William Delgado, Willenken Wilson Loh & Delgado partner
Image: courtesy photo
William Delgado, 34, partner
Willenken Wilson Loh & Delgado
Just five years out of law school, Delgado made partner at what was then called Willenken Wilson Loh & Lieb. Five years after that, he was promoted to name partner.
The high-tech patent attorney, who holds a degree in electrical engineering, is recognized as an expert in domain name litigation. He has appeared in nearly 60 federal cases across the country and co-authored the petition for certiorari and appellants' merit brief in Sereboff v. Mid-Atlantic before the U.S. Supreme Court. He is currently representing Ticketmaster in a class action pending before the California Supreme Court. Before joining Willenken Wilson, Delgado was a junior member of the Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan trial team that secured a $200 million jury verdict on behalf of the firm's clients, one of the largest plaintiffs awards in the nation that year. He also second-chaired an arbitration on behalf of a joint venture between Clear Channel Entertainment and Grupo Televisa which resulted in a complete victory for the client.
Word that best describes you?
Determined.
Toughest moment in law school or as a lawyer?
I had been practicing for a little over two years. I called opposing counsel, who had been promising to produce documents for weeks but had not (he was clearly just stringing me along) to tell him I had filed a motion to compel and had asked for sanctions. His response was the most angry, profane-laden attack I have ever experienced. He ended with a demand that I pull the motion immediately. I was so surprised by that behavior, I almost agreed in panic. Instead, I kept my calm, told him I was not going to pull the motion, and that I would see him in court. The court granted the motion, agreed that he had been stringing me along, and awarded sanctions.
Most interesting place you've traveled?
Cuba was probably the most interesting but last time I went, I was only 5 so I don't remember much of my trip. I went to Bangkok a few years ago and really enjoyed my time there. Everything was a blur, but it was a ton of fun. The Thai people were extremely nice, and it was great to see the juxtaposition of some of these temples that had been around forever across the river from a very modern city.
Most unusual hobby?
Fly-fishing. It's not an "unusual hobby," per se, but it's "unusual" as applied to me because I'm a "big city" kid from Miami (who has lived in N.Y.C. and L.A.) who loves fancy gadgets and electronics. My friends have all told me it's difficult to picture me out in the middle of a river in Montana.
Stress relief?
For the most part, nothing. I perform optimally when tightly wound. Every so often, I'll smoke a cigar.
