William Coston is Partner-in-Charge of the Washington, D.C. office. He concentrates on litigation and counseling in antitrust and intellectual property matters. Mr. Coston is experienced with consumer products and technology industries, notably distribution, intellectual property, advertising, and trade regulation issues. Mr. Coston regularly appears before courts, regulatory agencies, and private dispute resolution bodies to solve clients' business needs. Mr. Coston spent three years in the appellate section of the U.S. Department of Justice's Antitrust Division, including a stint as Special Assistant United States Attorney. He briefed and argued in many notable antitrust cases involving price fixing, bid rigging, boycotts, and statutory exemptions. Representative Clients Mr. Coston lists as representative clients Acambis, Inc., Amneal Pharmaceuticals, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, Gemmy Industries, Zachry American Infrastructure, Software AG, Paul Reed Smith Guitars, Compaq Computer Corporation and the Information Technology Industry Council ("ITI"), the trade association of the high tech industry. Significant Matters Recent significant matters include: (1) Arguing the case and obtaining a favorable Supreme Court decision in a "trade dress" case, setting a precedent for product configuration trade dress cases (Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. v. Samara Bros.) (2) obtaining a favorable precedent from the Federal Circuit on the patent "marking" statute (Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. v. Nike) (3) Compaq Computer Corporation v. Packard Bell Electronics, an unfair trade practices case involving a competitor's sale of used computers represented as new (4) The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company v. Firestone Tire Co., a Lanham Act case regarding false advertising (5) representation of Compaq in the U.S. v. Microsoft and FTC v. Intel antitrust cases (6) Pep Boys v. The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., defending the introduction of a new tire with a new "signature" brand (7) Gibson Guitars v. Paul Reed Smith Guitars, a trademark and trade dress case involving the shape of a "single cutaway" guitar (8) representation of Acambis in patent infringement and conversion of biologic materials proceedings before the International Trade Commission and the U.S. District Court for Delaware (9) representing Software AG in a computer system network architecture patent infringement litigation in Delaware (10) representing Gemmy Industries in patent litigation in federal court in New York and the Federal Circuit Activities Mr. Coston is active in the community in charitable fundraising and school activities. He is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and a member of the American Bar Association, Sections of Antitrust, Litigation and Intellectual Property. Mr. Coston is a member of AIPLA, IPO, and DRI. Industries Consumer Products and Services Life Sciences Government Experience Attorney, Appellate Section, Antitrust Division, United States Department of Justice Special Assistant to the United States Attorney, Eastern District of Virginia Memberships American Bar Association News December 19, 2011, Robert Davis, Longtime Antitrust Litigator and Former Advisor to FTC Chair Jon Leibowitz, Joins Venable September 14, 2011, 75 Venable attorneys listed in The Best Lawyers in America® 2012 May 16, 2011, Bill Coston quoted in Law360 article on 2002 DOJ settlement with Microsoft May 2, 2011, Washington, DC edition of Super Lawyers 2011 honors 17 Venable attorneys August 23, 2010, 65 Venable attorneys receive 2011 Best Lawyers honors June 11, 2010, Venable's Advertising & Marketing Practice Wins Chambers USA Award for Excellence April 5, 2010, Michael Schatzow Elected Fellow of American College of Trial Lawyers March 29, 2010, Michael Schatzow elected to American College of Trial Lawyers November 5, 2009, Best Lawyers recognizes 24 Washington-area Venable attorneys in Washington Post supplement November 2, 2009, Brian Schwalb Elected Fellow of American College of Trial Lawyers August 25, 2008, Fifty-nine Venable Attorneys Earn Best Lawyers in America Honors October 29, 2004, Venable Partner William D. Coston Elected to the American College of Trial Lawyers October 1, 2003, Venable Completes Move to Historic Terrell Place in Downtown Washington; Law Firm Becomes Anchor Tenant in DC Revitalization Project August 21, 2003, Venable Multi-Practice Team Assists Mercantile Bankshares in $543.4 Million Dollar Acquisition of F&M Bancorp January 6, 2003, Eight Real Estate, Finance and Corporate Attorneys Join Venable's Washington Office; Group Includes Four Partners, Top Practitioners in D.C. Area May 28, 2002, Defensive Move: Robert Wilkins, Ex-Chief of Special Litigation in DC Public Defender's Office, Joins Venable as a Partner in Corporate Defense/White Collar Group April 10, 2002, Venable's Lease at Terrell Place Wins Prestigious Washington Business Journal Real Estate Award March 23, 2000, Venable Wins Landmark Trademark Case for Wal-Mart September 22, 1998, Venable's Expanding Technology Practice Welcomes Spencer & Frank Lawyers Honors Phi Beta Kappa Attorney General Special Achievement Awards for Service in the Antitrust Division, 1977-1978 Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers Listed in The Best Lawyers in America for Intellectual Property Law (Woodward/White, Inc.), 2009-2012 Selected for inclusion in District of Columbia Super Lawyers 2008 - 2011 Washington Business Journal, Top Washington Lawyers 2007, Finalist for Intellectual Property AV® Peer-Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell Publications June 2011, IP News & Comment - June 2011
Marcella Ballard, David D. Conway, William D. Coston, Christopher S. Crook, Henry J. Daley, Ph.D., Todd R. Farnsworth, Meaghan Hemmings Kent, Christopher Ma, Clifton E. McCann, Janet F. Satterthwaite
IP Buzz June 2011, Supreme Court Clarifies Standard for Induced Patent Infringement in Global-Tech
William D. Coston, David D. Conway
IP Buzz January 2011, Venable Team Files Amicus Brief for Senator Bayh in Support of Bayh-Dole Act in Stanford v. Roche, The Honorable Birch Bayh, William D. Coston, John F. Cooney, Michael A. Gollin, David D. Conway
Client Alerts November 2010, "Patent Misuse Should be Only Narrowly Applied as an Infringement Defense", William D. Coston, Peter Curtin, Julie A. Petruzzelli, Michael A. Sartori, Ph.D.
ABA Section of Litigation September 2010, Federal Circuit En Banc Decision Limits Patent Misuse Defense, William D. Coston, Peter Curtin, Julie A. Petruzzelli, Michael A. Sartori, Ph.D.
Client Alerts July 2010, IP News & Comment - July 2010
William D. Coston, Todd R. Farnsworth, Ryan M. Flandro, Jeffri A. Kaminski, Lisa M. Kattan, Clifton E. McCann, Kyle Petaja, Michael A. Sartori, Ph.D., Janet F. Satterthwaite
IP Buzz June 2010, Credit Card Processors Fail to Win Dismissal of Trademark Infringement Suit Based on Doing Business With Counterfeiters
William D. Coston June 2010, ITC Rejects Technology Community's Effort to Restrict Non-Practicing Entities' Ability to Stop Importation of Goods
William D. Coston |