Partner William R. Golden Jr. Noted in Book, Bacardi and the Long Fight for Cuba

NPR correspondent Tom Gjelten’s book, Bacardi and the Long Fight for Cuba: The Biography of a Cause, quotes partner William R. Golden in describing the intellectual property lawsuit, in which Kelley Drye represented Bacardi. Mr. Golden was the lead trial counsel for Bacardi in extended litigation before the federal courts and in proceedings before the Patent and Trademark Office in which Bacardi established its rights to the HAVANA CLUB trademark in the United States.

The book states, ​“For their part, the Bacardi lawyers set out from the beginning to steer the case away from trademark law issues and toward Casto’s 1960 expropriation of the Arechabalas’ business. They contended that the Cuban government stole the Havana Club trademark from the Arechabalas family and therefore could not claim ownership. Bacardi’s lead lawyer in the trial, William Golden, made his position clear in his opening statement. ​‘Your honor,’ he said, ​‘although this case has come to be called the Havana Club case, it’s really not about trademarks. What this case is really about is the right to private property.’ It was a point the Bacardi team would emphasize again and again. . . .”

Randy Kennedy, a culture reporter for The New York Times reviewed the book.