Focusing her practice on intellectual property and
commercial litigation, Partner Hannah Cannom counsels companies through
business disputes and all stages of protection of their intellectual property,
with an emphasis on representing clients in the retail, fashion, lifestyle,
fitness, and technology industries. From brand protection and enforcement to
litigation, clients trust Hannah to provide solutions to complex business and
intellectual property threats.
Prior to founding WSC, Hannah was an attorney with Milbank,
Tweed, Hadley & McCloy’s Intellectual Property Group. During her tenure,
she was on the trial team that successfully defended Apple against patent
infringement claims. Hannah’s accomplishments have earned her consistent
recognition as a Southern California Super Lawyers Rising Star.
She serves on the Foundation Board of the ACLU of Southern
California and has partnered with the organization on numerous pro bono cases,
for which she was awarded the Freedom of Expression Award in 2008. Hannah
graduated with honors from the University of Pennsylvania and earned her J.D.
from UCLA Law School’s Program in Public Interest Law and Policy. At UCLA,
Hannah spent a semester as a legislative extern for California Senate Majority
Leader Gloria Romero and completed a judicial externship with the Honorable
Margaret Grignon of the California Court of Appeal, Second District. Prior to
law school, Hannah taught high school special education through Teach for
America in San Jose, California.
Intellectual Property
Serving as outside, in-house counsel, Hannah advises her
clients on a wide variety of intellectual property matters, including
trademarks, copyrights, patents, trade secrets, and other business
transactions. With an emphasis on brand management, Hannah works with clients
to develop strategies to protect their assets and manage their intellectual
property portfolios, including performing audits and due diligence of
intellectual property in corporate transactions, prosecuting copyright and
trademark applications, responding to any opposition, and ensuring that clients
have a broad range of intellectual property protections in place.
Global Brand
Protection
Hannah assists her clients in protecting and strengthening
their brand identity by establishing, protecting, and monetizing their
intellectual property. She diligently monitors her clients’ worldwide
intellectual property portfolios and aggressively polices use of her clients’
intellectual property throughout the world. She also oversees a team that works
closely with various internet marketplaces and Customs and Border Patrol to remove
counterfeit product on behalf of exclusive fashion and retail brands. When
necessary, she vigorously pursues litigation on her clients’ behalf.
Litigation
Hannah represents clients through all phases of litigation,
in matters involving claims of patent, trademark, and copyright infringement,
contract disputes, false advertising, unfair competition and business
practices, and tort claims. She works with companies who are contemplating
filing lawsuits, or who are facing the threat of a lawsuit, to conduct a risk
assessment and develop a strategy for litigation avoidance or pre-suit
resolution. When litigation can’t be avoided, Hannah uses her extensive litigation
and appellate experience to fight tirelessly to achieve the best possible
outcome for her clients.
One of her notable litigation successes was being on the
legal team that defended Apple Inc. against a claim of patent infringement by
NetAirus Technologies. The jury verdict was chosen as one of the “Top Defense
Verdicts of 2013” by Daily Journal.
Hannah also represents various clients in responding to
third-party subpoenas in state and federal court and before the International
Trade Commission. Hannah works with her clients to identify the appropriate
scope of obligation and, when the parties are unable to agree, will move the
court to limit the burden on her client.
Hannah and Bethany Stevens successfully quashed deposition
and document subpoenas in their entirety in Audio MPEG, Inc. v. HP Inc.
Giving Back
Hannah serves on the Foundation Board of the ACLU of
Southern California and has partnered with the organization on numerous pro
bono cases, for which she was awarded the Freedom of Expression Award in 2008.
In 2006, Hannah and the ACLU successfully sued the state of California to allow
for a man to take his wife’s name upon marriage. The suit Buday v. California
Department of Health and Services, et al. resulted in legislative change and
facilitated the way for any person to take his or her spouse’s name upon
marriage in California.
Before law school, Hannah taught high school special
education through Teach for America. Today, Hannah continues to support
low-income students as a member of the Young Professionals Board of the
Alliance for College-Ready Public schools where she raises money for college
scholarships for Alliance students and mentors them through the college
application process.
Prior Affiliations
Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLP
Recognition
2012-2016 Los Angeles Super Lawyers "Rising Star"
