Temnee Wright (’08) has realized a successful career as legal counsel at several Silicon Valley companies. Her interest in law was forged at UC Merced, where she made the most out of being a student in the university’s first undergraduate class.
Wright is the senior commercial counsel for San Jose-based Astera Labs, a semiconductor company that develops connectivity solutions for AI and cloud infrastructures. She negotiates details of and drafts documents for things like software licenses, vendor contracts, real estate leases and strategic partnerships.
She provides legal support and advice on existing contracts to colleagues in areas such as sales, procurement and engineering. Wright also works to stay abreast of the changing landscape in data privacy, along with contract and employment law.
Wright said she chose UC Merced in part for the opportunity to make her mark on the new campus. The university also was an easy drive from the family home in San Jose. She followed through on the former, founding the Merced Pre-law Society and serving as a founding officer of the African American Student Association.
“In high school I enjoyed being in clubs — doing activities and planning things. My counselor thought UC Merced would be a great opportunity for that,” Wright said. “And she was right.”
Broad swaths of the campus remained under construction when Wright and 875 fellow Bobcats gathered for UC Merced’s first undergraduate courses in 2005. She initially majored in psychology, but an elective course about the Supreme Court during her second year hooked her on political science.
“I was like, ‘I want to do this instead,’” she said. The creation of the Pre-Law Society soon followed. She and other club members lined up volunteer events and internships. They took a field trip to UC Hastings College of the Law.
“It was great,” she said of the club. “UC Merced was very supportive.” Several members of the club went on to pursue careers in legal fields, Wright said.
Wright graduated in three and half years, getting her political science bachelor’s degree in fall 2008. The good news: She could focus on starting work on a law degree at UC Hastings. The “oops” news: She didn’t walk the stage in the spring 2009 ceremony where First Lady Michelle Obama was the keynote speaker.
“It was fine, though, because I was very focused on starting law school,” Wright said. “I went to the spring ceremony with friends and it was really fun.”
At UC Hastings (since renamed UC San Francisco College of the Law), she received a Doctor of Law degree in 2013. She was a member of the Black Law Students Association and of the Pro Bono Society, providing more than 100 hours of pro bono services.
Initially, she saw her legal future behind a bench as a judge. Then an internship in the legal department of a tech company sparked her interest in Silicon Valley culture. Her first professional job was as a contracts manager with Intermedia Cloud Communications in Sunnyvale.
Less than a year later, a contract management role in another company drew Wright into the surging, shifting world of tech startups. She developed a reputation helping new ventures cement partnerships and contracts, ensuring agreements were legally sound.
Over the years, two of her employers went public with stock offerings and one was bought by a larger company — watershed achievements for Silicon Valley startups. Wright said she built a reputation for guiding young companies to a desired level of growth. And Silicon Valley still operates like a small town; it’s who you know.
“I would interact with a lot of customers and different companies. People see your work,” she said. “Fortunately, I have many previous managers who speak highly of me.”
Wright said the people at UC Merced supported her desire to leave a legacy and make a difference.
“I feel like I was celebrated, appreciated,” she said. “Back then, they called us pioneers. I feel UC Merced still has that supportive, entrepreneurial spirit. I’m so happy to see it growing and flourishing.”
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