WSGives

Our Volunteer of the Week is Taylore Williams from Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati’s Palo Alto office. Taylore is a corporate attorney representing clients in the life sciences, biotech, and medical device sectors in various licensing and commercial transactions. She has actively contributed to the success of the firm's pro bono initiatives by participating in clinics for Inland Counties Legal Services, East Bay Community Law Center, and Swords to Plowshares: Veteran Rights Organization. Recently, Taylore worked with high school students to develop and refine their business plan pitches at an event our Palo Alto office hosted in collaboration with the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE).   Here’s Taylore on why giving back is so important: Community service has been a significant part of my life for as long as I can remember. As a Virginia Tech alumnus, I embraced our motto, ‘UT Prosim,’ which means ‘That I may serve.’ In high school, I helped implement a program to support teen mothers in completing their education. In law school, I volunteered with the Actual Innocence Clinic and helped raise funds for student scholarships. As an attorney, it is essential for me to use my skills to continue serving the community. For me, serving others and bettering the community is my life's purpose.   Congratulations, Taylore!

Recently, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati’s San Francisco office held a playhouse build project with Habitat for Humanity East Bay/Silicon Valley. Volunteers worked collaboratively to design, assemble, and decorate a farmhouse-themed playhouse, which was gifted to a local family with young children in the Oakland community. Team Wilson Sonsini included Theresa Buendia, Scarlett Corral, Claire Davidson, Tori Fong, Parris Greenwood, Hedvy Gregg, Alexander Halper, Tina Hanson, Steve Jarquin Alfaro, Nancy L., and Pamela Villarin. Habitat for Humanity East Bay/Silicon Valley believes that everyone deserves a decent place to live. The organization creates, preserves, and expands access to affordable housing to help provide families with the opportunity to transform their lives and gain the strength, stability, and self-reliance they need to build a better future.

This month, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati received the fantastic news that a pro bono client received a full pardon from the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole.   In 2007, C.B. entered into a plea bargain following some difficulties and proceedings she faced as a teenager. As she became an adult, C.B. did everything she could to move on productively, from paying restitution to turning her own life around and excelling in her field of chemical engineering. In 2023, she reached out to an old contact at Wilson Sonsini for guidance in navigating the daunting pardon process. C.B. was an excellent candidate for pardon and, after over a year of waiting for the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole to rule on her case, she finally received the answer she was hoping for.   The Wilson Sonsini pro bono team that represented and assisted C.B. in her petition for a pardon included Deno Himonas and Shelley Araos-Miller JD MPH. They are thrilled for C.B. as she enters this new chapter of her life.

In honor of #GivingTuesday, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati is proud to spotlight the local charitable organizations partnering with us for this year’s holiday giving programs: A Precious Child, La Casa de las Madres, Children's Law Center, Foundation Communities, Hillsides, HIP Housing, Horizons for Homeless Children, KidsOut, Mary's Place, Meals on Wheels Central Texas, Next Door Solutions to Domestic Violence, Office of the Child Advocate Delaware, Operation Help a Hero, Resto du Coeur, Sanctuary for Families, Sound Generations, and Utah Foster Care. Additionally, and with support from the Wilson Sonsini Foundation, we hosted a Thanksgiving campaign to aid local food banks and provide global humanitarian relief. The beneficiary organizations included Capital Area Food Bank, Central Texas Food Bank, City Harvest, Community Food Share, Feeding San Diego, Food Bank of Delaware, The Greater Boston Food Bank, Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, Rainier Valley Food Bank, San Francisco-Marin Food Bank, Second Harvest of Silicon Valley, Utah Food Bank, and World Central Kitchen. In total, with contributions from employees and the Foundation, over $170,000 was donated to local food banks to help ensure access to food for those in need. Wilson Sonsini is committed to supporting nonprofit organizations and individuals in need within the communities where we live and work. #wsgives

Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati’s Austin office recently participated in a successful lakeside clean-up event! Employees joined forces with Keep Austin Beautiful and the Austin Rowing Club to collect debris on land and in Lady Bird Lake to help keep their community spaces clean and inviting. Team Wilson Sonsini included Tiffany Carter, Abigail Doty, Michael Kamer, Varun Lella, and Alexandra Stebbins. Keep Austin Beautiful promotes continued education, growth, and learning about our environment, and is passionate about keeping the city clean, safe, and usable.

Last month, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati partnered with Women Defining AI for a morning session of open discussion, learning, and connection focused on AI, innovation, and leadership. Pro Bono Counsel Layan K. moderated a panel titled, "Navigating AI Legally: Transactions, Privacy & Startup Realities" with partner Barath Chari and associate Daniel Chen. The conversation explored how AI is transforming the legal landscape—influencing everything from intellectual property to privacy and cybersecurity compliance. Women Defining AI aims to promote tech equality by making AI training accessible to women.

We are proud to share that earlier this month, Khalil Nobles Sr. (CIPP/US), an associate in Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati’s New York office, received the 2025 Cornerstone Award from Lawyers Alliance for New York. The award honors individuals who provide outstanding pro bono legal services to nonprofits and community organizations, improving the lives of thousands of low-income New Yorkers. Khalil has been actively involved in the firm’s pro bono programs, delivering outstanding work and making significant contributions while taking on 13 matters for 12 clients during the last six years. He has worked with nonprofits on trademarks, copyrights, music licensing and clearance, waivers and release forms, and an asset transfer agreement. Congratulations, Khalil!

Last month, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati’s California offices collaborated with East Bay Community Law Center to host a virtual small business clinic. Team Wilson Sonsini included Roy Argand, Tori Fong, James J. Kim, Neel Raghav Ramesh, Ava Shelby, Jordin Wilcher, Taylore Williams, and Bu Yin. Additionally, Apoorva Gangapatnam from Lyft volunteered. In total, the teams assisted five small businesses during the clinic. East Bay Community Law Center’s mission is to advance justice and empower low-income communities through legal services, advocacy, and education. We are thankful for our partnership with East Bay Community Law Center and for every volunteer who helped make the clinic possible.

We are proud to spotlight our support of BYU Law School in its business clinic which gives law students invaluable hands-on experience helping start-ups navigate complex legal challenges. Utah has seen a surge of new ventures and early-stage companies in recent years, many led by student entrepreneurs seeking guidance on the legal challenges of launching and scaling a business. The BYU Law & Entrepreneurship Clinic, housed within BYU Law School, meets this need by offering free legal services to start-ups, nonprofits, and social ventures under the supervision of experienced faculty such as Professor Curt Anderson. To enhance this work, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati established a dedicated review mailbox staffed by attorneys, including many BYU Law alumni, who provide real-time feedback on student work. Their thoughtful reviews, redlines, and resources help students refine their transactional skills and deliver high-quality legal support to clients. This collaboration has strengthened the bond between BYU Law and Wilson Sonsini, creating powerful mentoring opportunities and preparing the next generation of legal leaders in innovation and entrepreneurship.

Last week, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati hosted a virtual Trauma-Informed Representation Overview training in partnership with Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto (CLSEPA). The training was led by Mariam H. Kelly, CLSEPA’s Director of Pro Bono, and Luke Liss, Wilson Sonsini Pro Bono Partner. Attended by nearly 100 participants, the training provided attorneys with essential knowledge and practical skills for representing trauma survivors in the pro bono context. A recording of this training is available on demand. CLSEPA's mission is to provide legal services that empower low-income communities and promote justice and equity.   We are grateful for our partnership with CLSEPA.