Jonathan Segal

Representing the Los Angeles Times and the Tribune Company in a copyright infringement lawsuit brought by a freelance photographer who claimed that the defendants were liable for more than five hundred violations of his copyrights for the use of photographs that the Times defendants claimed were covered by a license agreement. Succeeded in a motion to compel arbitration in 2011. In 2012, succeeded in obtaining a judgment from the arbitrator in favor of the Times and the Tribune dismissing the lawsuit, and granting the defendants' request for attorneys' fees and costs in excess of $260,000. (2011-present)

Prosecuting Freedom of Information Act lawsuit to compel the U.S. Justice Department to disclose its legal memoranda concerning the legality of the lethal targeting of U.S. citizens overseas. (Ongoing)

Represented the Los Angeles Times and Associated Press in their intervention into a long-running dispute regarding the release of documents reflecting the alleged abuse of children, and conduct by the Archdiocese of Los Angeles in connection with that alleged abuse. Obtained the release of unredacted documents, which included the names of all members of the Church Hierarchy charged with supervising accused priests. (Cal. Super. Ct. 2012)

Defended hospital-related entities in breach of contract and related claims arising from two failed attempts by plaintiffs to acquire hospital. (Cal. Super. Ct. 2012)

Represented multimedia company Media General in a suit alleging breach of contract and fraud related to the development of mobile applications to use smartphones and tablets as second screens while watching television (C.D. Cal. 2011)

Represented the Los Angeles Times and McClatchy newspapers in landmark case seeking California Legislators' office budget records under the Legislative Open Records Act (LORA). The Court ordered the release of all records sought and the Legislature paid The Times and McClatchy’s attorneys’ fees incurred in securing the order. (Cal. Super. Ct. 2011)

Represented the Los Angeles Times in a series of related cases, all of which arose from The Times' reporting about two brothers, both former Beverly Hills surgeons, who began a lucrative weight-loss business. Omidi v. Hiltzik and Omidi v. Pfeifer alleged defamation based on reporting by The Times, and Silverman v. Hiltzik alleged illegal recording of phone conversations by a Times columnist. All three cases were thrown out on early motions under California's SLAPP law, and fees were awarded to The Times in each case. A fourth case alleging violations of federal trademark laws was also thrown out by a federal judge on an early motion. (Cal. Super. Ct. 2011; C.D. Cal. 2011)

Represented Hart Energy Publishing, publisher of "Oil and Gas Investor" and oilandgasinvestor.com, in a defamation, false light, and misappropriation case arising from an article published by Hart. The case was thrown out on an early motion under California’s SLAPP statute, and the California Court of Appeal upheld its dismissal. Hart also recovered nearly all the attorneys' fees incurred in the action. (Cal. Super. Ct.; Cal. Ct. of Appeals, 4th Dist. 2011)