Attorneys

A partner in the Firm's business law department, William A. McComas counsels clients ranging from entrepreneurs to Fortune 500 corporations on commercial transactions across all industry sectors. He concentrates on assisting companies in creating, protecting, acquiring, developing, and commercializing technology, as well as in distributing, servicing, and marketing products and services. Mr. McComas represents clients on complex business transactions such as joint venture, strategic alliances, research and development, electronic commerce, complex procurement, endorsement, outsourcing, and the general management and disposition of intellectual property. An experienced corporate attorney, Mr. McComas also counsels clients on financing, mergers and acquisitions, sales of assets, venture capital investments, and other general corporate matters.

Extensive business and technology management experience enhances Mr. McComas’ value to the Firm’s clients. Prior to becoming a lawyer, Mr. McComas worked for one of North America’s largest book manufacturers and one of the world’s largest ocean carriers. In these positions, Mr. McComas developed software, negotiated and managed major vendor contracts, and enacted cost reduction and internal control programs. His deep understanding of the law, business, and technology is invaluable to clients navigating the convergence of these sectors.

Representative Transactions

Mr. McComas serves clients in a wide variety of industry sectors from high tech to financial services to transportation. In recent years, he has represented an international retailer regarding telecommunication contracts, technology licensing, e-commerce and equipment purchases; counseled a major hotel chain in a multi-million dollar outsourcing; advised three large financial institutions in their technology and e-commerce initiatives; and handled a joint venture involving an affiliate of one of the world’s largest rail companies.

News & Publications

November 1, 2009: "Court Dismisses ID Theft Claim that Does Not Allege Injury." Inside Counsel Magazine quotes William A. McComas on Randolph v. ING Life Insurance and Annuity Company.

October 27, 2009: "Net Neutrality is Far from Neutral." William A. McComas comments on the "net neutrality" debate for the Guardian.

October 22, 2009: "FCC set to take on aggressive role as Internet traffic cop." The San Jose Mercury News quotes William A. McComas in an article on the Net Neutrality debate.

September 18, 2009: William A. McComas writes for the Baltimore Business Journal on the federal government's effort to digitize medical records. (Subscription required.)

"June 30, 2009: Selected for the 2010 edition of Best Lawyers in America, a highly respected peer-review publication serving the legal profession."

"Saving Barack's BlackBerry: Obama's advisers say his beloved BlackBerry exposes him to unnecessary legal and security risks. Can they be surmounted?" By William A. McComas, for The Guardian, January 15, 2009.

January 2009: For the third year in a row, Mr. McComas is selected for the annual list of Maryland Super Lawyers published in Baltimore Magazine by Key Professional Media, Inc.

"Smartphones: Risky for All Executives." By William A. McComas, for the National Law Journal, January 5, 2009.

"Electronically stored information can stretch the boundaries of the contract's 'four corners.'" By Matthew A.S. Esworthy and William A. McComas, for The Daily Record, November 17, 2008.

October 1, 2008: Mr. McComas selected as the winner of the Baltimore SmartCEO "Choice Award" in the attorney category. The award honored one of the professionals named in the magazine's 2007 "SmartLawyers" list. He is also included in the 2008 list published November 1.

"Taking Some Lessons from the Top: What in-house counsel can learn from those lost White House e-mails." By William A. McComas and Joseph E. Sandler, for Legal Times, June 18, 2007.

WEBINAR: "All Discovery is Now E-Discovery: Policies, Procedures & Tools to Protect the Integrity of Your Electronic Documents." Presented by Surety, LLC, and moderated by Bill McComas. April 16, 2007.

WEBINAR: "Building a Business Strategy for Intellectual Property Protection." An hour-long discussion on IP protection, data security, and electronic records management. October 10, 2006.

William A. McComas selected for inclusion in the 2007 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.

WEBINAR:"Preserving the Evidentiary Strength of Your Electronic Business Documentation." Featuring Bill McComas, Tom Koulopoulos (President & Founder, Delphi Group) and Tom Klaff (CEO, Surety, LLC). June 14, 2006.

"Digital Data Integrity Crucial to Duke Case." By William A. McComas and Tom Klaff, CEO of Surety LLC. The National Law Journal and Legal Technology News. May 15, 2006 and May 25, 2006.

"How Do We Keep Track of All This Information?" William A. McComas on the records management challenge facing businesses today. Baltimore Business Journal, April 21, 2006.

"Do You Know Where Your File Is?" An article on data integrity and records management features William A. McComas. The Daily Record. April 7, 2006.

"Google Book Search: Issue is Silence as Consent." By William A. McComas, for The National Law Journal, December 5, 2005.

"Weak Links." A piece on Congress' attempt to respond to concerns about identity theft and corporate data security. By William A. McComas, for Legal Times, October 17, 2005.

"E-mail Retention: To Save or Not to Save?" By William A. McComas, for The Daily Record, October 7, 2005.

"Unproven New Firms Can Still Attract Proven Talent." By William A. McComas, for the Washington Business Journal, September 30, 2005.

William A. McComas is selected for inclusion in the 2006 edition of The Best Lawyers in America. September 9, 2005.

"The Hazards of Ethical Hacking." By William A. McComas, for The Daily Record, August 5, 2005.

"Valuation Game: What Are Intangible Assets Worth." By William A. McComas, Washington Business Journal, April 29, 2005.

"The China Frontier: Baltimore-area businesses find a new land of opportunity — 7,000 miles away." Baltimore Business Journal, March 11, 2005.

"Start-up Law: Lock Down Intellectual Property Early and Often." By William A. McComas, Washington Business Journal, February 11, 2005.

"Start-up Law: Focus on ‘Making it Happen’". By William A. McComas, Washington Business Journal. December 17, 2004.

"Peer-to-Peer Skirmish in Washington." By William A. McComas, The Daily Record, November 5, 2004.

"Is It Time to Regulate Spyware?" By William A. McComas, The Daily Record. September 3, 2004.

"Controversy Emerges Over RFID." By William A. McComas, The Daily Record. May 7, 2004.

"The VOIP Debate in Washington." By William A. McComas, The Daily Record. March 5, 2004.

"Commercializing Technology and Investing in China." By William A. McComas, Baltimore Business Journal. January 30, 2004.