Laura Handman, co-chair of the firm’s Appellate practice, concentrates on media and intellectual property law. She provides pre-publication counseling and litigation services from complaint through trial and appeal to U.S. and foreign broadcasters, film studios, and book, magazine, newspaper and Internet publishers. Laura has extensive experience in libel, newsgathering, privacy, reporter’s privilege and First Amendment matters and has served as an expert on American libel law in actions in England, Northern Ireland and Australia. She brings recognized expertise to clients copyright and trademark litigation and was appointed a special master in S.D.N.Y. to review advertising and promotion in a civil fraud action.
Laura’s clients include: Air America Radio Network, Amazon.com, CNN, Discovery Communications, The Economist, Fox Television Stations, The Guardian, Hachette Book Group USA (formerly Little Brown and Company), HarperCollins, The New York Daily News, The New York Observer, National Public Radio (NPR), Random House, Reader’s Digest, Reed Elsevier, Talking Points Memo, TMZ, U.S. News & World Report and Warner Brothers.
Laura is a member of the firm's executive committee.
Selected Experience
CACI International v. Randi Rhodes and Piquant, LLC (Air America Radio)
Air America Radio, Randi Rhodes
2008
Secured summary judgment dismissing libel suit which alleged that, on her radio program, Rhodes falsely stated that CACI interrogators were responsible for rape, murder and torture at Abu Ghraib prison. Affirming summary judgment, the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals held that statements were either not made with actual malice, based on findings of military investigations and news accounts, or were nonactionable hyperbole.
Col. Adams v. Discovery Communications, LLC, et al.
Discovery Communications, LLC, Warner Bros.
2008
2nd Circuit affirmed dismissal of copyright infringement claim arising out of the movie “Polar Express” and cable program “Extreme Engineering.”
Mar-Jac Poultry v. Katz, et al., Unus v. Katz, et al.
Ongoing
Defending author of book “Terrorist Hunter” against two libel suits and one constitutional tort action arising out her investigation of Muslim charities’ alleged funding of terrorism. One libel suit dropped, one pending and constitutional tort action dismissed and affirmed by the Fourth Circuit (2009).
DMBJ v. TMZ
Warner Bros Entertainment, TMZ
2009
Obtained dismissal of copyright infringement claim by paparazzo for use of celebrity clip.
The Humane Society of the United States v. Amazon.com, et al.
Amazon.com, Inc.
Ongoing
Representing Amazon.com in a lawsuit brought by the Humane Society of the United States regarding sale of subscriptions to gamecock magazines. Motion to dismiss pending.
Martin v. New York Daily News, L.P.
New York Daily News, L.P.
Ongoing
Defending daily newspaper in libel action brought by a sitting judge.
Stern v. New York Daily News L.P., et al.
New York Daily News
Ongoing
Obtained dismissal of complaint arising out of allegations that the plaintiff, a gossip reporter, asked for payment in exchange for protection from negative stories. Motion to dismiss granted.
Wolosky v. Straus Media of Northern New Jersey, d/b/a Straus Newspapers
2009
Obtained dismissal of libel claim brought by town activist against local paper in New Jersey.
Hatfill v. Mukasey, et al.
Coalition of media organizations
2008
Represented coalition of media organizations as amici in support of a reporter facing contempt sanctions in a Privacy Act suit for refusing to reveal confidential sources related to the investigation of the 2001 anthrax attacks. Filed two amicus briefs in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Appeal dismissed as moot.
Moore v. Discovery Communications, LLC
Discovery Communications
2008
Defended Discovery Communications in suit seeking to prevent showing of award-winning documentary "Man on Wire" at Tribeca Film Festival, on the grounds of use of unlicensed photographs. TRO denied; case settled.
Interphase Garment v. Fox Television Stations
Fox News Stations
2008
Obtained dismissal of claims for defamation, interference with contract, emotional distress, and invasion of privacy arising from local Fox affiliate’s coverage of plaintiff’s failure to deliver school uniforms on time. Established Maryland precedent regarding statute of limitations as applied to mass media.
Bank Julius Baer v. Wikileaks.org
Coalition of media organizations
2008
Represented amici to successfully oppose and vacate a prior restraint order issued by a federal court against Wikileaks.org after confidential Swiss banking records were posted to this whistleblower Web site.
United States v. U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California
Coalition of media organizations
2008
Represented amici on appeal in support of access to sensitive government information presented at sentencing hearing; affirmed by 9th Circuit.
In re Grand Jury Subpoena Dated August 7, 2006
Amazon.com, Inc.
2007
Successfully represented online bookseller in asserting First Amendment rights and opposing grand jury subpoena seeking records of customer purchases of expressive material.
Wong v. Simon & Schuster
Simon & Schuster
2007
Defeated injunction against book publisher in copyright infringement action.
Massey Coal v. United Mine Workers of America, et al.
United Mine Workers of America
2007
Obtained dismissal of libel action brought by a coal mining company and its president against union; appeal denied.
ConnectU, Inc. v. Facebook, Inc.
Vintage Media, LLC
2007
Facebook sought to force the magazine 02138 to remove sealed documents about its founder, Mark Zuckerberg, from the magazine’s Web site. Successful defense by attorneys from Davis Wright Tremaine led a federal judge to reject the company’s request for a court order to take down the material.
Flowers v. Carville, et al.
Little Brown, George Stephanopoulos
2006
Represented commentator and former Clinton staffer George Stephanopoulos in combating defamation claim brought by Gennifer Flowers. Successfully convinced 9th Circuit that Stephanopoulos' comments in his book and during interviews were opinion or made without malice, based on accurate accounts of the 1992 presidential campaign.
Rubin v. U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report
2001
Obtained dismissal, affirmed in 11th Circuit, of libel by implication case for national newsweekly.
Bachchan v. India Abroad
India Abroad
1992
Established first precedents in federal and state courts refusing to enforce British libel judgments as repugnant to U.S. public policy.
Matusevitch v. Telnikoff
Coalition of media organizations
1997
Established first precedents in federal and state courts refusing to enforce British libel judgments as repugnant to U.S. public policy.
Hampton v. Guare
John Guare, MGM, Random House
1993
Successfully defended author, movie studio and publisher in commercial misappropriation claim arising from dramatization of plaintiff's exploits in the satiric play "Six Degrees of Separation." Established that satire and fiction does not constitute advertising or trade.
Finger v. Omni Publications International Ltd.
Omni Publications
1990
Successfully defended magazine for stock use of photo of family to illustrate story on in vitro fertilization. New York’s highest court affirmed dismissal of commercial misappropriation claim, establishing editorial deference to choice of how to illustrate newsworthy material.