Alan Mendelson, a legal giant in the life sciences industry who helped build biotech behemoth Amgen Inc. and practiced law for nearly a half-century at Latham & Watkins and Cooley, died unexpectedly Oct. 8 in San Francisco. He was 73. 

Shortly before his death, Mendelson was at his regular seat between home plate and third base at Oracle Park, rooting for his San Francisco Giants to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers, according to Wendye Robbins, president and CEO of Blade Therapeutics Inc. Mendelson joined the biopharma company earlier this year as general counsel and secretary.