WASHINGTON, D.C. (October , 2004) –William D. Coston, managing partner of Venable's Washington, DC office, has been elected a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. In receiving this honor, Mr. Coston joins distinguished Venable fellows Carol Elder Bruce, Benjamin R. Civiletti, William D. Dolan, III, James E. Gray, George F. Pappas, James L. Shea, Daniel E. Toomey, and Gerard Treanor.
For more than 50 years, the American College of Trial Lawyers has recognized excellence in trial lawyers. The College identifies and recognizes outstanding trial lawyers from every segment of the civil and criminal trial bar in the United States and Canada. Its purpose is to improve the standards of trial practice, the administration of justice, and the ethics of the profession. Fellowship in the College is by invitation, extended only after careful examination of the nominee's experience, skill, ability, and ethical standards.
Mr. Coston litigates cases in the areas of intellectual property, trade regulation, antitrust, and general commercial law. He argued and obtained a favorable Supreme Court decision in a precedent-setting case involving product configuration in trade dress. Before entering private practice, Mr. Coston served in the antitrust division of the U.S. Department of Justice and as a government prosecutor. He is active in the community in charitable fundraising and school activities.
Mr. Coston received his J.D., cum laude, from Harvard Law School, where he also served as president of the Harvard Legal Aid Bureau. He received his B.A., with highest honors and high distinction, from the University of Michigan.
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