William J. Schnoor Jr.

Bill Schnoor is a partner in and former co-chair of the firm’s Technology and Life Sciences groups. He works in all areas of corporate, securities and partnership laws, with a primary focus on advising high-growth technology and life sciences companies. He joined Goodwin in 2005, after a 21-year career with Testa, Hurwitz & Thibeault, LLP, and quickly became co-chair of Goodwin’s technology and life sciences practices. Under his leadership the Technology and Life Sciences group expanded successfully into northern California, becoming one of the top-ranked practices in that market. In 2018, Bill relocated to London to lead the expansion of Goodwin’s Technology and Life Sciences practices in the United Kingdom and across continental Europe. He rejoined the firm’s Boston office in July 2020 but continues to work actively with clients in the United Kingdom, across Europe and in Israel, as well as in the United States.

Bill represents start-ups and other private and public companies in a wide range of industries. He has worked with numerous companies from their initial financing through initial public offerings or acquisitions, and has advised numerous public companies and their boards of directors. Bill works with companies across a broad range of industries, including ecommerce and other internet-based businesses; security and other enterprise software; life sciences and medtech; healthcare information technology; and alternative energy and other clean technologies.

A significant portion of Bill practice has involved cross-border financings and acquisitions. He has represented numerous investment banks in connection with underwritten offerings and their activities as financial advisors to companies engaged in mergers and acquisitions. Bill has also represented numerous private equity clients in connection with their own fund-raising and internal organizational issues as well as in making portfolio investments and in connection with matters affecting their portfolio companies.

Outreach

Bill speaks frequently on financing, entrepreneurship and public offerings. He is widely recognized for his support of entrepreneurs, and has spoken on the topic at Harvard, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Yale. Bill is a key contributor to Goodwin's Founders Workbench, an online resource for start-ups, emerging companies and the entrepreneurial community. Bill is also on the Advisory Board to the Yale Entrepreneurial Institute; is a board member of MassChallenge Israel; and has participated as a judge in the Yale 50K, MIT $100K and MassChallenge Boston and Israel business plan competitions.

Bill was recognized for excellence in the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in the United Kingdom.

Bill has been selected for inclusion in Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, US News-Best Lawyers and in the Hall of Fame by The Legal 500 US (2022, 2023).