HWG LLP

Firm Details:

Chairman: John Nakahata

Managing Partner: William M Wiltshire

Number of partners: 35

Number of lawyers: 54

Firm Overview:

HWG LLP is one of the premier communications, information technology and litigation law firms in North America. Since its founding 25 years ago, HWG has advised innovative organizations and individuals on complex legal issues. Expanding beyond its deep roots in the communications industry, HWG has built its reputation by successfully representing clients before government agencies, in nuanced business transactions, and in complex disputes and litigation.

HWG is deliberately slimline. The firm is designed to offer clients access to top tier talent without unnecessary overhead, and to foster a close-knit community of lawyers dedicated to innovation and collaboration. HWG’s success in achieving these objectives has been widely recognized in legal rankings and by a corporate client base that includes market leaders, emerging enterprises and start-up companies, as well as Fortune 500 companies across a wide range of industries.

Main Areas of Practice:

Telecommunications:

HWG lawyers have played a major role in shaping US regulation in virtually every area of communications and technology law. The firm’s prominence in the telecommunications sector continues to be central to its core. HWG represents clients on policy, licensing and enforcement proceedings before US and foreign government agencies; agency approvals from transactions and transfers of wireline, wireless, and satellite licenses; and on complex issues arising from infrastructure deployment, including negotiating spectrum leases and subsea and terrestrial fiber IRUs and leases.

Litigation:

HWG has a prominent and substantial litigation practice representing companies and individuals in white collar criminal cases, commercial civil litigation, and government investigations, appearing before federal and state courts, arbitrators and administrative tribunals. The firm’s trial practice handles all stages of litigation, administrative actions, arbitration, and internal investigations — from discovery, motions practice, through trial. HWG’s appellate attorneys have briefed and argued a wide variety of cases in the Supreme Court. In the federal courts of appeals, HWG attorneys have handled both communications cases — including wireless, common carrier, cable, and broadcast issues — and a broad array of appeals in other substantive areas.

International Trade:

The firm represents communications and other clients on foreign direct investment, cross-border infrastructure and services transactions and export controls. HWG represents companies before the US Trade Representative and Department of State in WTO and ITU matters, market access and investorstate disputes, and bilateral and regional trade negotiations. The firm also represents companies in public international law matters, jurisdictional disputes among sovereign states and the Law of the Sea issues, especially with respect to undersea cables and satellite services.

Corporate & Commercial Transactions:

HWG has extensive experience preparing and negotiating agreements specific to the telecommunications and media industries; representing buyers and sellers in private company mergers and acquisitions; and providing general corporate and commercial advice, with an emphasis on advising start-up companies in the fields of technology and telecommunications.

Privacy, Security & Data Governance:

HWG advises clients on the full range of privacy, data use, and cybersecurity issues. The firm has helped entities develop and implement privacy and security policies and conduct in-depth risk-assessments. And in the event of data breaches or alleged improper use of data, HWG offers clients swift crisis management and representation in litigation and government investigations.

Energy:

HWG has a rapidly expanding energy practice representing industry on DOE efficiency standards, test procedures, investigations and enforcement and rule making proceedings

Legal Ethics:

HWG represents law firms, individual lawyers, government officials, and in-house counsel in the areas of malpractice, disqualification, disciplinary investigations and prosecutions, lateral moves, bar admissions, fee disputes, criminal investigations, and law firm mergers and dissolutions. Representations include both counseling to avoid potential disputes or ethics issues and litigating disqualification motions.