding: The dynamics of raising venture capital from U.S. investors, including when to consider raising capital, key differences between U.S. and UK funding rounds, the pros and cons of the “Delaware Flip,” and other fundraising topics.
- Exiting to the U.S.: Selling your business is a common path to liquidity, but the process is not always simple. Sales processes in the U.S. are often bespoke to fit the risks of the parties.
- Operating a U.S. Business: Important factors UK tech and life sciences companies should consider when operating and scaling their U.S. business. Examples include hiring and other employment matters; managing and minimizing litigation risks; negotiating commercial deals and partnering agreements; and other day-to-day business and legal issues.
For more about the U.S. expansion process, see our U.S. Expansion and Fundraising FAQs.
Wilson Sonsini supports technology-driven companies from all over the world looking to expand to and scale in the United States.
Our comprehensive collection of short videos and articles offer helpful tips for technology companies seeking to enter the U.S. market or to raise capital from U.S. investors.
Use the below categories to view our extensive U.S. Expansion Resources and Library:
- Launching in the U.S.: Steps UK companies can take to best position themselves for launching their business in the U.S.
- Raising U.S. Funding: The dynamics of raising venture capital from U.S. investors, including when to consider raising capital, key differences between U.S. and UK funding rounds, the pros and cons of the “Delaware Flip,” and other fundraising topics.
- Exiting to the U.S.: Selling your business is a common path to liquidity, but the process is not always simple. Sales processes in the U.S. are often bespoke to fit the risks of the parties.
- Operating a U.S. Business: Important factors UK tech and life sciences companies should consider when operating and scaling their U.S. business. Examples include hiring and other employment matters; managing and minimizing litigation risks; negotiating commercial deals and partnering agreements; and other day-to-day business and legal issues.
For more about the U.S. expansion process, see our U.S. Expansion and Fundraising FAQs.
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