On May 31, a group of attorneys and staff from the Boston and Waltham offices took on the Best Buddies Challenge, biking distances of up to 100 miles from Boston to Hyannis Port on Cape Cod. The ride raised funds for Best Buddies International, a nonprofit dedicated to enhancing the lives of people with intellectual disabilities. 

Like last year, WilmerHale was invited to join forces with a team from Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), where firm attorneys have many friends and business connections.

"SVB is an important player in the emerging company communities in the Northeast and on the West Coast," explains Partner Jason Kropp. "The company serves and invests in many of our clients, and we see SVB representatives out in the marketplace all the time."

Along with Kropp and representatives from SVB, the team included WilmerHale Partners Mick Bain and Jay Bothwick; Special Counsel Bob Fitzpatrick; Counsel John Hobgood; Associates Iza Ryland and Stephen Wheeler; Operations Director Steve Rosenthal; and former Partner Mitch Appelbaum, now senior vice president at firm client State Street. The SVB team, which also included representatives from Terrible Labs and firm client Atlas Venture, raised more than $100,000-breaking its previous fundraising record.

"We enjoy participating in this event, supporting Best Buddies International, and getting an opportunity to spend time with clients and industry contacts," says Kropp.

(From left: (front row) Jay Bothwick, Iza Ryland and Mitch Appelbaum; and (back row) Steve Rosenthal, John Hobgood, Mick Bain, Jason Kropp and Steve Wheeler.)