Featured Practices
Jong-min Choi’s practice spans a variety of commercial and intellectual property disputes, with industry expertise in the areas of technology, entertainment, and real estate.
Jong-min has assisted clients ranging from individuals to global corporations with some of their most complex and uncertain legal challenges, tailoring creative dispute resolution strategies to serve each client’s unique business priorities. With experience in leading front-end and back-end web development and in integrating with other software developers, Jong-min brings the rare ability to grasp complex technical concepts and translate them into plain language.
Jong-min also specializes in matters involving South Korea, leveraging his native-level fluency in Korean and understanding of the social and corporate culture and practices.
Prior to law school, Jong-min had a military career in South Korea for six years, first as a South Korean Army officer serving in the Joint Chiefs of Staff headquarters, and then as a civilian contractor for the U.S. Forces Korea. During his military service, he earned the Army Intelligence School Commandant’s Medal for achieving the top ranking in his specialized officer training class, and the Joint Staff Chief Director’s Distinction for meritorious service.
Education & Admissions
- University of Southern California, Gould School of Law, J.D., Order of the Coif, Senior Submissions Editor, Southern California Law Review, 2019
- Korea University, B.A., with honors, 2009
- California, 2019
Notable Matters
Achieved a favorable resolution of a patent infringement lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware.
Defended a major South Korean electronics manufacturer in a breach of contract claim that required expert testimony on Korean procedural and substantive law. After the expert depositions that Jong-min took and defended, the plaintiff expressly abandoned the claim before trial.
Advised a South Korean medical devices manufacturer on patent infringement risks with the company’s strategic move into the United States market.
Represented leading test prep and college consulting company in a trademark opposition action before the Trademark Trial & Appeal Board over a competitor’s confusingly similar trademark registration, resulting in the express abandonment with prejudice of the competitor’s mark.
Represented a real estate company in defeating an attempt at an early termination of a ground lease of a Beverly Hills lot that the company had built a high-rise commercial building on, developing a novel legal theory that prevailed at summary adjudication and ended up being the sole basis for the favorable result secured at trial and upheld at appeal.
Defended a national health insurer in a coverage dispute, obtaining a dismissal as to all causes of action at the initial pleading stage.
Awards & Recognition
- Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch, Commercial Litigation; Intellectual Property Law; Litigation - IP, Best Lawyers®, 2024
- Army Intelligence School Commandant’s Medal, South Korean Army
- Joint Staff Chief Director’s Distinction, South Korean Army
Publications
- Co-Author, "Dueling Experts: What Olean Might Mean for the Future of Class Certification in the Ninth Circuit," California Litigation, Vol. 35, Issue 3, January 2023
News & Insights
Record Number of Bird Marella Attorneys Recognized in 2024 Edition of Best Lawyers®
Bird Marella is proud to announce the inclusion of 26 lawyers in the 2024 edition of Best Lawyers in America® and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® by U.S. …
Friday, August 18, 2023
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