Introduction
Nationally recognized as some of the "best
First Amendment lawyers in America," attorneys in this practice
group believe that newspapers will long continue to fulfill their
traditional First Amendment role as the leading information providers
in our society.
As print media, telecommunications and
entertainment rapidly converge, Davis Wright Tremaine brings a unique
perspective and a unified approach to solving the shared legal concerns
of all three groups. In fact, our clients list includes many of the
most important and successful companies in these industries.
But when it comes to newspapers, few
other law firms in the country can duplicate our knowledge and experience.
DWT’s Newspaper Group includes experts not just in traditional
news, editorial, advertising, and circulation issues, and the increasingly
important concerns of copyright and intellectual property law, but
also have specific expertise in newspaper applications of employment
law, environmental law, corporate and securities law, antitrust law,
and employee benefits law.
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Range of Services Offered
Defamation, Privacy, Newsgathering and the First Amendment
Our experience in this area is unparalleled and encompasses matters of national, local and international concern. Our lawyers have extensive experience in all types of communications and media litigation, including defamation and privacy defense and a wide range of First Amendment matters before the U.S. Supreme Court and in federal and state trial and appellate courts throughout the country. The firm has represented CNN and other news organizations in important "ride-along" newsgathering cases. Our lawyers have defended media clients in obscenity actions, including one brought by Oklahoma City officials to declare the movie The Tin Drum unlawful child pornography. Before joining the firm, our New York attorneys successfully represented Business Week in overturning a prior restraint imposed by a federal district court. Our New York attorneys also bring extensive international experience, securing recognition of significant press protections from a Taiwanese court in a criminal libel action, and establishing legal authority for U.S. courts to decline to enforce British libel judgments as repugnant to U.S. public policy. Our preeminence in commercial speech law is illustrated by our ongoing representation of some of the nation's leading advertisers on First Amendment issues, and by our amicus briefs on behalf of the broadcast and print media and advertising industry in every significant commercial speech case before the U.S. Supreme Court in the past decade.
Around-the-Clock Delivery of Prepublication and Newsgathering Counseling
Mindful of the need to deliver efficient services to meet the challenges of breaking news, the Department is organized to provide around-the-clock prepublication and pre-telecast review, general counseling, and rapid response to newsroom "emergencies" such as threatened prior restraints. We routinely serve media throughout the country.
The firm provides "hotline" service, making available our geographically dispersed lawyers to respond quickly to newsroom legal issues. Our hotline services are an efficient and cost-effective way to encourage quick and appropriate use of legal services for print and broadcast journalists.
Our Newspaper Practice Group focuses these services for individual newspapers, as well as newspaper groups and associations. We also provide pre-telecast review for documentaries, docudramas and other entertainment productions. Our First Amendment attorneys understand that speed is often critical in responding to newsroom legal issues.
Our experience in opposing last-minute attempts to enjoin publication or broadcast and in quashing subpoenas of journalists, notes and outtakes means we are unusually well equipped to provide such services on a moment's notice. We successfully represented all news media seeking to televise the criminal trial of O.J. Simpson, and routinely help clients secure access to courtrooms and public records in numerous state and federal jurisdictions.
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