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Joleen Hughes

Business Attorney at Seattle, WA

5.0   4 reviews
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  • Licensed for 24 years
    State WA
    Acquired 1999
    Status
    Active No misconduct found

We have not found any instances of professional misconduct for this lawyer.

Thank you for consistently providing me peace-of-mind. I am grateful.
JA
Great for outside general counsel and specialties
Matt
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About Joleen

Learn Joleen’s areas of practice.

5
Practice areas
  1. Business
    20%
    Technology acquisitions, IP and commercial due diligence; Joint ventures and strategic alliances; Partner, investor, employee and shareholder oversight; Corporate formation, structure and reorganization; Strategic planning, human resources, department liaison; and Management of litigation and litigation strategy

    26 years, 1,000 cases

  2. Contracts and agreements
    20%
    In-bound/Out-bound licensing; Sales, distribution and fulfillment agreements; Vendor, merchandising, consulting, support, services, retail and reseller agreements; Advertising, public relations, marketing, and promotions; Non-disclosure, confidentiality, data protection, work-made-for hire; and Operational forms and processes including employment agreements, employee manuals, NDA’s

    26 years, 3,000 cases

  3. Internet
    20%
    Back-end and enabling technologies, software, applications, widgets, platforms, and formats; Cross-industry transactions; E-commerce, underlying technology, DRM, products and services; Mobile devices, set top boxes and emerging hardware products and services; Source-code escrow, open source, end user license agreements; and Privacy, terms of use, content regulation, export controls, consumer protection.

    26 years, 1,000 cases

  4. Communications and media
    15%
    Sales, distribution and fulfillment agreements; Vendor, merchandising, consulting, support, services, retail and reseller agreements; Advertising, public relations, marketing, and promotions; Non-disclosure, confidentiality, data protection, work-made-for hire; and Operational forms and processes including employment agreements, employee manuals, NDA’s,

    26 years, 1,000 cases

  5. Entertainment
    15%
    Film and television production, option, writing, directing and performing agreements; Subscription, VOD, PPV, ad-based, sponsorships and emerging commerce models; Music licensing and strategy, artists, labels, publishing, performing rights; Game licensing and strategy, console, PC, online, and casual game; 1st Amendment, DMCA, safe harbors and other media and entertainment statutes / regulations; and Sponsorship and product placement licensing and strategy

    39 years, 1,000 cases

  6. Intellectual property
    5%
    Copyright, trademark, trade secret, rights of publicity, and user data; E-commerce, underlying technology, DRM, products and services; Mobile devices, set top boxes and emerging hardware products and services; Source-code escrow, open source, end user license agreements; and Privacy, terms of use, content regulation, export controls, consumer protection.

    26 years, 1,000 cases

  7. Lawsuits and disputes
    5%
    Management of litigation and litigation strategy; Protection of corporate assets; and Strategic counsel in corporate agreements.

    26 years, 1,000 cases

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EXCEPTIONAL LEGAL AND BUSINESS AFFAIRS SERVICES, ADVICE AND CREATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR EMERGING BUSINESSES AND ESTABLISHED CORPORATIONS

 

Joleen Winther Hughes founded HMLG specifically to support entrepreneurs and inventors, both big and small, with new business ventures, business and legal strategy and burgeoning media properties, products and services. As a longtime entrepreneur herself, Joleen understands the trials and tribulations of starting and running a successful business and how to allocate and assess risk to get products and services to market.

 

Joleen takes pride in providing legal and business advice to clients to help transform a good idea into a sustainable company. She has set HMLG up specifically to enable clients to set and maintain workable legal budgets and to depend on great communication and interaction with her extraordinary legal team.

 

Joleen has many years of experience providing high-level in house counsel level service to a diverse range of clients, including MobiTV, Agility Studios, ZeptoLab (Cut the Rope), , OnCam, Paramount Digital Entertainment, Big Fish Games, Sanjaya Malakar, DIY Media, Amazon, Yamaha, LXD, Lima Sky (Doodle Jump), r2integrated; Votiv Inc; 360 Solutions, Brightcove, 206 Inc., iFilm, GetBack Media, PulpLab; SpinKix, Music Interactive, Corbis, Microsoft, Flying Spot Entertainment Group, Wet Paint, Cascade Game Foundry, Smartbomb Interactive, Jivox, Zango, Ooyala, Common Craft, Square Enix, Playmous (Tap the Frog), the Yellow Leaf Cupcake Company, Lisa Amore Public Relations, No Depression, Alina's Cucina, and Digital Sidebar, to name a few.

 

Before embarking in private practice, Joleen provided a broad array of business and legal affairs services for RealNetworks’ global media operations and participated in the company’s largest transactions in the consumer services/digital media space including forming MusicNet, the first legal multi-label music distribution initiative, putting together the first VOD digital movie subscription service, and drafting and negotiating agreements with major sports leagues, media companies, television networks, movie studios and record labels to create the first on-line consumer content subscription products and services.

Joleen began her entrepreneurial career in the music industry, where she owned a successful artist management, talent booking, concert production, and special event business during the height of the Seattle "grunge" music explosion for clients including RKCNDY nightclub, Susan Silver and Kelly Curtis Management (Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, Screaming Trees), Media One, Monqui/SLA, The Pioneer Square Pub Club and The University of Washington.

Joleen also currently co-owns the Celtic Swell Irish Pub & Restaurant with her husband, located on Alki Beach in Seattle, Washington and CS Finnegan’s Irish House, located in Seattle’s famed Belltown neighborhood.

 

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Hughes Media Law Group
2003 Western Avenue, Suite 460
Seattle, WA, 98121-2140
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Reviews

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5.0 / 5.0
  4 customer reviews
5 Star
 
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Posted by JA | September 28, 2012
Thank you for consistently providing me peace-of-mind. I am grateful.
Joleen was a referral from a friend, and came highly recommended. From my initial phone conversation to the point at which the disagreement I hired her to settle was settled, she was professional, while sensitive to the fact that I was emotionally raw to find myself in the situation I faced. Joleen's combination of professionalism and personableness was a good fit for me. She remained responsive and ultimately kept me apprised of the interactions on my behalf. In the end, though I can't personally claim to understand the nuances of managing the law, Joleen provided me with peace-of-mind during the process, and resolution to a difficult situation. I have hired Joleen more than once since that initial dispute, and she has always met my inquiries with expeditious response, and offered perspectives and advice that allowed me to better position myself with clients. Her advice and counsel allows me to confidently move forward (or step away from) things that would otherwise leave me perplexed and possibly unprotected without her guidance. I am grateful for Joleen and her ardent commitment to her clients. I recommend her without hesitation.
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Posted by Matt | March 24, 2011
Great for outside general counsel and specialties
I found Joleen and her firm through a reference from a friend in the industry. I was looking for a specific skillset around complex agreements involving royalties and licensing. She and her team nailed the original challenge so well that I retained them as our outside general counsel for all of our corporate matters. We're a technology consulting firm that needs everything from MSA's to SOW's to NDA's and corporate agreements. Joleen and her team not only provide great service, but educate us in the process!
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Posted by James | March 21, 2011
Review of Hughs Media Law
Joleen is a consummate professional and is extremely knowledgeable about the Entertainment and Digital industry. Her particular talents have fostered our ability to be introduced to critical resources and key personal relationships that she has fostered. Her staff portrays the same professionalism and has provided detailed expertise in contract design, patent application for Intellectual Property filings, and key guidance in new areas that have not been covered before in the space where new digital technology combines with traditional entertainment processes. Joleen is witty and extremely savvy in looking at a clients needs and determining the best possible way to making their goals a reality.
Read less
Posted by anonymous | May 5, 2009
CEO
I've worked with Joleen and her fiirm, Hughes Media Law, for almost 6 months. We communicate on a daily basis and in this brief time, she has become an integral and trusted member of our decision making team.The projects we've thrown at her are complex, technical and unique. At every turn, she has delivered a superior, thoughtful product and always on time. As we continue to work together, the scope of the relationship continues to grow, as well. I recommned her and her firm without hesitation. For the prepartion agreements or any other work related to technology, she is as good as I've seen. She made the effort to truly understand our business and has assisted in ways we never expected.
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Cost

Rates
  • Hourly Rates $ 150-400 per hour
  • Retainer Sometimes
Payment methods
Cash, Check

Resume

AVVO RATING 8.7 (Excellent)

Work Experience

  • Adjunct Professor
  • University of Washington School of Law
  • 2011 - Present
  • Founder and Principal
  • Hughes Media Law Group
  • 2008 - Present
  • Adjunct Professor
  • Seattle University School of Law
  • 2006 - 2006
  • Founder & Principal
  • MediaTech Law Group
  • 2005 - 2008
  • Owner
  • Akkord
  • 2004 - 2005
  • Senior Counsel
  • RealNetworks, Inc.
  • 1997 - 2004
View all work experience

Education

  • Seattle University School of Law
  • JD - Juris Doctor
  • 1999
  • University of Washington -Seattle
  • BA
  • 1989

Legal Cases

  • Music Licensing and New Media Platforms
  • Content Acquisitions
  • Content Acquisition
  • Successful transactions
View all legal cases

Associations

  • Digital Hollywood - Women's Board
  • Board Member
  • 2012 - Present
  • Rain City Rock Camp
  • Board of Directors
  • 2011 - Present
  • American Bar Association
  • N/A
  • Washington State Bar Association
  • N/A
View all associations

Languages Spoken

  • English

Honors and Awards

  • Top 100 Women in Technology
  • TechFlash Seattle's Technology News Source
  • 2009

Publications

  • Washington Law and Politics
  • They Wanna Rock
  • 2002
  • VLA Journal of Law & the Arts, Vol. 24
  • Copyright Use and Excuse on the Internet
  • 2000
View all publications

Speaking Engagements

  • Lawyernomics
  • Innovating Attorney Panel
  • 2015
  • Mergers and Acquisitions in Technology Industries
  • M&A in Technology
  • 2014
  • Lawyernomics
  • How to Build Your Brand and Grow Your Network
  • 2014
  • Siggraph
  • Business Symposium
  • 2013
  • Fall 2011 Digital Hollywood
  • Wheeling & Dealing: negotiating new media agreements
  • 2011
  • Seattle University School of Law
  • Music Licensing
  • 2010
  • Seattle University School of Law
  • Music Licensing
  • 2009
  • 14th Annual Intellectual Property Forum,
  • Featured speaker on developments in the Music Licensing space
  • 2009
  • IPTV Workshop
  • Legal Factors in IPTV
  • 2007
  • Internet Enabled Television Conference
  • Picking the Right Dance Partner, Finding the Best Fit Between Various Services and Content Owners, Distributors and Aggregator
  • 2007
  • Entertainment Law Conference
  • Entertainment Contract Drafting Workshop: Legal Challenges, Business Opportunities and Practical Strategies in Digital Media Transactions
  • 2007
  • Internet Enabled Television
  • Picking the Right Dance Partner, Finding the Best Fit Between Various Services and Content Owners, Distributors and Aggregator
  • 2006
  • Music Licensing
  • Music Licensing Basics
  • 2004
  • Music Licensing
  • Music Licensing Basics
  • 2004
  • Media Law
  • Licensing Music for Media Productions”
  • 2004
  • Media Law
  • Licensing Music for Media Productions
  • 2001
View all speaking engagements

Attorney endorsements

Received (5)
Given (1)
Endorse Joleen
Jennifer Anne Brandt headshot
Jennifer Brandt
Business Attorney | May 06
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"Joleen is a top notch lawyer who clearly cares about her clients. I highly recommend her."
Christine Lepera headshot
Christine Lepera
Intellectual property Attorney | Oct 01
Relationship: Worked together on matter
"I endorse this lawyer.Joleen and I have worked together for quite some time now on behalf of a highly successful game developer in connection with overall strategy and dispute issues. Joleen’s advice, insight, good judgment, and ability to communicate clearly and concisely with the client and its other counsel has been essential to the progress of matters. In addition, she is a terrific person and fun to work with. She has a great attitude and demeanor, and is always attempting to be helpful and cooperative to move matters in a positive direction."
Patrick Leo Mcguigan headshot
Patrick Mcguigan
Business Attorney | Aug 07
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"I endorse this lawyer's work. Joleen is a very conscientious and dedicated lawyer."
Robert C. Cumbow headshot
Robert Cumbow
Entertainment Attorney | Aug 07
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"Joleen is an excellent entertainment media lawyer with a rare mix of uniquely qualifying experience. I have frequently called upon her skills in music licensing and in advising entertainment and arts clients generally about contracting and licensing issues. Her past work in the music industry and then with Real Networks has made her one of a handful of go-to lawyers in the entire country on issues of this kind. She is responsive and efficient, and handles matters with precision and economy."
William C Way headshot
William Way
Intellectual property Attorney | Oct 13
Relationship: Supervised lawyer
"I endorse this lawyer's work."
Patrick Leo Mcguigan headshot
Patrick Mcguigan
Employment and labor
Seattle Business Lawyer Joleen Hughes
Joleen Hughes
Business Attorney
Seattle, WA
Licensed for 24 years
View Contact Info