William Abrams

Background

About William Abrams

I advise businesses, institutions, and individuals regarding IP (trade secrets, patents, content, trademarks), technology, contract, fraud, defamation, and other commercial matters, and am lead counsel in trials, appeals, and arbitrations throughout the US and abroad. Representative clients have included Google, Stanford University, Hewlett-Packard, Uber, the City of Seattle, and SK Hynix. I also am engaged by U.S. and international companies, educational institutions, non-profits, and individuals to conduct investigations, evaluate risk, advise on best employment, competition, IP practices, and draft and revise business policies and practices. Chambers USA has reported comments by peers and clients that include “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 "William Abrams has a wealth of experience in IP trials, appeals and arbitrations arising from issues such as trade secrets, licensing, patent infringement and trademarks. A client says:'He's always really responsive and knows what he's talking about. I think he's a leading IP expert and it really shows.'" I am also recognized by The Best Lawyers in America (Technology Lawyer of the Year/Seattle 2019), The Legal 500, Intellectual Asset Magazine, and as a Top 100 Lawyer and Top 75 IP Lawyer by The Daily Journal. I mediated IP cases for the US District Court Northern District of California ADR program when my office was in the Bay Area. A large part of my practice is providing pro bono counsel in Constitutional and civil rights matters, including death penalty, education, foster care, immigration, privacy, wrongful conviction, gun regulation, and prison condition cases. Examples include representing the City of Seattle in defeating the NRA's challenge to the City's tax on gun sales; capital cases in Alabama and Texas; First Amendment and U.S. and state Constitutional cases; and special education and education access cases. I have taught courses at Stanford University as a Consulting and Adjunct Professor on capital punishment, public policy, technology, children and the law, film and the law, and courage, and frequently lecture to Stanford Alumni groups in the US, Europe and Asia. Representative cases and related judicial opinions are listed in the document below.