USD Law Board of Visitors Member Matthew Bresnahan ’07 (JD) Named Co-Chair of Goodwin’s San Diego Office

University of San Diego (USD) School of Law proudly recognizes Board of Visitors member Matthew Bresnahan ’07 (JD) on being named co-chair of Goodwin Procter LLP’s San Diego office and joining the firm as a partner in its Life Sciences group.

In his new role, Bresnahan will co-lead the San Diego office and contribute to Goodwin’s continued expansion across California’s life sciences market. Reflecting on the appointment, he said, “Developing and implementing intellectual property (IP) strategies that protect clients’ innovations and position them for long-term growth and success has been the focus of my practice for the past two decades, and Goodwin provides an outstanding opportunity to continue that work.”

Mitchell Bloom, partner and chair of Goodwin’s Life Sciences practice, stated, “Matt’s arrival strengthens our California platform and reflects our commitment to building the leading life sciences practice globally. We are very pleased to welcome him to Goodwin.”

Bresnahan advises biotechnology, therapeutics, and medical device companies on IP strategies throughout the corporate life cycle, from freedom-to-operate analyses to strategic licensing and collaboration agreements. He also serves as primary outside IP counsel to more than 50 life sciences organizations and has helped them leverage patent portfolios to drive business growth. 

For his work, Bresnahan has been recognized in IAM Patent 1000: The World’s Leading Patent Professionals (2019-2026), Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business (2022-2026), and the San Diego Business Journal’s Leaders of Influence in Life Sciences (2025).

Goodwin’s Expanding California Legal Footprint

Bresnahan’s appointment comes as Goodwin continues to strategically expand its presence across key California legal markets, bolstering its industry-first strategy across healthcare, life sciences, technology, private equity, and complex litigation on the West Coast.

Goodwin’s major California legal markets and offices include:

• San Diego: Serves as a premier hub for biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and medical devices, co-led by Bresnahan to deliver full-lifecycle IP and commercial guidance.

• Orange County (Newport Beach): Establishing a presence in one of Southern California's most dynamic business and tech corridors, Goodwin's Newport Beach office focuses on high-stakes cybersecurity, privacy, technology disputes, trade secrets, and consumer financial services litigation.

• Los Angeles: Situated in Downtown LA, offering deep expertise in private equity, real estate capital markets, commercial litigation, and corporate transactions.

• Santa Monica: Located in the heart of "Silicon Beach," the Santa Monica office serves fast-growing technology companies, digital media ventures, private equity funds, and venture capitalists across Southern California.

• Silicon Valley & San Francisco: Anchoring the Northern California innovation ecosystem in Redwood City and San Francisco, advising tech and life sciences pioneers from venture funding through IPOs and major litigation.

To learn more about the firm's U.S. and international locations, visit Goodwin's locations website.

Academic and Community Leadership

At USD Law, Bresnahan serves on the Board of Visitors and previously taught patent law as an adjunct professor. While a partner at Wilson Sonsini, he was instrumental in establishing the Wilson Sonsini Expanding Opportunities in Life Sciences Law Scholarship, which supports USD Law students interested in pursuing life sciences law. As a student, he was an editor of the San Diego International Law Journal.

Read Goodwin’s announcement here.