Aaron H. Pierce is a highly sought after business attorney and litigator with a deep and diverse corporate and litigation background. Mr. Pierce represents clients in connection with a wide range of corporate, financing and entrepreneurial transactions with a particular focus in the entertainment industry especially as regards film, music, and social media. Mr. Pierce advises clients on issues in connection with company formation, general contract matters, corporate governance, employment matters, applications for tax-exempt status, private offerings, and compliance with securities regulations. Mr. Pierce also represents hundreds of clients in the hospitality industry, including bars, clubs, restaurants and hotels, and is highly experienced in State Liquor Authority application and compliance issues and actions.
Mr. Pierce routinely prepares and negotiates intellectual property agreements (including license, coexistence, and website agreements). He also is experienced in intellectual property litigation, including matters connected with trademarks, copyrights, right of publicity and anti-counterfeiting.
In addition to Mr. Pierce’s corporate transactional practice, he also regularly represents clients in a wide variety of commercial litigations in both state and federal court. Mr. Pierce has had first-chair and second-chair responsibilities in litigations for several different clients including bench and jury trials in both state and federal court. He is known to colleagues and clients alike as a focused and thoughtful litigator.
Aaron was selected for inclusion in New York Super Lawyers – Rising Stars Edition, Thomson Reuters, 2015-2019, and was also included in New York Super Lawyers, Thomson Reuters, for 2015-2022. Aaron regularly teaches Entrepreneurial and Entertainment Law seminars and classes, and is a faculty member at the National Academy of Continuing Legal Education, The Marino Institute of Continuing Legal Education, and Parsons School of Design.
Mr. Pierce has been intrinsically involved in the entertainment industry in New York City for 25 years, and represents some of the largest venues and concert promoters in the country, provides counsel throughout many segments of the entertainment industry, including film, music, theater, and publishing, and serves as general counsel to several NYC-based artist management companies. Mr. Pierce also provides consulting services to up-and-coming artists, artist managers, art galleries, independent labels, film producers, and art curators.
EDUCATION:
J.D., Fordham Law School, 2009 – Archibald R. Public Service Award – Magna Cum Laude
B.A., Political Science and Theatre – State University of New York at Buffalo, 1997, Magna Cum Laude
University College Dublin School of Law – International Law Studies – 2007
Queen’s University Belfast School of Law – International Law Studies – 2007
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS AND MEMBERSHIPS:
Board Member – WP Theater Board of Directors
New York State Bar Association
New York County Bar Association
New York City Bar Association
American Bar Association
New York Chamber of Commerce
BAR ADMISSIONS:
New York State, New Jersey, District of Columbia
United States District Court, Southern District of New York
United States District Court, Eastern District of New York
U.S. Court Of Appeals, Second Circuit
REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS
- General Counsel – Brooklyn Made Presents
- General Counsel – Chelsea Film Festival
- General Counsel – Bushwick Film Festival
- Counsel – Fortune Films USA, Inc.
- Counsel – 141 Entertainment
- Counsel – Wonder Wheel Productions
- Personal Counsel to President of Live Nation – New York
- General Counsel to numerous NYC and Long Island Art Galleries
- General Counsel – The Bowery Ballroom. NYC
- General Counsel – The Williamsburg Music Hall, NYC
- General Counsel – The Mercury Lounge, NYC
- Board Member of the WP Theater, the nation’s most recognized and award-winning Off-Broadway Company dedicated to developing, producing, and promoting the work of women+ at every stage of their careers.
- General Counsel to several award-winning independent film companies having helped many take their films to festivals and critical acclaim across the globe including Sundance and Cannes.
- Represented a plaintiff through to verdict in a federal civil jury trial in the Southern District. Defendant found to have misappropriated hundreds of thousands of dollars in a scheme involving numerous high-end / luxury automobiles.
- Successfully represented numerous individuals and companies in intellectual property disputes regarding copyright and trademark infringement. Has obtained favorable settlements for marketing agencies, accounting firms, clothing brands, film companies, and music venues.
- Represented many clients in a variety of defamation cases. Recently obtained a 6 figure settlement on behalf of a client against a major regional newspaper.
- Represented numerous bars and restaurants as defendants in lawsuits filed against them by disabled persons for both structural buildouts and website access violations under the American Disabilities Act.
- Recently achieved a preliminary injunction against one of the largest private universities in the United States, effectively halting a multi-million dollar construction operation until favorable disability protocols were set in place.
- Represented dozens of client in commercial landlord/tenant disputes including several through to a successful verdict at trial.
- Represented numerous creditors in successful collections, including court costs, attorney’s fees and accrued interest.
- Represents large-scale international manufacturing clients in disputes and litigations against subcontractors and distributors.
- Represents clients in construction/contracting disputes. Pierce & Kwok LLP regularly represents multi-million dollar construction companies and developers. We understand these often complex disputes from a wide variety of angles.
- Successfully represented numerous film production companies in financial and investment disputes litigated in both state and federal courts.
- Represents several gaming and tech companies in intellectual property disputes regarding the technical details and ownership of computer coding.
