In Memoriam: William McCormack

Ropes & Gray is sad to announce that William McCormack, a retired partner of the firm, passed away on November 29 at the age of 78.

Bill was an excellent and accomplished lawyer known for his broad experience advising domestic and international private equity sponsors. He earned his B.S. from Virgina Tech (where he played on the freshman basketball team) and his J.D. from Catholic University, as well as an L.L.M. from the University of Virgina.  He started his career as a tax lawyer at Sullivan & Cromwell where he spent seven years before joined Reboul, MacMurray, ultimately leading the firm’s tax practice.  Bill joined Ropes & Gray as a partner in 2003 as part of the combination with Reboul. He retired in 2013.

A dedicated and insightful tactician who lived and loved the craft of law, Bill co-headed the firm’s Private Investment Funds group and was a highly sought-after speaker at PE conferences and events.  He is remembered as “a client’s lawyer” whose technical expertise and deep knowledge of investment and tax complexities were greatly valued by PE sponsors around the world. In the 1980s and 1990s, Bill worked on and led many of the industry’s first cross-border investments in U.S. PE firms.  His well-earned international reputation later helped advance the firm’s ambitions to serve our clients in their most important markets globally. 

Relentless and intense as a lawyer, Bill was also folksy and plainspoken.  Most of all Bill loved to learn, zealously exploring other practice areas and industries with an insatiable curiosity that was matched only by his keen desire to teach and mentor.  His interest in passing on his passion for the law to others created an enduring legacy.

Our deepest sympathies go out to Bill’s family, as well as his many loved ones, friends and former colleagues.