Being a Fashionable Lawyer: The Style Laws of Douglas Hand

Douglas Hand is a well-known lawyer practicing in the field of fashion law, one of the founding partners of HBA in New York, which represents the interests of brands such as Rag & Bone, 3.1 Phillip Lim, Rodarte, Anna Sui, Public School and Mansur Gavriel.

After receiving a law degree and an MBA from New York University, Douglas began his career in 1997 at the Shearman & Sterling law firm. He has worked in the firm's New York and Paris offices, representing clients in public transactions (i.e., involving companies whose shares are traded on the stock market). In 2004, Hand and his partner, Alan Baldashin, founded the law firm HBA, which now employs over 20 lawyers.

In addition, Douglas is also a member of the Business Committee of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), the CFDA Incubator Advisory Board, and the CFDA Fashion Awards Guild. Douglas teaches as a visiting professor at the New York University School of Law. Benjamin Cardozo, where he also serves on the Advisory Board of the Center for Fashion, Art, Media, and Entertainment Law (FAME). He is also a member of the Board of Trustees of the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) and the Board of Fashion Designers of FIT.

Fashion Law Russia (FLR): Why fashion law? What motivated you to become a "fashionable" lawyer?

Douglas Hand (DH): I've always been drawn to creative people. Although our work as legal advisers allows for a certain level of creativity, I've always admired artists who are able to turn their creativity into a business, just like fashion designers do. I think it was my love for the creative process itself and my desire to be involved in it that inspired me to become a lawyer specializing in the fashion industry.

FLR: What is a "fashion" lawyer's workday like?

DH: Every day is a new experience! Fashion law, indeed, covers many areas of law that relate to the fashion industry. As the principal legal advisor to many of my clients, I can switch between matters related to early stage financing for a new brand, a potential litigation for another brand or a resolution of an IP issue for a third.

FLR: What do you enjoy the most about your "fashion" legal profession?

DH: The variety of issues is certainly very appealing, as it is the opportunity to work directly with designers. There are also nice bonuses in the form of discounts in boutiques and participation in fashion shows.

FLR: Tell us about a special case in your career.

DH: There have been many memorable cases in my practice, such as when we helped designers defend their trade mark rights during a corporate conflict. These cases make you feel like you can truly help preserve someone's legacy, which brings a deep sense of satisfaction.

FLR: How and why did you decide to teach fashion law?

DH: Interest in this field continues to grow, and several years ago I received offers to become a visiting professor at the same time from the Faculty of Law. Benjamin Cardozo and the University of New York. I think that practicing lawyers, as teachers, can share with students not only real practical skills, but also many anecdotal stories from the "front line".

FLR: Should a lawyer first gain some specific knowledge about the fashion industry before practicing fashion law?

DH: Understanding the fashion business is crucial. It's not just about having a keen eye for product or understanding trends, but also about being aware of the business realities your client is facing and, importantly, protecting them legally to help their business grow. Therefore, it's essential to stay informed about the industry itself (reading not only Vogue but also resources like The Business of Fashion and WWD here in the United States is crucial).

Moreover, I believe that there is a common misconception that if someone is a fashion lawyer, they are or should be fashionable. A fashion lawyer should first and foremost be an excellent lawyer and understand fashion as a business, which does not necessarily make them "fashionable". Fashion is a vast industry that is not always the most attractive. If you've ever been to a factory that makes clothes, you realize that sometimes it's a pretty dirty place (laughs); and the people who run it aren't necessarily fashionable, but they're well-versed in manufacturing. Therefore, it's more about understanding the business itself, rather than whether you are an aesthete or not.

FLR: We have learned that you are preparing to release your first book, The Laws of Style. Tell us more about it.

DH: This book is not about fashion law, it is about dressing well for a professional gentleman. We are in the midst of a cultural shift — a turning point from an aesthetic perspective — where business norms for clothing are changing. "Casual Friday" has given way to a "casual workweek". With so many options for clothing, men need guidance. Looking dignified and elegant is what inspires me. Clients want you to look like a lawyer. And for a man, this certainly means being dressed in a conservative suit, but that doesn't mean you can't express some personal style. You can have an elegant pocket square, a beautiful lining of a jacket; you can create a really sophisticated look if you pay attention to certain details. The book "The Laws of Style" is exactly about this. These will be clear rules for presenting yourself through clothing from the perspective of an extremely practical approach that reflects the office realities of the "professional services" class (lawyer, banker, accountant, consultant). And yet, "The Laws of Style" is meant to be more than that. This book explores the realms of self-expression with the goal of not only strengthening your career, but enriching your life. My publisher is the American Bar Association, and the book itself will be presented as part of New York's Men's Fashion Week in February.

FLR: What would you advise a young designer who wants to launch their own brand?

DH: To choose your partners wisely and to document the investments made in the early stages. In my practice, there have been many examples of friends starting a business together without recording how much money each of them invested in the common cause. However, once the brand reached a certain level of success and it was about real money, the partners started to wonder who owned what. In the absence of a written agreement, such stories often end in serious disputes.

Also, avoid naming your brand with your own name or surname, unless you want to lose the right to use it when you later sell the company. Do not skimp on your marketing and PR budget, as well as your accounting and legal services. And you shouldn't focus too much on wholesale. In most cases, direct access to consumers is safer and more profitable.

FLR: Is the job of a fashion law lawyer in New York well-paying?

DH: I would say yes. The global fashion industry is estimated to be worth $2-3 trillion. There is a lot of money involved in this industry, and the stakes are quite high. We, in particular, handle mergers and acquisitions for fashion brands, some of which are among the most valuable private companies in the world. Therefore, like any company that specializes in private business, we are quite successful and able to pay our lawyers competitive salaries, even compared to the largest law firms.