Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt

Bill Abrams protects his clients’ intellectual property by providing advice on strategy, management, and risk in litigation as a first-chair trial and appellate lawyer.

Bill represents an array of companies, including public and private, start-ups and emerging, and individuals across the technology industry, bringing extensive experience to meet his clients’ needs. In addition, he has represented companies in confidential arbitrations and provided advice on IP management and strategies to businesses and institutions on a confidential basis.

Bill’s extraordinary commitment to public service is evident through his large portfolio of pro bono cases. These have involved representation of death row inmates, and cases involving wrongful convictions, special education, foster care, First Amendment issues, privacy, prison conditions, affirmative action, asylum, adoption, immigration, and civil rights.

Bill graduated from Santa Clara School of Law and received his bachelor’s degree with honors from Stanford University. He is also a member of the Stanford faculty, where he has taught courses since 1996.

Testimonials

Chambers has reported comments by peers and clients describing Bill as “frankly brilliant at what he does; he finds the fight his client can fight, and performs very well,” “a courageous litigator who understands both the broader picture and the social context surrounding issues,” and having “a wealth of experience in IP trials, appeals and arbitrations arising from issues such as trade secrets, licensing, patent infringement and trademarks.

IAM in it's Patent 1000 list commented, "William Abrams is a seasoned trial and appellate lawyer who has successfully quarterbacked many notable litigation campaigns. This has given him an acute understanding of IP risk, which he parlays into a superb counselling practice."

Bar Admissions

• Washington State Courts
• California State Courts
• United States District Courts
• 8^th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals
• 9^th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals
• 11^th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
• United States Supreme Court

Education

• Stanford University, BA in American Studies with Honors
• Santa Clara University School of Law, Juris Doctor degree

Significant Accomplishments

• Lead counsel in over 100 federal and state trade secret, patent, competition, and other intellectual property cases since 2000.