Wook Hwang

Wook Hwang is a partner in the Business Trial and Intellectual Property Practice Groups in the firm's New York office.

Areas of Practice

Wook represents motion picture studios, producers, media companies, publishing companies, and content and brand owners in intellectual property and entertainment disputes across the country. With a particular focus on copyright and trademark law, Wook represents clients in intellectual property lawsuits through all phases of litigation, and provides counseling on complex rights issues to assist clients in maintaining and enforcing IP protection over their most valuable assets. Clients seek Wook’s counsel for his understanding of the entertainment industry, development of strategies that lead to successful and cost-efficient results, and record of success in high-profile and precedential cases in the field. He has been recognized as a leading media, entertainment and IP litigator by a variety of publications. 

Outside of his intellectual property and entertainment practices, Wook has extensive experience litigating commercial disputes for clients in a variety of other industry sectors, including licensing disputes, insurance coverage and high-stakes real estate disputes.

Experience

• Representing a major film studio and streaming service in a copyright case involving termination rights.
• Represented the production company behind a Broadway stage adaptation of a classic novel in a copyright case involving termination rights.
• Represented a major publishing company in trademark and false advertising action against musical artists, arising from the unauthorized use of magazine marks to promote an album.
• Represented company that owns the name, image and likeness rights for a sports celebrity in a case against a fitness franchisor over allegedly breached endorsement agreement.
• Represented a major film studio in copyright infringement action brought by a record label in the SDNY over the allegedly unauthorized use of a song in a motion picture.
• Represented a major media conglomerate in a copyright infringement action over a social media series.
• Represented a major automotive manufacturer in copyright infringement litigation over the use of music in advertisements.
• Represented a major broadcasting company and various production companies against Lanham Act claims of false endorsement, false advertising and trademark dilution brought by a television personality over their appearance in a series.
• Represented a major film studio in Ninth Circuit appeal in contract dispute over international film distribution rights to feature film.
• Represented major broadcasting and streaming companies in copyright infringement action alleging that a popular series infringed on plaintiff’s video game concept, culminating in the issuance of oft-cited Second Circuit decision on the standards for resolving substantial similarity on motions to dismiss.
• Represented an entertainment company in copyright and trademark infringement action over a television series.
• Represented an international media conglomerate in litigation over allegedly underpaid music publishing royalties.
• Represented the owners of literary characters in copyright and trademark action.
• Represented major film studios against copyright suit over a film and television franchise.
• Represented major film studios against copyright infringement suit over a film and television franchise.
• Represented a digital entertainment company in copyright action brought by a music company over use of songs in online videos.
• Represented a major film studio against Lanham Act false endorsement claim brought by actor over merchandise associated with the film.
• Represented a major telecommunications company in action involving competing picture quality claims, obtaining a preliminary injunction against competitor’s national advertising campaign while successfully defending the company’s own advertising against cross-motion for a preliminary injunction.

Honors

• Named a Leading Global Entertainment, Sports & Media Lawyer, Lawdragon, 2025
• Named among “New York’s Top 25 Entertainment Attorneys” by The Hollywood Reporter, 2023-2024
• Named among top entertainment lawyers in Variety's "Legal Impact Report," 2023
• Leading Trademark Professional, World Trademark Review, 2025
• America’s Leading Lawyers for Business in New York Media & Entertainment: Litigation, Chambers USA, 2022-2024
• Media and Entertainment: Litigation, The Legal 500, 2021-2023
• Media and Entertainment: Copyright, The Legal 500, 2022-2023
• “IP Star” in the nationwide copyright law and trademark law categories, Managing IP, 2022-2024

Media Mentions

Speaking Engagements

• Moderator, "Entertainment AI & Production," Sports & Entertainment Risk Management Alliance, April 3, 2025