With a diverse background in consumer research, survey methodology, aerospace engineering, business administration, and the liberal arts, William is regularly asked by his clients to handle a wide array of trademark and copyright matters, including filing and prosecuting new trademark and copyright applications, advising on proper use, clearing new marks and branding efforts, counseling on infringement and enforcement, conducting ex parte and inter partes proceedings before the US Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB), coordinating foreign prosecution, and representing clients in federal district and appellate courts.

William’s particular perspectives and skills also allow him to help clients with a range of trademark- and copyright-adjacent matters that usually fall outside the scope of a traditional practice. These have included investigations into historical brand use, national governing body status under the Amateur Sports Act, naming disputes before the US Board on Geographic Names, nominations for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places, and anonymous trademark acquisitions.

By education and experience, William is also a qualified survey researcher, having helped draft or analyze more than 30 litigation studies. In addition, William is an accomplished writer and is the principal author of more than 25 briefs submitted to federal appellate courts, as well as of multiple filings made on behalf of clients at the US Supreme Court. As a result of this breadth of practice, William has acquired substantive experience in a variety of brand-driven industries, including alcoholic beverages, restaurant services, radio broadcasting, Internet commerce, amateur and Olympic sports, children’s toys, the performing arts, online dating, and televised shopping.

William dedicates a portion of his practice to pro bono matters, with a particular focus on legal matters that concern children and veterans with disabilities.

Some of William’s recent cases have included going to court to protect the name of a client’s famous vineyard from infringement, securing a rare reconsideration of a geographic naming decision by the US Board of Geographic Names, successfully challenging the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) in federal court to reverse their denial of a trademark registration, and authoring multiple amicus briefs for consideration by the US Supreme Court regarding the “parody” standard for copyrights.

Bar Admissions

Education
JD, University of Virginia School of Law, 1995

MA, Survey Research & Methodology, University of Connecticut, 2020

BA, Political Science, University of Southern California, 1992

BS, Aerospace Engineering, University of Southern California, 1992