Lawson’s practice focuses on high-exposure, fast-moving commercial disputes with significant financial stakes and sophisticated counterparties.
Outmaneuvering institutional adversaries, Lawson frequently reverses defensive postures into commanding advantages—turning $233K claw backs into $1.14M settlements in 7 days; increasing severance packages by 289%, or slashing demands by 80%, pre-litigation.
Lawson Huynh, Esq.
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Turned $233,000 equity clawback into a $1.14 million settlement within seven days during a $10 million merge
Resolved contract claim and retaliation suit for 13x the initial demand in landmark first impression case expanding executive liability under New York Freelance Isn’t Free Act.
Secured 228% increase in severance compensation for private equity associate increasing the company's initial $43,000 offer by $98,000 after unearthing company’s cross-border legal exposure under US/Italian law.
Obtained voluntary dismissal of a CIPA trap-and-trace lawsuit involving six-figure exposure and mandatory statutory attorney’s fees, without settlement or payment.
Secured favorable settlement terms for Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen in a confidential employment mediation involving claims under the Fair Labor Standards Act and New York Labor Law.
Secured a $45,000 pre-suit settlement from Brooklyn Mirage within 12 days for former Director of Premium Sales in no-severance termination and commission dispute. Reframed $60,000 commission kept by the venue as unlawful wage theft under NYLL with $150,000 exposure.
Recovered $50,000—approximately 90% of a $55,551.76 contract claim—within eight days after the claim had remained unpaid for a year.
Resolved a 10-count California FEHA wrongful termination lawsuit for a $30,000 client contribution against a $110,000 settlement demand, with a co-defendant contributing the balance.
Negotiated a $300,000 demand asserting multiple claims in a recruiting fee dispute to a lawsuit asserting a single claim for $60,000.
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Retained seven days prior to the closing of a $10M merger, Lawson represented a founding engineer facing a pretextual termination designed to trigger clawbacks of his vested equity and forfeit unvested shares. Over a 36-hour blitz, Lawson negotiated directly with the company board and outside counsel, exposing executive misconduct and establishing preparedness for immediate injunctive relief. On the eve of the merger closing, the company relented and awarded the client 1,000,000 shares—yielding a $1.14M cash wire at closing and establishing a $1.37M total financial value secured in one week.
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Negotiated against General Counsel of prominent private equity firm and secured 228% increase in severance compensation for mid-level associate. Challenged the firm’s pretextual termination basis and surfaced cross-border legal exposure implicating unwaivable employee rights under Italian law resulting in additional $98,000 in severance compensation (from $43,000 to $141,000) and 100% carry retention.
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Negotiated with General Counsel of Avant Gardner/Brooklyn Mirage to resolve no severance termination and $60,000 commission dispute on behalf of Director of Premium Sales. Reframed the venue’s improper withholding as wage theft under NYLL with $150,000+ in legal exposure resulting in $45,000 pre-suit settlement within 12 day window.
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Defended Qatari-backed investment fund against a $300,000 fee demand from recruiting agency represented by Am Law 200 firm. Timely interception of errant communication prevented six figure account stated claim and contract arguments forced plaintiff to recalibrate position resulting in single breach of contract claim for $60,000—abandoning 80% ($240,000) of its initial demand. The parties await the Court’s decision on Irth’s motion to dismiss.
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Defeated motion to dismiss in a suit asserting unpaid fees and retaliation under the New York City Freelance Isn't Free Act (FIFA). The Court rejected the defendants' dismissal arguments and sustained claims against the CEO individually, establishing the first New York state-court to apply Labor Law’s "economic realities" test as basis for conferring "hiring parties” status on executives under FIFA. The resulting precedent led to a settlement exceeding 1,200% of the baseline claim.
FAQs
$1.37M Financial Swing
In September 2025, Lawson secured a $1.14M cash settlement from an AI start up attempting to clawback $233,000 from a founding engineer just before their $10M merger. In a 7-day blitz, Lawson took the company and its board to task, blocking the clawback, and enforcing the client’s equity stake to secure a $1.14M cash payment from the company.
228% Severance Increase
The next month, in October 2025, Lawson negotiated a 228% increase in severance compensation for a private equity associate at a major investment firm terminated for alleged “performance” reasons. Despite their General Counsel refusing to revise the initial $43,000 offer, the parties agreed to a final severance package of $141,000 plus 100% carry.
80% Demand Reduction
Recently, Lawson successfully shielded Irth Capital—an investment firm backed by Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulla Al-Thani of the Qatari royal family—against a $300,000 multi-claim demand from an executive recruiting agency. Facing a powerhouse litigation firm, and an overwhelmingly broad fee entitlement provision, Lawson narrowed the pre-litigation dispute to a single $60,000 claim, slashing the client's exposure by 80%. Irth Capital originally retained Lawson to navigate a federal subpoena issued by the U.S. Department of State Office of Inspector General (OIG) concerning a former U.S. Ambassador who had briefly consulted for the firm.
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Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP
Lowenstein Sandler LLP
Olshan Frome & Wolosky LLP
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Law Clerk, Hon. Andrea Masley, J.S.C.
New York State Supreme Court, Commercial Division (2017) -
St. John’s University School of Law (J.D., 2016)
Managing Director,
Moot Court Honor SocietyJournal of Civil Rights and Economic Development
Thomas Tang National Moot Court Competition
National Quarterfinalist, 2013,
Second Best Brief, 2013National Finalist, 2014
Best Brief, 2014St. John’s University
(B.S., 2010) -
State of New York
U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York
U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Eastern District of New York
FAQs
$1.37M Financial Swing
In September 2025, Lawson secured a $1.14M cash settlement from an AI start up attempting to clawback $233,000 from a founding engineer just before their $10M merger. In a 7-day blitz, Lawson took the company and its board to task, blocking the clawback, and enforcing the client’s equity stake to secure a $1.14M cash payment from the company.
228% Severance Increase
The next month, in October 2025, Lawson negotiated a 228% increase in severance compensation for a private equity associate at a major investment firm terminated for alleged “performance” reasons. Despite their General Counsel refusing to revise the initial $43,000 offer, the parties agreed to a final severance package of $141,000 plus 100% carry.
80% Demand Reduction
Recently, Lawson successfully shielded Irth Capital—an investment firm backed by Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulla Al-Thani of the Qatari royal family—against a $300,000 multi-claim demand from an executive recruiting agency. Facing a powerhouse litigation firm, and an overwhelmingly broad fee entitlement provision, Lawson narrowed the pre-litigation dispute to a single $60,000 claim, slashing the client's exposure by 80%. Irth Capital originally retained Lawson to navigate a federal subpoena issued by the U.S. Department of State Office of Inspector General (OIG) concerning a former U.S. Ambassador who had briefly consulted for the firm.