Max N. Wellman
Partner
Max understands the needs of the business and creative communities and takes a proactive role in handling his clients' top legal concerns. He regularly serves as outside general counsel to well-established and industry-leading companies, as well as smaller industry disruptors. When litigation is unavoidable, Max handles complex commercial disputes involving intellectual property, trade secrets, commercial debts, corporate dissolutions, and general contract and business tort claims. He also assists brands and other intellectual property owners in building, protecting, and monetizing their assets.
Related Practices
Related Industries
Experience
Experience
Representative Matters
- Represented a premium Los Angeles-based merchandise company in connection with artist and festival merchandise agreements, trademark portfolio advice, and strategic corporate counseling in the sale of interest in the company to one of the world’s largest independent record labels and distribution companies
- Provided strategic counseling to a San Diego-based consumer packaged goods company in connection with its intellectual property portfolio
- Represented a music festival production and promotion company in several highly contentious and public intellectual property disputes
- Represented a full-service production company in corporate and entertainment-related projects, including clearance work, commercial production agreements, and intellectual property litigation
- Successfully prosecuted a commercial contract dispute on behalf of a Los Angeles-based swimsuit designer/manufacturer, culminating in multi-day arbitration
- Successfully defended a technology start-up in a heavily litigated trade secret dispute filed by a well-known private company
- Obtained a favorable result at arbitration for a mid-sized hotel partnership in a corporate dissolution proceeding pursuant to California Corporations Code § 2000
- Successfully prosecuted a shareholder derivative action on behalf of three former owners of a wine company in Paso Robles
- Obtained judgments of more than $18 million in a fraud and conversion claim on behalf of a group of real estate investors
- Represented a luxury real estate rental and lifestyle company in connection with general commercial disputes
- Represented a global influencer in copyright infringement litigation
- Obtained a favorable settlement, including forfeiture of a disputed URL in a Uniform Domain-Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP) claim for a Los Angeles-based apparel and streetwear company
- Represented a global makeup influencer in general corporate and brand sponsorship matters
- Successfully served as lead trial counsel in a heavily disputed quiet title action culminating in a multi-day bench trial that resulted in a favorable pre-verdict settlement after presentation of evidence
- Represented an end-to-end marketing company in multiple commercial debt disputes
Insights
Insights
Credentials
Credentials
Education
- J.D. Southwestern University School of Law 2013
- B.A. Political Science San Diego State University 2010
Bar Admissions
- California
Court Admissions
- U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California
Clerk Experience
- Honorable Elizabeth Ann Lippitt Los Angeles County Superior Court
Professional Memberships and Activities
- Past president, Downtown Los Angeles Bar Association (DTLABA)
Recognition
Recognition
- The Best Lawyers in America, Ones to Watch, 2025
- Super Lawyers
- Up-and-Coming 100, Southern California, 2022
- Rising Star, Southern California, 2018 – 2023
- Variety, Dealmakers Impact Report, 2022
Community
Community
Volunteerism
- Former member, Futures Board, Jewish National Fund