John C. Quale, 61, a veteran communications attorney and partner in Washington, D.C., law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, died June 29 of bladder cancer.
Quale was a graduate of Harvard College (1968) and Harvard Law (1971). Before joining Skadden Arps in 1996, he worked for the firms of Kirkland & Ellis and Wiley Rein, where he helped to start and head up the mass-media-communications group.
Quale's clients included broadcast, satellite and wireless companies, as well as venture-capital and investment firms. He counseled clients on structuring deals and helped to resolve cases of contested license transfers. He also wrote about communications law, most recently on the prospect of the government expanding indecency regulation to direct-broadcast satellite service for a 2007 edition of the Federal Communications Law Journal. Quale was included in the 2008 communications-law edition of The Best Lawyers in America 2008.
Quale and his wife, Diane Zipursky Quale, founded the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network to raise awareness about the disease and help provide funds for its research and treatment. In addition to his wife, Quale is survived by five children.
A memorial service and reception will be held at the National Press Club in Washington July 2 at 2 p.m. Contributions can be made to The Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network, 4813 St. Elmo Ave., Bethesda, Md., 20814.
