William F. Long
- T. 404-815-3559
- F. 404-685-6859
- wlong@sgrlaw.com
Legal Assistant: Karen Lawrence | 404-815-3626
About William
William F. Long's practice focuses on complex commercial litigation (including intellectual property disputes involving patents and copyright), trade secret, and other technology-related matters. Bill has litigated numerous business disputes spanning a wide range of industries and legal issues in federal and state courts, including, for example, high-value breach of contract, indemnity, tortious interference and other business torts, intellectual property disputes (patent and copyright infringement), and trade secret misappropriation, and including disputes involving computer software and hardware, pharmaceutical products (including Hatch-Waxman cases), chemicals, medical devices, industrial machines, and consumer products.
William's Practice
Representative Matters
- Odom Industries vs. Sipcam (AAA; circuit court of Hinds County, MS; N.D. Mississippi, 5th Circuit Court of Appeals): represented buyer in arbitration in asserting indemnity claims against seller arising from an Asset Purchase Agreement and defending buyer from seller’s claims of fraud in state and federal court; case settled favorably after securing dismissal of all claims filed by seller in state and federal court.
- Design Mart vs. Matthews International (M.D. Ga.): Represented a family-owned licensor of designs for gravestones asserting claims of copyright infringement against Fortune 500 company. After lengthy discovery, won summary judgment that defendant infringed 200 of client’s copyrighted designs. Case settled before trial.
- Johnson Controls Tech. Co. v. Price Industries (N.D. Ga.): Represented industrial/commercial HVAC equipment and controls manufacturer against competitor’s claims of infringement involving five patents. Case settled following discovery and claim construction ruling.
- Bombardier v. Killick Aerospace Ltd. (Texas and Kansas state courts): Represented a leading aftermarket parts and engine supplier for commercial jets. Claims involved alleged theft of trade secrets asserted by Bombardier, filed in both Texas and Kansas. Entire dispute settled after winning dismissal of Texas case.
- Kepro Acquisitions v. Analytics Holdings (E.D. Alabama): representing purchaser in a Securities Purchase Agreement in asserting claims of fraud and conspiracy against seller; case settled favorably after discovery was concluded.
- Veritiv Operating Co. v. Berman (N.D. Ga.): Represented executive against claims filed by former employer based on alleged misappropriation of trade secret, breach of confidentiality agreement, computer fraud and abuse act, and related claims. Case settled following discovery and after winning major claims on summary judgment.
- Maxim Integrated Products v. BBVA Compass Bank (W.D. Tex.): Represented bank against claims of patent infringement involving encrypted mobile financial transactions (e.g., money transfer, bill pay, remote deposit), mobile device hardware/software, and supporting server infrastructure. Case resolved favorably after our early summary judgment motion was fully briefed and ready for decision.
- Maxim Integrated Products v. U.S. Bank, Bank of the West, and Comerica Bank (E.D.Tex. and MDL in W.D.Pa): Represented banks against claims of patent infringement involving encrypted mobile financial transactions (e.g., money transfer, bill pay, remote deposit), mobile device hardware/software, and supporting server infrastructure. Cases resolved favorably at the end of fact discovery.
- Global Sessions v. TD Bank and Comerica Bank (W.D. Tex.): Represented banks against claims of patent infringement related to web system management and web sessions. Cases resolved favorably after filing inter partes review petitions and Markman decision construing many terms in our clients’ favor.
- General Protecht Group v. Leviton (D.N.M., N.D.Cal., ITC, and Fed. Cir.): Represented a manufacturer of electric outlet protection devices (GFCIs) in a declaratory judgment action in New Mexico and in related actions before the International Trade Commission (ITC), in district court in California and before the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals. Obtained a preliminary injunction requiring patent owner to dismiss patent claims due to a prior settlement between patent owner and our client; the Federal Circuit affirmed, resulting in complete dismissal of all claims with prejudice.
- Pass & Seymour v. General Protecht Group (N.D.N.Y, ITC, and Fed. Cir.): Represented a manufacturer of electric outlet protection devices (GFCIs). We took over as counsel after an administrative law judge (ALJ) at the International Trade Commission (ITC) entered an adverse infringement ruling against our client and obtained full reversal of all findings of patent infringement before the full ITC and Federal Circuit Court of Appeals, resulting in ultimate dismissal of all infringement claims in district court.
- DirecTV cases: Represented DirecTV in hundreds of user copyright piracy cases in the Northern and Middle Districts of Georgia.
Recognitions
The Best Lawyers in America®, Atlanta, Litigation – Intellectual Property; Litigation – Patent (2011-2027); Patent Law (2021-2027); Technology Law (2023-2027)
Chambers USA, Intellectual Property, Georgia (2010-2013, 2015-2018, 2020-2026)
IAM Patent 1000 (2024-2026)
Georgia Super Lawyers (2008-2022)
Intellectual Asset Management (IAM) magazine's Patent 1000, Georgia Intellectual Property Litigation and Transactions (2016-2017)
Georgia Trend magazine - Legal Elite, Best Lawyers in Georgia, Intellectual Property (2012-2014, 2018)
The Legal 500, Life Sciences (2016)
Credentials
Education
J.D., Emory University School of Law
M.B.A., Mississippi State University
B.S., Mississippi State University, Electrical Engineering
Admissions
- Georgia
- United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)
- Supreme Court of Georgia
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of Georgia
- U.S. District Court, Middle District of Georgia
- U.S. District Court, Western District of Michigan
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Georgia
Organizational Involvement
Professional
Intellectual Property, Technology and Trial Practice Sections, State Bar of Georgia
Thought Leadership
Speaker, “Legal Issues Impacting the Industry,” GPhA/FDA Fall Technical Conference, October 3-5, 2011
Speaker, “Legal Cost Prenuptials: Your Money or Theirs,” 22nd Annual North American Entertainment, Sports and Intellectual Property Law Conference, November 4-8, 2010
Speaker, "Containing Fees Associated with Employing Outside Counsel in a Period of Economic Instability," 7th Annual Patents and the Financial Services Conference, July 2010
Moderator, “Expert Issues in IP Litigations,” 15th Annual Intellectual Property Law Institute, November 2009
Speaker, “Intellectual Property Essentials for Engineers: Patents, Trademarks, Copyrights and Trade Secrets,” Legal Issues for Georgia Professional Engineers Seminar, March 27, 2008
“Doctrine of Equivalents: Where We Now Stand,” Intellectual Asset Management, December/January 2007
Speaker, “Getting the Data for a Defensible Damages Study Through Discovery and 30(b)(6) Depositions,” Calculating and Providing Patent Damages Workshop, October 8, 2004
Speaker, “The Mobile Employee,” Leveraging Trade Secrets Workshop, June 30, 2003
