Bill Coats, a trial lawyer specializing in intellectual property cases, focuses on matters involving patents, copyrights, trademarks and trade secret disputes for the software, computer, consumer electronics and movie industries.  Mr. Coats serves as Executive Partner in charge of the firm’s Silicon Valley office.

Mr. Coats represents leading business, computer, and entertainment hardware and software companies in complex intellectual property matters. His clients include: Pioneer Corporation; Toshiba; HTC; DVD Copy Control Association; Aztech Systems, Ltd.; Avid Technology; In-Three; Digidesign; Lucasfilm, Ltd., Lucasfilm Entertainment Company and its various divisions including LucasArts and Lucas Digital (Industrial Light & Magic and Skywalker Sound); Laika and Mesa/Boogie.

In 2008, Mr. Coats was appointed by the U.S. government to the United Nations Centre for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business Task Team On Intellectual Property Rights and Related Issues.