Most lawyers follow a straight line: undergraduate degree, law school, firm life. Charan Sandhu’s path looked different from the start, and that difference became her advantage.
She studied chemical engineering at UC Berkeley, graduating in 1993. She worked as an engineer at Geomatrix Consultants for two years, solving technical problems in the commercial and residential construction sector. Then she made a decision that seemed like a detour but turned out to be strategic foresight. She enrolled at Georgetown University Law Center and graduated with her J.D. in 1998.
Joining Weil When Technology Was Still Emerging
In 1998, Sandhu joined Weil, Gotshal & Manges as an associate in New York. The firm was known for corporate work and complex litigation, but technology transactions were still a developing practice area. The internet was gaining traction. Software licensing was becoming critical. Intellectual property was no longer just patents sitting in filing cabinets, it was the core of business value.
Sandhu saw what others were starting to realize: technology wasn’t a separate practice area anymore. It was embedded in every major transaction. M&A deals needed someone who understood licensing agreements. Private equity investments required someone who could evaluate IP portfolios. Joint ventures collapsed without proper technology transfer frameworks.
She built her practice around this insight. She worked on technology development agreements, licensing deals, joint ventures, strategic alliances, outsourcing arrangements, and settlements of IP litigation. Her client list spanned consumer electronics, software, semiconductors, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and medical devices. She didn’t specialize in one narrow slice. She became the lawyer companies called when technology was central to the deal.
Rising to Lead Without Following the Template
Partnership came, but Sandhu didn’t stop there. She became head of Weil’s Technology & IP Transactions practice, leading a team that advises some of the largest technology and life sciences companies in the world. She also joined the firm’s Privacy & Cybersecurity group, recognizing early that data protection would become inseparable from technology transactions.
Her approach stood out. Clients described her as someone who combined the resources of outside counsel with the insights of in-house legal teams. She anticipated issues instead of just responding to them. She understood that legal advice only matters if it fits into the broader business context. Negotiations didn’t stall under her guidance because she found solutions instead of just identifying problems.
In 2023, Managing Intellectual Property named her “Practitioner of the Year” for IP Transactions in the United States. In 2025, Euromoney named her “North America Technology Lawyer of the Year” at its Women in Business Law Americas awards. Chambers USA ranks her Band 1 for Technology in New York and Band 3 for Technology nationwide. Legal 500 US placed her in the Hall of Fame for Media, Technology, and Telecoms: Technology Transactions.
Deals That Shaped Industries
The transactions tell the story. Sandhu advised TPG Growth on a $300 million investment in MX Technologies. She guided Advent International through a $260 million investment in Thras.io. She worked on Eli Lilly’s acquisition of exclusive global rights to antibody-drug conjugates for targeted cancer treatment. She helped structure Age of Learning’s $300 million funding round and Zenoti’s investment that pushed its valuation past $1 billion.
These weren’t routine deals. They required someone who could negotiate across borders, balance competing interests, structure complex licensing arrangements, and protect IP portfolios while enabling technology transfer. Every deal needed someone who understood both the legal mechanics and the commercial imperatives.
Leading Beyond the Billable Hour
Sandhu’s impact extends past client work. She serves on Weil’s Pro Bono Committee and the Corporate Department Pro Bono Steering Committee. She’s done pro bono work for The Sikh Coalition, Start Small Think Big, and Kids in Need of Defense. In 2025, the South Asian Bar Association of North America gave her the “Pioneer Award” for professional excellence and service to the legal community. She’d already received the “Trailblazer Award” and “Corporate Leadership Award” from SABA’s New Jersey and New York chapters in 2023.
Her commitment to building a more inclusive legal profession shows up in her work with South Asian lawyers and her advocacy for equal access to justice. She understands that representation matters, not just in courtrooms but in boardrooms and negotiation tables.
Rewriting What’s Possible
Sandhu represents a generation of lawyers who bring technical expertise into corporate law and make it indispensable. She proved that an engineering background isn’t a detour, it’s preparation. She showed that technology transactions aren’t a niche practice, they’re the center of modern corporate law.
She didn’t wait for firms to create space for lawyers with unconventional backgrounds. She built that space herself and then opened doors for others to follow.
