Scholarships Support Students’ Innovation and Entrepreneurship Opportunities at UC Law SF
Winnie Hoh ’27, left, and Shwetha Karthik ’27 say donor-funded scholarships have encouraged them to pursue their passions in startup and technology law.
- Two donor-funded endowed scholarships recognize and support talented students interested in entrepreneurship.
- Recipients credit the scholarship awards with boosting confidence, expanding opportunities, and shaping their career paths.
- Through the Startup Legal Garage, students collaborate with attorney mentors to advise startups on intellectual property, corporate, and business law issues.
At UC Law San Francisco — located in the heart of the world’s AI and tech innovation hub — many students arrive with aspirations of using their legal training to support the next generation of groundbreaking companies and innovations.
To help make those dreams possible, donors have established two endowed scholarships for students interested in innovation and entrepreneurship.
This year’s recipients of the Ralph & Teresa Yanello Scholarship and the Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati Startup Legal Garage Scholarship have backgrounds in science and technology – and educational and career goals that are bolstered by UC Law SF’s connections to the Bay Area innovation ecosystem.
Ralph & Teresa Yanello Scholarship
2025 Recipient: Winnie Hoh ’27
Winnie Hoh ’27 is the inaugural recipient of the Ralph & Teresa Yanello Scholarship, which supports outstanding students with a demonstrated focus on entrepreneurship.
Hoh is a first-generation college student whose interest in tech and entrepreneurship was sparked as an undergraduate at UC Irvine, where she co-designed a blood-pressure monitoring device for patients recovering from traumatic brain injuries. She then spent more than four years as a scientist conducting analytical research for a medical technology company.
She’s currently enrolled in the patent module of UC Law SF’s award-winning Startup Legal Garage (SLG). The nationally recognized program pairs law students with attorney mentors to provide free, high-quality legal services to early-stage companies, helping them navigate key stages of growth. So far, students have helped more than 550 startups.
Hoh said through SLG she is deepening her understanding of intellectual property law and developing skills to make a meaningful impact in the field.
“This scholarship is an incredible encouragement,” Hoh said. “It allows me to focus on my studies, explore clinics and externships, and continue building my community here.”
She added that the award has boosted her confidence and inspired her to embrace new opportunities.
The scholarship was established by Teresa and Ralph Yanello ’72, who co-founded the Yanello & Flippen Law Offices with his late classmate Tom Flippen ’72.
“I thank UC Law SF’s donors for investing in future attorneys who are committed to both excellence and service,” she said. “Their support builds pathways and inspires us to give back and do the same for future first-gens.”
Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati Startup Legal Garage Scholarship
2025 Recipient: Shwetha Karthik ’27
Growing up in the Bay Area, Shwetha Karthik ’27 was surrounded by people working at the cutting edge of technology. She entered law school having long dreamed of a career centered around innovation.
Karthik said UC Law SF’s welcoming and collaborative community has made law school a deeply rewarding experience. “I’ve found incredibly supportive peers and professors that have encouraged me to pursue my goals,” she said.
Next summer, Karthik will work as a summer associate with a global law firm and its client, a major technology company in Silicon Valley. She plans to join SLG in the 2026–27 academic year to work directly with startups navigating complex legal challenges.
Gifts from members of the firm created the Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati Startup Legal Garage Scholarship, which attracts and supports students eager to participate in SLG and gain experience advising early-stage companies.
“I’m grateful to SLG’s donors for making this program and funding available,” Karthik said. “In today’s heavily regulated world, some of the best ideas aren’t realized due to legal and financial constraints. I’m so excited to work with SLG to facilitate the innovations of tomorrow.”