About William
William Wardlow has practiced law in the Pacific Northwest for more than two decades. Based in Bend, Oregon, he works out of a small firm he runs, serving clients on both sides of the Cascades and beyond. He is admitted to practice in Oregon and California and before the Ninth Circuit, and he brings 21 years of experience to his caseload.
His career has balanced transactional work and courtroom matters. Early on he focused on counseling businesses through formation and growth. Over time intellectual property matters became a central part of his work. He handles trademark clearance and prosecution, licensing negotiations, and the contract work that often surrounds IP transactions. He also takes on disputes that require litigation or appellate advocacy when clients need it.
Colleagues describe his practice as pragmatic. He approaches a file by breaking it into manageable risks and practical options. That means drafting agreements that try to avoid future fights and, when necessary, preparing clients for trial or appeal. Because he maintains admissions in multiple jurisdictions, he can follow a matter from state-level negotiations into federal court and appellate proceedings in the Ninth Circuit.
Clients in his practice range from early-stage entrepreneurs to established companies. The work often blends corporate and intellectual property issues: structuring ownership of creations, negotiating technology or licensing deals, and advising on the sale or acquisition of IP assets. He also assists with governance documents and commercial contracts that shape how a business operates.
Outside of direct client work, Wardlow spends time keeping up with developments in IP law and business practice. That includes monitoring changes in trademark and copyright practice, shifts in federal court procedure, and evolving standards that affect licensing and enforcement. He aims to give clients options they can act on, not long lists of theoretical outcomes.
He leads Wardlow Law in Bend, Oregon, where he serves as an intellectual property and business lawyer. He currently practices intellectual property and business law at Wardlow Law in Bend, Oregon.
