Partner Who Launched Goodwin's Hong Kong Office Returns to Wilson Sonsini in Calif.
Brian McDaniel, who spent the past decade in Hong Kong helping Goodwin Procter building out its Asia practice, has returned to the Bay Area.
June 04, 2019 at 01:46 PM
3 minute read
Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati.
In a move to expand its territory in the venture capital space, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati has hired back Brian McDaniel, who was most recently in Hong Kong, leading Goodwin Procter's growth efforts in Asia.
McDaniel returned to the Bay Area on Sunday. He has rejoined Wilson Sonsini's fund services and emerging companies practices as a partner in the Palo Alto office.
“My practice involves the formation of technology-oriented venture capital funds, and the Silicon Valley, Wilson in particular, is the center of that world,” said McDaniel. “For me, it was very easy and comfortable to come back to Wilson.”
McDaniel joined Goodwin Procter in 2007 and moved to Hong Kong, along with partner Yash Rana, in 2008 to help Goodwin launch its Asia office in the city, with a focus on private equity, venture capital, technology companies and fund formation.
According to a spokesperson for Goodwin, the firm now has 19 lawyers and paralegals working in the Hong Kong office. That includes life sciences partner Wendy Pan, who joined the firm last month from Sidley Austin.
McDaniel represents clients that are forming funds and investing in Asian companies, especially in China and India.
“Over the years, as the market has matured and venture capital really found its grounding in Asia—in China, and India, and elsewhere—it has become a much more local business,” he added. “For me, I was facing a decision about whether or not to go more local—relocate from Hong Kong to Shanghai or Beijing or Mumbai—or return to the United States.”
Ultimately, he decided to return to the United States largely because of the opportunity to rejoin Wilson Sonsini.
McDaniel is the second partner-level attorney to join Wilson Sonsini's funds services area in the last year, after James Jensen rejoined the firm in July.
McDaniel first joined Wilson Sonsini in 1998 as an associate in the firm's funds practice in the Palo Alto office. He practiced at the Silicon Valley firm for nine years. Before entering legal practice, McDaniel has worked with mission controllers at NASA's Johnson Space Center.
“Dating back to when he was an associate with our firm, Brian has successfully developed the relationships and experience needed to represent U.S. venture capital funds,” said Wilson Sonsini's managing partner Doug Clark, in a statement welcoming McDaniel. “It's even more impressive that he's expanded his experience to include representing cross-border funds in the U.S., China, India and Southeast Asia.”
In a statement regarding McDaniel's departure, Goodwin said, “We thank Brian for his many contributions to Goodwin and wish him all the best.”
Read More
Wilson Sonsini Grew Revenue, Profits as It Chased Startup Culture's Geographic Spread
Wilson Sonsini Tech Dealmaker Jumps to Covington in SF
Perkins Coie's China, Funds Leader Returns to Wilson Sonsini
This content has been archived. It is available through our partners, LexisNexis® and Bloomberg Law.
To view this content, please continue to their sites.
Not a Lexis Subscriber?
Subscribe Now
Not a Bloomberg Law Subscriber?
Subscribe Now
NOT FOR REPRINT
© 2025 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.
You Might Like
View All
Meta agrees to pay $25 million to settle lawsuit from Trump after Jan. 6 suspension
4 minute read
How We Won It: Latham Secures Back-to-Back ITC Patent Wins for California Companies
6 minute read
Trending Stories
Who Got The Work
J. Brugh Lower of Gibbons has entered an appearance for industrial equipment supplier Devco Corporation in a pending trademark infringement lawsuit. The suit, accusing the defendant of selling knock-off Graco products, was filed Dec. 18 in New Jersey District Court by Rivkin Radler on behalf of Graco Inc. and Graco Minnesota. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Zahid N. Quraishi, is 3:24-cv-11294, Graco Inc. et al v. Devco Corporation.
Who Got The Work
Rebecca Maller-Stein and Kent A. Yalowitz of Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer have entered their appearances for Hanaco Venture Capital and its executives, Lior Prosor and David Frankel, in a pending securities lawsuit. The action, filed on Dec. 24 in New York Southern District Court by Zell, Aron & Co. on behalf of Goldeneye Advisors, accuses the defendants of negligently and fraudulently managing the plaintiff's $1 million investment. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Vernon S. Broderick, is 1:24-cv-09918, Goldeneye Advisors, LLC v. Hanaco Venture Capital, Ltd. et al.
Who Got The Work
Attorneys from A&O Shearman has stepped in as defense counsel for Toronto-Dominion Bank and other defendants in a pending securities class action. The suit, filed Dec. 11 in New York Southern District Court by Bleichmar Fonti & Auld, accuses the defendants of concealing the bank's 'pervasive' deficiencies in regards to its compliance with the Bank Secrecy Act and the quality of its anti-money laundering controls. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian, is 1:24-cv-09445, Gonzalez v. The Toronto-Dominion Bank et al.
Who Got The Work
Crown Castle International, a Pennsylvania company providing shared communications infrastructure, has turned to Luke D. Wolf of Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani to fend off a pending breach-of-contract lawsuit. The court action, filed Nov. 25 in Michigan Eastern District Court by Hooper Hathaway PC on behalf of The Town Residences LLC, accuses Crown Castle of failing to transfer approximately $30,000 in utility payments from T-Mobile in breach of a roof-top lease and assignment agreement. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Susan K. Declercq, is 2:24-cv-13131, The Town Residences LLC v. T-Mobile US, Inc. et al.
Who Got The Work
Wilfred P. Coronato and Daniel M. Schwartz of McCarter & English have stepped in as defense counsel to Electrolux Home Products Inc. in a pending product liability lawsuit. The court action, filed Nov. 26 in New York Eastern District Court by Poulos Lopiccolo PC and Nagel Rice LLP on behalf of David Stern, alleges that the defendant's refrigerators’ drawers and shelving repeatedly break and fall apart within months after purchase. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Joan M. Azrack, is 2:24-cv-08204, Stern v. Electrolux Home Products, Inc.
Featured Firms
Law Offices of Gary Martin Hays & Associates, P.C.
(470) 294-1674
Law Offices of Mark E. Salomone
(857) 444-6468
Smith & Hassler
(713) 739-1250
