Sonya F. Erickson joined the firm in 2003 and is a member of Heller Ehrman’s Venture Law Group.

Experience

Ms. Erickson’s practice encompasses the representation of emerging growth companies, established technology businesses and venture capital funds.

Ms. Erickson has represented issuers and underwriters in numerous public offerings including IDEC Pharmaceuticals, SanDisk Corporation, HomeGrocer.com, Seattle Genetics, Inc., Xcyte Therapies, Inc., Celebrate Express, Inc., Goldman Sachs and Deutsche Bank Securities.  She also has substantial experience in venture capital and other private financing transactions and has worked on technology-based strategic partnerships, collaborations and mergers and acquisitions, including the sale of companies to Baxter International, Elbit, Ltd., Microsoft, 3M, Research in Motion (Blackberry), Siemens and most recently the sale of Qpass, Inc. to Amdocs Limited in May 2006, the merger of Ikaria with INO Therapeutics, Inc. in March, 2007, and the sale of IllumiGen BioSciences, Inc. to Cubist Pharmaceuticals in December 2007.

In addition, Ms. Erickson is corporate counsel for numerous private and public companies including Alder Biopharmaceuticals, Inc., Archus Orthopedics, Inc., Celebrate Express, Inc. (BDAY), EndoGastric Solutions, Inc., Free & Clear, Inc., MedManage Systems, Inc., Seattle Genetics, Inc. (SGEN), Varolii Corporation, and Zumobi, Inc..

Ms. Erickson has represented these and numerous other clients from incorporation through initial public offering, merger and beyond. She regularly advises boards of directors and audit committees with respect to the requirements of Sarbanes-Oxley and the development and implementation of best practices in corporate governance.

Prior to joining Heller Ehrman, Ms. Erickson was a director, and one of the founding members of the Kirkland, WA office of Venture Law Group. Ms. Erickson was also an associate at a large international law firm and in the Palo Alto office of a prominent technology firm.