Practice/Organization Description
Hank has been ranked for five consecutive years as a Texas Super Lawyers Rising Star in the fields of Entertainment Law and Intellectual Property Litigation. He has handled intellectual property and entertainment cases in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Nashville, and in cities throughout Texas.
Hank has a wide and varied practice in the fields of commercial litigation, intellectual property, e-commerce, Internet, and entertainment matters involving copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets, rights of publicity, privacy, defamation, licensing, and transfers.
In the area of commercial litigation, he has broad experience involving international litigation, commodities fraud cases, contract disputes, employment litigation, creditor's rights, real estate litigation, and a host of business torts.
In the entertainment field, his clients include numerous Grammy and ASCAP Award-winning recording artists, songwriters, and producers, major and independent record labels, music publishers, management companies and advertising agencies. As outside general counsel for an independent record label and artist management company, he handled the drafting of music publishing agreements, producer agreements, distribution agreements, live performance agreements, endorsement agreements and licensing agreements, and advised his client on intellectual property asset protection and enforcement. He has drafted endorsement agreements for an actress/recording artist and an athletics coach, and regularly negotiates and drafts software, technology and digital media agreements and licenses, web design and development agreements, website user terms and conditions, privacy policies and mobile application software agreements. Hank also counsels clients in the field of sweepstakes rules and regulations, and prepares official rules for sweepstakes and contests.
Hank has recovered dozens of infringing domain names on behalf of celebrities, athletes, sports personalities, Fortune 500 companies and other trademark owners, and has significant experience in litigating, as well as in the pre-litigation resolution of, numerous rights of publicity, rights of privacy and defamation issues on behalf of actors, musicians, and other individuals, frequently resulting in the removal of infringing content from websites, blogs and other online media without litigation. He also regularly performs trademark evaluation, clearance and prosecution before the United States Patent & Trademark Office.
Professional Associations & Memberships
The Houston Lawyer, Editorial Board, 2003-2004
SMU Computer Law Review & Technology Journal, State Bar Liaison, 2003-2004
Board of Advisors, Member, SMU Law School Computer & Tech Law Symposium
Litigation Section, State Bar of Texas, Member
Law & The Media Committee, Houston Bar Association, Member 2003-2004
Entertainment & Sports Law Section, Houston Bar Association, Council Member 2007-2008; 2003-2004
Computer & Technology Law Section, State Bar of Texas, Council Member 2002-2005
Cyberlaw Section, Houston Bar Association, Council Member 2002-2004
Honors and Awards
AV-Rated (Highest) by Martindale-Hubbell
Texas Super Lawyers Rising Star, Law & Politics and Texas Monthly, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011
2004 Karen Susman Outstanding Volunteer of the Year, Texas Accountants & Lawyers for the Arts
