Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati Expands Corporate Practice

PALO ALTO, Calif., June 22, 2015  /PRNewswire/ -- Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, the premier provider of legal services to technology, life sciences, and growth enterprises worldwide, today announced that Lydia I. Beebe, who served as corporate secretary and chief governance officer of Chevron Corporation for 20 years and was the first woman officer at the company, has joined the firm as Senior Of Counsel. She will be based in the firm's San Francisco office.

"Lydia's 20 years of experience guiding one of the country's largest and most powerful companies is an extraordinary asset for our clients, particularly now that governance and board matters are of critical, strategic importance," said Doug Clark, co-managing partner, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati. "The companies we represent are sophisticated, global organizations, and Lydia's background will be invaluable to them. She is joining an already formidable and proven team, and we're delighted to welcome her to the firm."

In her role as corporate secretary and chief governance officer, Beebe advised the board of directors and senior management on corporate governance matters and managed Chevron's corporate governance function. In addition, she directed stockholder services for Chevron and its subsidiaries and served as secretary to Chevron's board, its executive committee, and its board nominating and governance committee.

"Boards and management teams depend on legal counsel that is both practical as to ongoing governance and shareholder matters, and strategic as to broader business objectives," said Beebe. "In my prior role, I enjoyed the challenge of building a governance infrastructure supported by sound best practices and clear guidance. Now, I look forward to applying my experience to help clients who work with the trusted, respected team at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati."

Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati's corporate law and governance team includes several former senior officials at major regulatory agencies and judiciaries in the areas of governance, compliance, and corporate best practices. The firm's corporate practice has received national recognition, consistently ranking among the top 25 in Corporate Board Member's America's Best Corporate Law Firms study, which is based on surveys of U.S. corporate directors and general counsel of publicly traded companies. In 2014, the firm was also named the winner in the Capital Markets and Corporate Governance categories and a finalist overall in The Recorder's inaugural "Corporate Practices of the Year" awards.

Before becoming Chevron's top governance officer in 1995, Beebe was a senior manager and tax counsel in the company's tax department from 1985 to 1995, and a legislative representative for the company in Washington, D.C., from 1981 to 1985. She began her legal career at Chevron as a contracts attorney in 1977.

Beebe has also taken on leadership roles in the community, serving on numerous boards of directors, including those for The National Judicial College, to which she was appointed by the American Bar Association; the Presidio Trust, to which she was appointed by President George W. Bush; and the California Fair Employment and Housing Commission, to which she was appointed by Former Governor Pete Wilson and for which she was recognized as a Civil Rights Hero by the State of California. She currently serves as an advisory board member of the Arthur and Toni Rembe Rock Center for Corporate Governance at Stanford University and the John L. Weinberg Center for Corporate Governance at the University of Delaware, as well as on the governing boards of the Kansas University Endowment Association, Kansas University Law Alumni, and the San Francisco Symphony.

Beebe earned an M.B.A-taxation degree from Golden Gate University in 1980. She received her J.D. from the University of Kansas School of Law in 1977 and a B.A. in journalism from the University of Kansas in 1974.

About Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati
For more than 50 years, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati has offered a broad range of services and legal disciplines focused on serving the principal challenges faced by the management and boards of directors of business enterprises. The firm is nationally recognized as a leader in the fields of corporate governance and finance, mergers and acquisitions, private equity, securities litigation, employment law, intellectual property, and antitrust, among many other areas of law. With deep roots in Silicon Valley, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati has offices in Austin; Beijing; Brussels; Hong Kong; Los Angeles; New York; Palo Alto; San Diego; San Francisco; Seattle; Shanghai; Washington, D.C.; and Wilmington, DE. For more information, please visit www.wsgr.com.

Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20040225/SFWSGRLOGO 

SOURCE Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati

Related Links

http://www.wsgr.com