Wook Hwang

Wook Hwang is a partner in the Business Trial Practice Group in the firm's New York office.

Areas of Practice

Wook has been recognized as a leading media and entertainment litigator by The Hollywood Reporter, Variety and Chambers USA. With a focus on copyright, trademark, false advertising and contract disputes, he represents major motion picture studios, media companies, publishers and brand owners in high-profile litigations across the United States. Clients seek Wook’s counsel for his understanding of complex legal issues affecting the entertainment industry, his ability to develop litigation strategies that lead to cost-efficient results, and a record of winning significant cases in the field. Wook regularly counsels clients on pre-litigation matters, including on rights analyses and copyright termination issues.

In addition to his work in the entertainment industry, Wook has extensive experience litigating high-stakes commercial disputes for clients in a variety of other industry sectors, ranging from financial services institutions to insurers and real estate developers, at the trial and appellate levels in federal and state courts across the country.

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 among “New York’s Top 25 Entertainment Attorneys” by The Hollywood Reporter, 2023
• Named among top entertainment lawyers in Variety's "Legal Impact Report," 2023
• 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
• New York Metro Rising Star in Intellectual Property Litigation, Thomson Reuters, 2013-2017

Media Mentions