PROFILE

From 1973 to 2000, Bill was Vice President and Intellectual Property Counsel for PepsiCo, Inc., one of the preeminent marketing, advertising and brand-centric consumer goods companies in the world, including food, beverage, restaurant and sporting goods businesses, with primary responsibility for the protection and defense of all the company's valuable worldwide intellectual property.
After moving to Los Angeles, he was a law firm partner with two local firms for eight years and then for ten years, Senior Counsel at Steptoe & Johnson, a leading national and international law firm. His practice covered both transactional and litigation IP matters, providing proactive and practical solutions for clients in a wide range of consumer goods and services and entertainment properties, including apparel, travel, restaurants, fitness, security solutions, communications, music, movies, toys, and cartoon characters.

Bill was instrumental in establishing the International Trademark Association Mediation Program under the auspices of the Center for Public Resources and has been on its Panel of Neutrals since its inception over 25 years ago. He is the author/editor of "ADR in Trademark and Unfair Competition Disputes, a Practitioner's Guide" and has been a frequent speaker at bar and industry groups on mediation and ADR.
Bill has served as President of the International Trademark Association and was on its Board of Directors for some twenty years as well as serving as chair of numerous committees. He was a founding member of the Trademark Review Commission leading to the significant 1988 Trademark Law Revision Act, testifying before Congress in support of it. In 2007, he received the prestigious President's Award from INTA signifying exceptional service to the trademark community and impactful contributions to trademark law.
Bill has been very active within the ABA, especially in the franchise law area, serving on the Governing Committee of the Forum on Franchising and authoring numerous published materials as well as handling many speaking engagements at franchising and IP conferences and seminars.
Bill has been in Who's Who Legal - Trademarks each year since 2003.