Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, a provider of legal services to technology, life sciences, and growth enterprises worldwide, has appointed Robert (Rob) L Wernli, Jr a as a corporate partner in the firm’s San Diego office.
Wernli’s experience as a public company and capital markets attorney includes both advisory and transactional areas. He advises public companies on SEC reporting, listing exchange compliance matters, corporate governance, and other ongoing business matters. He also has substantial transactional experience representing clients in capital markets deals, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, and strategic alliances.
“Public companies and other clients often have uniquely complex needs and operational challenges that require sharp legal counsel and sophisticated transactional experience,” says Doug Clark, managing partner at Wilson Sonsini. “Rob is a skilled attorney who has an impressive combination of in-house and outside counsel expertise, which will benefit our public company clients and add to what is already a formidable team that is well known for completing all manner of transactions—from acquisitions and IPOs to collaborations and strategic alliances. We’re very pleased to welcome Rob to our firm.”
Previously, Wernli joined law firm Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton in its San Diego office in 2012 as a special counsel and became partner there in 2018. Prior to that, from 2009 to 2012, he was a vice president and senior corporate attorney for Bridgepoint Education, Inc. (now known as Zovio), an education technology services company previously based in San Diego. Before moving in-house at Bridgepoint, Wernli worked as an associate at Sheppard Mullin from 2004 to 2009. He started his legal career as an associate at Procopio, Cory, Hargreaves & Savitch LLP in San Diego, from 2002 to 2004. Wernli has also previously served on the Partnerships and LLCs Standing Committee of the State Bar of California.
Wernli earned his JD, magna cum laude, Order of the Coif, from the University of San Diego School of Law in 2002 and a BA degree in political science, cum laude, from the University of California, San Diego, in 1998. He is admitted to practice in California.
“Wilson Sonsini has an establish brand of building and advising successful companies, including scores of clients that became public companies or otherwise grew by way of acquisitions or other transactions,” says Wernli. “I thoroughly enjoy the challenge of working with interesting and innovative companies, and Wilson Sonsini has such an amazing and diverse range of both public and private company clients. I’ve also had the chance to work with the firm’s attorneys—as a client and in conjunction with prior deals—so I know they’re talented and collaborative, and I look forward to joining the firm and its great team in San Diego.”
