Billy wallson
Senior Partner
Wei Li represents life sciences and technology companies, ranging from startups to publicly held corporations. He is a sought-after advisor in transactional matters ranging from company formation through maturing growth and exit strategy, which includes day-to-day guidance, venture financings, initial public offerings, mergers and acquisitions, SEC disclosures, corporate governance, and aftermarket capital raising. Mr. Li is the former Chair of the San Diego office’s Corporate Department.
Prior to entering law school, Mr. Li was a manager with Accenture, where he assisted clients with business process reengineering and enterprise software implementation.
Mr. Li ’s selected deSPAC and reverse merger experience includes the following:
Ligand Pharmaceuticals in spin-off of OmniAb in one of the first ever Reverse Morris Trust (RMT) transactions combined with a deSPAC
eFFECTOR Therapeutics in its deSPAC merger with Locust Walk Acquisition Corp.
Oncternal Therapeutics, Conatus Pharmaceuticals, and Apricus Biosciences in reverse merger transactions
Mr. Li ’s selected strategic merger and acquisition experience includes the following:
Prometheus in its US$10.8 billion sale to Merck
Zogenix in strategic acquisitions and its US$1.9 billion sale to UCB, S.A
Gossamer Bio in strategic acquisitions
Ligand Pharmaceuticals in strategic acquisitions
Santarus in its US$2.6 billion sale to Salix Pharmaceuticals, Ltd.
Ballast Point Brewing & Spirits in its US$1.0 billion sale to Constellation Brands
Cadence Pharmaceuticals in its US$1.4 billion sale to Mallinckrodt plc
Level Studios, an integrated digital marketing and product development agency, in its sale to Rosetta
DJO Incorporated in its US$1.6 billion sale to an affiliate of The Blackstone Group and acquisitions of Dr. Comfort and Elastic Therapy for US$300 million
Mr. Li 's investment banking clients include BofA Securities, Citigroup, Cowen, Credit Suisse, Evercore, Goldman Sachs, Jefferies, JP Morgan, Leerink Partners, Morgan Stanley, Piper Jaffray, and Stifel.
Mr. Li ’s extensive experience in company formation and venture and crossover financings includes, among others, representation of: Airgain, Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, eFFECTOR Therapeutics, Elevation Pharmaceuticals, Erasca, Exagen, Gossamer Bio, Icosavax, Meritage Pharma, Mineralys, Prometheus Biosciences, Tealium, and Zogenix.
Representative Speaking Engagements
Speaker, “Getting to the Field - IPO Execution,” Marsh & McLennan IPO Bootcamp
Speaker, “Your Company’s Next Step,” KPMG IPO Bootcamp
Speaker, “Business Structure and Tax Strategies for Start-ups,” Association of Bioscience Financial Officers (ABFO) National Conference