William B. Lacy, Ph.D.

Bill’s twenty years of in-house experience gives clients an invaluable perspective on effective IP management. He understands firsthand how businesses evaluate legal advice and make strategic decisions about intellectual property investments. Bill’s approach to client service combines strict budget discipline with practical business sensibility and technical acumen. His experience building and managing large global patent portfolios during periods of aggressive corporate growth enables him to anticipate client needs and deliver actionable guidance.

Bill has an exceptional track record securing successful IPR institution and patent invalidation outcomes that effectively neutralize competitive threats before and during high-stakes litigation, including critical ITC proceedings. His strategic approach to IP risk management has consistently preserved market access and protected revenue streams for industry leaders. This includes proactive implementation of comprehensive trade secret protocols and anti-counterfeiting initiatives that safeguard valuable business assets. His experience coordinating complex enforcement actions provide clients with battle-tested strategies for maintaining competitive advantage in contested markets.

Before joining L&A, Bill served as Vice President & Senior Associate General Counsel, Global IP at a large, publicly traded, consumer product company, where he led the company’s global IP strategy during a period of extraordinary growth. He grew and managed an IP team of six professionals while developing improved internal processes to support the company’s rapid expansion across diverse product categories, including vacuum and floor care, robotics, haircare, indoor/outdoor cooking products, and kitchen appliances.

Previously, Bill spent nearly nineteen years working at an industry-leading golf product manufacturer, where he progressed from Patent Agent to Chief/Managing Patent Counsel. There, he helped create and grow the company’s in-house patent department, managing worldwide patent clearance and strategy for market-leading golf ball technologies. Bill filed more than 250 patent applications in chemical, polymer, mechanical, and materials technologies, while actively monitoring competitors’ IP to identify and mitigate potential infringement issues. Bill began his career as a Technology Specialist/Patent Agent at Pennie & Edmonds LLP in Washington, DC, after conducting post-doctoral research at the Naval Research Laboratory’s Center for Biomolecular Science & Engineering.

Beyond his professional achievements, Bill is single-digit handicap golfer and a private pilot with more than 700 hours of flight time. He also has raised more than $85,000 for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute as a nine-year participant in the Pan-Mass Challenge. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for S/A Maraia Charities and previously served on the Board for the Jordyn Cook Epilepsy Fund and Cook Family Charities.