Related Practices

Admitted to Practice

District of Columbia, 1983
U.S. Supreme Court
U.S. Court of Appeals D.C. Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals 2nd Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals 3rd Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals 4th Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals 6th Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals 10th Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals 11th Circuit

Robert Corn-Revere

Partner

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Washington, D.C.

T202.973.4225

F202.973.4499

Bob Corn-Revere has extensive experience in First Amendment law and communications, media and information technology law. He regularly counsels clients and serves as litigation counsel in communications and Internet-related matters. Bob speaks and writes extensively on First Amendment and communications policy issues.

Bob also successfully petitioned Governor George E. Pataki to grant the first posthumous pardon in New York history, to the late comedian Lenny Bruce in a landmark pro bono case. Read the pardon petition.

Representative clients include: A&E Television Networks, American Association of Advertising Agencies, Association of National Advertisers, American Advertising Federation, CBS Corporation, Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, ICM Registry, LodgeNet, Inc., Mark Burnett Productions, Motion Picture Association of America, Texas Entertainment Association, and Viacom.

Representative Experience

Garcia v. Montgomery County et al.

Representing photojournalist and video producer Mannie Garcia in a federal civil rights action against Montgomery County, the Montgomery County Police Department, the Chief of Police, and individual police officers for falsely arresting Mr. Garcia and using excessive force while he filmed another arrest on a public street. (D. Md. Ongoing)

Chamber of Commerce of the United States v. Servin, et al.

Represented the Yes Men against trademark claims filed after they performed a political parody of the Chamber of Commerce's controversial position on global climate change; three years after defendants moved to dismiss, the Chamber dropped its lawsuit. USDC D.C. 09cv 2014 (2013)

CBS Corp. v. FCC

Represents CBS Corporation in a successful challenge to FCC indecency finding and $550,000 forfeiture penalty levied against CBS for the 2004 Super Bowl halftime show featuring Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake. On June 29, 2012, the Supreme Court denied certiorari. (3d Cir., U.S. 2012)

FCC v. Fox Television Stations and ABC, Inc.

Represented CBS Corporation in a consolidated appeal challenging the FCC's application of broadcast indecency rules to "fleeting expletives" in live awards shows and brief nudity in the program "NYPD Blue." On June 21, 2012, the U.S. Supreme Court held that FCC decisions targeting “fleeting” broadcasts of allegedly indecent material were unconstitutional under the Due Process Clause. (U.S .2012)

Barnes v. Zaccari

Lead counsel in case holding that qualified immunity does not protect university president who summarily expelled students for exercising First Amendment rights in violation of procedural due process requirements. (11th Cir. 2012)

United States v. Alvarez

Submitted amicus brief on behalf of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press and twenty-three media organizations urging Supreme Court to hold that the Stolen Valor Act violates the First Amendment and that the government should not be empowered to be the arbiter of truth. Read the amicus brief. The Supreme Court cited the amicus brief and held that the Stolen Valor Act was unconstitutional. (U.S. 2012)

Brown v. Entertainment Merchants Association

Submitted amicus brief for the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund (CBLDF) urging the U.S. Supreme Court to find that California law restricting sale or rental of "violent" video games to minors violates the First Amendment. Citing the CBLDF amicus brief, the Supreme Court held 7-2 that the law is unconstitutional. Read the amicus brief. (U.S. 2011)

Snyder v. Phelps

Submitted amicus brief on behalf of twenty-two media organizations urging the U.S. Supreme Court to decide that intrusion and intentional infliction of emotional distress claims cannot be based solely on the publication of offensive opinions about matters of public concern. The Court agreed, ruling 8-1 that the speech at issue is protected by the First Amendment. Read the amicus brief. 562 U.S. 9 (2011)

Sorrell v. IMS Health Inc.

Submitted amicus brief in the U.S. Supreme Court in support of First Amendment rights of marketers and advertisers against Vermont statute requiring "opt-in" for any use of prescriber-identifiable data regarding prescription drug information. The Court held 6-3 that the state cannot restrict commercial speech for being too persuasive. Read the amicus brief. (U.S. 2011)

United States v. Stevens

Co-counsel for respondent in case challenging the constitutionality of a federal law prohibiting depictions of "animal cruelty." The Court ruled 8-1 that the law violates the First Amendment. (U.S. 2009) Read more

United States v. Playboy Entertainment Group, Inc.

Lead counsel for Playboy Entertainment Group in a successful challenge to a provision of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 that restricted Playboy Television. This case established that cable television networks are fully protected by the First Amendment. (U.S.)

Ashcroft v. ACLU

Submitted an amicus brief in case challenging the constitutionality of the Child Online Protection Act. The Supreme Court held that the Act violates the First Amendment. (U.S.)

Reno v. ACLU

Submitted an amicus brief for Playboy Enterprises, Inc. in case challenging the constitutionality of the Communications Decency Act. The Supreme Court held that the Act violates the First Amendment, and that the Internet receives full constitutional protection. Read the amicus brief. (U.S.)

Berger v. City of Seattle

Counsel for appellant in successful First Amendment challenge to restrictions on use of the public forum in the Seattle Center, a multipurpose cultural and entertainment venue. (9th Cir. 2009) (en banc)

Huminski v. Corsones

Counsel for plaintiff in a case holding that individual members of the public have a First Amendment right to attend court proceedings. (2d Cir. 2006)

Mainstream Marketing Services, Inc. v. FTC

Counsel in litigation challenging the constitutionality of the national "do-not-call" telemarketing regulation. (10th Cir. 2004) Read more

Motion Picture Association of America v. FCC

Represented the Motion Picture Association of America, the National Association of Broadcasters, and the National Cable & Telecommunications Association in successful challenge to FCC rules imposing mandates for video description of television programming. (D.C. Cir. 2002)

Mainstream Loudoun v. Board of Trustees of the Loudoun County Public Library

Counsel for plaintiff in first case to hold that mandatory content filtering of public library Internet terminals violates the First Amendment. (E.D. Va. 1998)

Additional Qualifications

Partner, Hogan & Hartson LLP, 1994-2003
Chief Counsel to Chairman James H. Quello, Federal Communications Commission, 1993
Legal Advisor to Commissioner James H. Quello, Federal Communications Commission, 1989-1993
Associate, Hogan & Hartson, Washington, D.C., 1985-1989
Associate, Steptoe & Johnson LLP, Washington, D.C., 1983-1985
Adjunct Professor, Columbus School of Law, Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C., 1987-2001

Professional & Community Activities

Officer, First Amendment Lawyers Association
Policy Council Member, International Foundation for Online Responsibility
Editorial Advisory Board, Pike & Fischer's Internet Law & Regulation
Member, International Academy of Digital Arts & Sciences
Editorial Advisor, Free Expression in America Series, Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Media Institute First Amendment Advisory Council, 1997-present (Chair, 1997-2003; Board of Trustees, 1997-2003)
Adjunct Scholar, Cato Institute, Washington, D.C.
Freedom to Read Foundation Board, 2000-2002

Professional Recognition

Named to "Capital Pro Bono Honor Roll" by the D.C. Court of Appeals and the D.C. Superior Court, 2012
Selected to "Washington, D.C.’s Top 100 Super Lawyers," 2011
Vickie Award, Victoria Woodhull Sexual Freedom Alliance, 2011
Davis Wright Tremaine Willard J. Wright Award, 2011
Distinguished Alumnus Award, Eastern Illinois University, 2009
Named one of "America's Leading Lawyers for Business" by Chambers USA in Media & Entertainment , 2005-2013; Media & Entertainment: Mainly Regulatory, 2012; Received "Band 1" ranking, 2012, 2013
Named one of the "Best Lawyers in America" in Communications, Entertainment, First Amendment and Media Law by Best Lawyers, 2010-present; named in Entertainment, First Amendment and Media Law, 2009; named in First Amendment and Media Law, 2008; named in Media Law, 2007
Named one of "Washington’s Top Lawyers" in First Amendment law and Communications law, 2009, 2011; by Washingtonian Magazine
Selected to "Washington, D.C. Super Lawyers" by Thomson Reuters, 2008-2013; Top in First Amendment/Media/Advertising, 2008-2013; in Communications, 2011-2013
Named one of the "Top 100 Outside Counsel Power Lawyers," Hollywood Reporter ESQ., 2007
Selected as one of "Ten of the D.C. Area's Top Communications Lawyers," Legal Times, 2007

Education

J.D., The Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law, 1983
- Lead Articles Editor, Catholic University Law Review
M.A., University of Massachusetts, 1980
B.A., Eastern Illinois University, 1977