Professional Summary
Melissa W. Woo has counseled individuals and companies of all sizes with respect to the selection, protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights, including, trademark, copyrights and right of publicity. Ms. Woo has also counseled individuals and companies with respect to various other corporate transactional needs, including, drafting and negotiating various forms of business contracts, including, non-disclosure agreements, consulting agreements, license agreements for trademarks, copyrights, and software usage, terms and conditions, and vendor agreements.
Ms. Woo's litigation practice focuses on business and intellectual property litigation. In particular, Ms. Woo has litigated matters involving, trademark infringement, copyright infringement, right of publicity, unfair competition under state law and the Lanham Act, first amendment, contract disputes, shareholder disputes, partnership disputes, fraud, and breach of fiduciary duty claims. She is experienced in civil trials, mediations, arbitrations and has argued on multiple occasions before the appellate courts. She is licensed to practice before all Courts of the State of California, the United States District Courts for the Southern, Central and Eastern Districts, and the United States Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Prior to forming Woo Allen Law, LLP, Ms. Woo was a Partner at Best Best & Krieger LLP and served as Chief Legal Counsel to an international branding and licensing agency.
Representative Matters
- Prevailed on summary judgment in defense of trademark and copyright infringement claims in the United States District Court for the Central District of California arising out of the use of the character name, Betty Boop on t-shirts and merchandise.
- Served as litigation counsel in trademark infringement and right of publicity claims in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York arising out of the use of the images of Marilyn Monroe
- Served as litigation counsel to A.V.E.L.A., Inc., Urban Outfitters, Inc. and Target Corporation in trademark infringement and right of publicity class in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York arising out of the use of the images of Bruce Lee on t-shirts and merchandise.
- Served as appellate counsel in the Ninth Circuit in trademark and right of publicity case invoking the use of the images of Bob Marley on t-shirts and merchandise.
- Prevailed at trial on a complex contract dispute between a water district and agricultural water user.
- Successfully acquired from a third-party user through cancellation proceedings in the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the mark, "Lights Out", on behalf of Shawne Merriman.
- Representation of investment group against pro athlete for breach of contract.
- Representation of artist on copyright issues and artwork licensing.
- Served as litigation counsel in copyright and trademark infringement claims in the United States District Court for the Central District of California arising out of the use of images from Invasion of the Saucer-Men.
- Provide outside general counsel representation to multiple corporations.
Education
- JD, Loyola Law School, 1997
- BA, University of California, San Diego, 1994
Events
- Guest Lecturer, USD Law School, Intellectual Property Law Survey Course | "Lessons and Implications from Betty Boop"
- Guest Lecturer, USD Law School, Trademark Law Course | "Right of Publicity and False Endorsement under the Lanham Act"
- Panelist, USD Law School Intellectual Property Association | "Intellectual Property and Fashion Law"
Affiliations
- Barrister, The Honorable Clifford J. Wallace American Inn of Court
- San Diego Intellectual Property Association
- Lawyers Club of San Diego
- San Diego County Bar Association
- Pan Asian Lawyers of San Diego
Melissa W. Woo-Allen | Partner
Copyright 2014 Woo Allen Law LLP