Bill Wiltshire, co-founder of HWG LLP, provides 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, Bill presents legally and technologically complex issues in a way that is both compelling and understandable to decision makers.

Bill offers strategic counsel and legal representation across a broad spectrum of regulatory matters, from high-stakes issues to routine compliance. He advises clients on developing and articulating positions in policy and rulemaking proceedings before the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), with extensive experience representing both license applicants and parties seeking to oppose or condition such applications. In addition, Bill advises companies on the regulatory aspects of corporate and commercial transactions – including mergers, acquisitions, and financings – and has played a key role in structuring transactions to meet client goals while navigating applicable regulatory requirements.

In many cases, Bill represents parties requiring FCC approval for license transfers, providing support that includes:

• Conducting regulatory due diligence;
• Crafting FCC application strategies;
• Prosecuting applications through final FCC approval; and
• Coordinating with other agencies such as the U.S. Department of Justice, Congress, and the Executive Branch when necessary.

He also advises foreign investors and financial institutions on compliance with the foreign ownership limitations set forth in the Communications Act of 1934, as implemented and interpreted by the FCC.

Bill began his legal career as a litigator, handling commercial, constitutional, and criminal matters across federal, state, and administrative courts. He later 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, advising senior leadership on a range of legal and policy issues. While at the FCC, he led the investigation into the foreign ownership of Fox Network, resulting in a landmark decision that clarified limitations on foreign equity and debt holdings.