Advertising, media, and entertainment law have undergone dramatic changes in recent years, driven by technological innovations and the growing dominance of digital platforms. As global businesses expand, they face new opportunities and unprecedented challenges, especially those concerning market transparency, competition, and intellectual property. Larger companies are increasingly consolidating their market power, using their dominant positions to suppress emerging competitors and control the flow of information and resources. This creates an unfair landscape where innovation is stifled, and smaller players struggle to break into the market. In this fiercely competitive and ever-evolving landscape, expert legal guidance has become essential for those navigating the complexities of media and advertising law to level the playing field.
Douglas J. Wood has made it his life’s work to navigate these complexities, carving out a distinguished career as a thought leader expert in media and advertising law. With decades of experience, Wood has advised high-profile clients and worked on some of the most pivotal legal cases in the industry, striving to ensure fair competition and transparency for businesses large and small. His expertise has shaped the legal framework of the sector and provided critical support to emerging companies seeking to thrive in a market often dominated by giants. As the media and advertising industries evolve, Wood remains a cornerstone of legal guidance in an increasingly competitive and fast-paced environment.
Douglas J. Wood is an American attorney and author with a legal career of over 45 years. He retired as an entertainment and media partner at Reed Smith and is currently the principal of the Law Offices of Douglas J. Wood, PLLC. Wood was born on August 14, 1950, to parents Gilbert Fitzgerald and Rhoda Prois Wood. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Rhode Island, earning his Juris Doctor from the Franklin Pierce Law Center soon after. Wood received a Master of Laws in Trade Regulation from New York University School of Law and was later awarded an Honorary Doctor of Laws by the University of New Hampshire. He has also served as an adjunct professor of advertising law at the UNH Franklin Pierce School of Law and University College Cork in Ireland. Wood began his legal career as an associate at Abeles Clark & Osterberg in New York. Here, he advised musical performers and composers and participated in landmark trials. In 1977, he moved to Hall Dickler Lawler Kent & Howley as an associate, climbing the ranks to become Executive Managing Partner, overseeing the operations of the 40-lawyer firm. Wood made the firm reputable and was renamed to Hall Dickler Kent Friedman & Wood in 1985.
Wood has represented diverse clients, offering expert counsel in advertising, marketing, promotions, motion pictures, television, publishing, unfair competition, intellectual property, and e-commerce. He has worked with individual clients and global corporations, earning a reputation as a trusted attorney. Wood also served as legal advisor for several multinational trade organizations, becoming the general counsel to the Association of National Advertisers (ANA) and MMA Global. He is also the founder and member of the Global Advertising Lawyers Alliance. In 2004, Wood and colleagues at Hall Dickler led him to Reed Smith LLP, where he was responsible for founding the firm’s Entertainment and Media Law practice group. Under his leadership, this group expanded into one of the greatest and most respected in the industry. His contributions helped shape Reed Smith’s global presence in the sector, and he served as a member of its Global Executive Committee and as a Managing Partner of the firm’s New York office.
Douglas J. Wood is recognized globally as a top authority in advertising law, with accolades from Chambers and Partners, Legal 500, The Best Lawyers in America, and Super Lawyers. He served over 20 years as General Counsel to the Association of National Advertisers (ANA), led the 2023 ANA study uncovering billions in digital ad waste, and guided the 2016 ANA investigation into media buying transparency with FBI collaboration. He authored the ANA’s industry-standard Master Media Buying Agreement and negotiated four major union contracts as the Chief Negotiator for the Joint Policy Committee. His honors include a Lifetime Achievement Award from Franklin Pierce School of Law (2024), an Honorary Doctor of Laws from UNH (2011), and a U.S. patent for an IP mapping system. Wood also led a $700M sale to LVMH and founded the first Western law firm in Romania post-Ceaușescu. He has been on the Board of Trustees at the Franklin Pierce Law Center for over 20 years, where he was instrumental in its merger with the University of New Hampshire. He remains involved as a member of the Dean’s Advisory Council. His generosity includes endowing the $1 million-plus Wood Scholars scholarship fund, donating over $200,000 to the Sports & Entertainment Law Institute, and contributing $100,000 to support DEI initiatives. Wood lives in North Carolina with his wife of 52 years, Carol Ann, and is a proud father of three and grandfather of five. He holds dual citizenship in the U.S. and Ireland, carrying his legacy across borders and generations.
