William J. Barrow ("Bill") is a partner in Mayer Brown’s Washington DC office and a member of the Intellectual Property Group. Bill protects and defends clients’ intellectual property rights in district courts throughout the country, and before the US International Trade Commission (ITC) and US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Having begun his career prosecuting electrical and computer software patents, Bill is often sought out for his understanding of the interplay between litigation and USPTO procedure. His experience in this regard leads to the early identification of favorable case strategies and mechanisms for implementing those strategies in concert with his clients’ business goals. Clients rely on Bill not just to manage their matters, but as a trusted advisor to advance and protect their business interests before, during, and after litigation.
Bill’s litigation experience spans over ten years and countless industries, with a particular emphasis on consumer electronics, telecommunications, software, and automobiles. Bill has litigated cases from inception through trial, on the plaintiff and defendant side; has counseled foreign companies on navigating the US market; and advises smaller businesses on how to leverage and protect their intellectual property.
In 2018, Bill played a critical role in obtaining a $43.3 million verdict from ZTE USA on behalf of Maxell, Ltd., conducting direct and cross examinations of key technical witnesses at trial. Bill has also secured numerous early favorable settlements for clients in defensive patent litigations, leveraging his experience before the US Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) in the process.
Bill is frequently invited to speak and write on complex intellectual property issues, including IP valuation, licensing, and post grant proceedings before the PTAB. Bill is also active in a number of external organizations, devotes substantial time to advancing diversity and inclusion in the profession, and contributes regularly to firm initiatives:
- Bill has served in various leadership roles for the American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA). Presently, Bill is the Vice Chair of AIPLA’s Patent Litigation Committee.
- Bill is a former Chair of the Intellectual Property Section of the National Bar Association (NBA)—the nation’s oldest and largest national network of predominantly African-American attorneys and judges. Presently, Bill serves as a coordinator on the Commercial Law Section’s CLE Committee.
- In 2018, Mayer Brown selected Bill as its Fellow for the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD)—an organization of nearly 300 members, consisting of general counsel of major corporations and managing partners of the nation’s leading law firms, whose goal is to facilitate the development of diverse legal talent for positions of leadership. Presently, Bill serves as a DC City Lead for LCLD’s alumni programming, and the Success in 1L Mentoring Program.
- Bill is the Chair and founder of Mayer Brown Black Lawyers (DC), an affinity group Bill established to foster and promote the recruiting and retention of African-American attorneys in Mayer Brown’s Washington DC office.
- Bill is active in Mayer Brown’s pro bono program. In 2016, Bill helped secure the release of a client by convincing the US Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit that new case law should apply retroactively under Teague v. Lane.
- Bill serves on the Washington DC office’s Recruiting and Mentorship Committees, and previously served on the office’s Associates & Counsel Committee.
Since 2014, Bill has been recognized as a "Rising Star" in intellectual property by Super Lawyers Magazine. In his spare time, Bill enjoys cycling and running.