Eric M. Stahl

Partner

Eric Stahl helps media and entertainment companies, advertisers, and other content providers and communications companies in intellectual property, First Amendment and commercial matters. A former journalist, he has over 25 years' experience providing timely and practical advice to newsrooms and media outlets nationwide on pre-publication and pre-broadcast review, reporter's privilege, access to government records and proceedings, digital content issues, and defense of defamation claims.

The author of a book on copyright remedies, Eric regularly litigates copyright, trade secret and other intellectual property cases. His copyright clients include studios and production companies, publishers, ad agencies and gaming companies. He also represents clients in public records, commercial speech, privacy and online liability cases.

Practice Highlights

Copyright & IP litigation

Represented studio plaintiff at trial in a case resulting in the largest reported award of copyright statutory damages. Secured early dismissal, based on lack of substantial similarity, in infringement claim against studio and filmmakers. Regularly litigates IP and contractual ownership claims involving motion pictures, photographs and digital and print publications.

Public records

Won state supreme court public record case establishing right of access to police records during pendency of criminal trial. Represented news and other clients in dozens of state and federal public records disputes. Co-Editor-in-Chief, Public Record Act Deskbook (WSBA).

News media defense

Practical, knowledgeable pre-publication and pre-broadcast review that regularly enables news clients to reduce legal risks in reporting high-profile, high-impact investigative news stories. Successful defense of numerous defamation, invasion of privacy and other news tort claims.

State v. Troyer

Obtained an order quashing a subpoena from a criminal defendant, an elected county sheriff, seeking production of a local news station's journalistic materials, which included notes, communications, and raw video footage from an interview with the alleged victim, based on Washington's reporter shield law. (Pierce Cnty. (Wash.) Super Ct. 2023)

In re Matter of subpoena Duces Tecum to KING5

Successfully defeated a county prosecutor's motion to compel the production of a local news station's raw footage captured by a news helicopter, which showed a fatal police standoff along I-5 in southern Washington, based on the First Amendment and Washington's reporter shield law. (Lewis Cnty. (Wash.) Super Ct. 2023)

Bertuccelli et al. v. Universal City Studios LLC, et al.

Represented Universal, Blumhouse Productions, and other defendants in a copyright case alleging a baby mask work by the killer in the films "Happy Death Day" and "Happy Death Day 2U" infringed a Mardi Gras "walking head" sculpture called "King Cake Baby". (E.D. La. 2021)

Seattle Police Department Subpoenas

Represented Seattle's five largest news outlets in seeking to quash, on state Shield Law grounds, Seattle Police Department’s attempt to compel disclosure of unpublished footage and photographs of civil unrest following police brutality protests in downtown Seattle. (Washington Supreme Court and King Cnty. (Wash.) Super. Ct. 2020)

Douglas Jordan-Benel v. Universal City Studios Inc. et al.

Represented Blumhouse Productions, Universal City Studios, and other defendants in a lawsuit alleging claims for copyright infringement and breach of implied contract arising from the hit film "The Purge." The plaintiff agreed to dismiss his lawsuit and publicly acknowledge that discovery showed that defendant James DeMonaco independently created his screenplay, in exchange for defendants' waiver of fees and costs. (C.D. Cal. 2019)

Admitted to Practice

California, 2013
Washington, 1997
U.S. Court of Appeals, 9th Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals, 2nd Circuit
U.S. District Court, Western District of Washington
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Washington
U.S. District Court, Central District of California
U.S. District Court, Northern District of California
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of California
U.S. District Court, Southern District of California

Education

J.D., University of Washington School of Law, 1997, with high honors
- Order of the Coif
- Order of the Barristers
- Executive Articles Editor, Washington Law Review
B.A., International Relations, Minor in Economics, University of Pennsylvania, 1988, magna cum laude
- Phi Beta Kappa

Memberships & Affiliations

- Chair, Copyright Litigation Committee, IP Law Section, American Bar Association, 2013-2015
- Board of Directors, Washington Coalition for Open Government
- Co-editor-in-chief, Washington State Bar Association Public Records Act Deskbook — 2013, 2020
- Member, Los Angeles Copyright Society
- Past National Trustee; Founding Member and Past Chair – Northwest Chapter, Copyright Society of the USA
- Member, City of Bainbridge Island Race Equity Advisory Committee
- Past Trustee, Greater Northwest Chapter, National Multiple Sclerosis Society
- Intellectual Property and Litigation Sections, Forum on Communications, American Bar Association

Professional Recognition

- Selected as Seattle's "Lawyer of The Year" by Best Lawyers in First Amendment Law (2016) and Communications Law (2021, 2023)
- Named as one of the "Best Lawyers in America" by Best Lawyers in Communications Law, 2009-present; in First Amendment Law, 2016-present; in Copyright Law, 2024-present; in Media Law, 2025-present
- Selected to "Washington Rising Stars," Thomson Reuters, 2005-2006
- Fellow, American Bar Foundation