Mark Solakian joined Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati in February 2016 as a founding partner of the firm's Boston office. Mark has more than 20 years of experience working with private and public companies, both as external and in-house general counsel focused on advising early- and late-stage life sciences companies. He has an extensive background in venture capital financings, technology transactions, strategic alliances, corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions, and public and private equity and debt offerings.

Mark is a trusted advisor to the C-suite executives and boards of directors of the companies that he represents, providing advice across a full range of business and legal issues. His substantial in-house operational experience and familiarity with the business issues associated with growing private and public companies provide a unique perspective and enable him to deliver practical advice and efficient solutions for his clients.

From 2011 through 2015, Mark was senior vice president, general counsel, and corporate secretary at Joule Global Holdings B.V., an international biofuels company focused on cyanobacteria and cellulosic-based production of ethanol, diesel, and jet fuels. In this role, Mark oversaw all legal affairs, including building a formal legal department, completing multiple rounds of equity and venture debt financings, negotiating strategic partnerships, and implementing a corporate "inversion" restructuring in the Netherlands. In addition, he was responsible for general employment law matters, compensation and equity award planning, and directing the company's stock administration function. Mark served as a member of Joule's executive committee and, beginning in 2014, was responsible for several business functions, including the company's finance operations, human resources, and government affairs.

Prior to Joule, Mark was senior vice president, general counsel, and corporate secretary at Helicos Biosciences, Inc.—a publicly held life sciences company focused on single-molecule sequencing technology—from 2007 to 2011. At Helicos, he was the first in-house business lawyer responsible for establishing and managing the legal department and was the lead attorney on multiple financings, M&A initiatives, and corporate restructurings. He also oversaw all legal aspects of the company's successful IPO and its subsequent senior secured debt facilities, as well as a series of private investments in public equity and registered direct financings.

Before joining Helicos, Mark was vice president, chief corporate counsel, and assistant secretary at Affymetrix from 2000 to 2007, where he managed all corporate legal affairs, including corporate governance and SEC regulatory matters, M&A activities, business development and licensing transactions, and stock incentive programs. Earlier in his career, Mark was a corporate attorney at Goodwin Procter LLP in Boston, where his practice focused on securities law, corporate governance, equity and debt financings, and mergers and acquisitions.