William M. Wiltshire

Bill Wiltshire is one of the founding partners of Harris, Wiltshire & Grannis LLP, providing strategic, regulatory, and transactional advice to satellite, media, communications, and other high-tech companies.  Drawing upon years of experience in both litigation and regulatory contexts, Mr. Wiltshire is able to present legally and technologically complex issues in a way that is both compelling and understandable to decision makers.

Mr. Wiltshire provides advice and representation ranging from specific matters of strategic significance to ongoing day-to-day compliance with regulatory requirements.  He assists his clients in the development and presentation of positions in policy and rulemaking proceedings before the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”), and has broad experience representing both those applying for FCC licenses and those seeking to deny or condition such licenses.

Mr. Wiltshire has substantial experience advising companies on the impact of regulation on corporate and commercial transactions, including mergers, acquisitions, and financings.  He has been involved in helping to structure a wide variety of transactions to accomplish client goals while meeting regulatory requirements.  In many cases, such transactions involve representing parties that must obtain FCC approval for the transfer of licenses, performing regulatory due diligence, crafting FCC application strategy, and prosecuting the application through final FCC approval.  These representations sometimes also entail complementary efforts before the U.S. Department of Justice, the Federal Trade Commission, Congress, and the Executive Branch.

Mr. Wiltshire advises foreign investors and financial institutions on compliance with the foreign ownership limitations established in the Communications Act of 1934, as implemented and interpreted by the FCC.  While at the FCC, Mr. Wiltshire spearheaded the investigation into the foreign ownership of Fox Network that resulted in a landmark decision clarifying limitations on foreign equity and debt holdings.  Since leaving the FCC, Mr. Wiltshire has advised and represented foreign companies and financial institutions interested in acquiring an interest in broadcast, satellite, and common carrier licensees.

Mr. Wiltshire began his legal career as a litigator at Williams & Connolly LLP, where he handled commercial, constitutional, and criminal matters in a number of federal, state, and administrative courts. He next joined the FCC, where he served as Senior Legal Advisor to the Chief of the International Bureau and Special Counsel to the Chief of the Mass Media Bureau, in which positions he advised the Bureau Chiefs and the FCC Chairman on a wide range of legal and policy matters.  Upon leaving the FCC, Mr. Wiltshire became a founding member of the communications practice group at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP, where he worked until founding his present firm in 1998.

Mr. Wiltshire is recognized as a leading telecommunications lawyer in numerous publications, including Chambers USA, Best Lawyers, and Super Lawyers. He served as Co-Chair of the Federal Communications Bar Association’s Transactional Practice Committee from 2015-2017.