Skip to content
DWT logo
People Services Insights
About Offices Careers
Search
People
Services
Insights
About
Offices
Careers
Search
Desktop Image: Freeman, Cydney Swofford
Mobile Image: Freeman, Cydney Swofford

Cydney Swofford Freeman

Partner

T 213.633.8612 Los Angeles
I help creators make and protect some of the best content out there.
  •  

Download vCard Download bio Print this page
Share

Cydney Swofford Freeman counsels and defends traditional, new, and disruptive content creators. She handles both litigation and pre-broadcast counseling for clients ranging from larger players like worldwide streaming services to individual documentarians, producers, and journalists. She is fascinated by the law's influence on creativity, with a particular interest in how copyright laws apply to choreography. Her litigation practice focuses on First Amendment, copyright, trademark, idea-submission, defamation, right-of-publicity, and related matters. And she regularly provides pre-broadcast fair use, defamation, privacy, and production counseling for a wide range of documentary, scripted, and unscripted productions.

Cydney joined DWT after starting her legal career in New York, where her practice covered a broad range of First Amendment, media, and other litigation matters. She also co-chaired a pro bono program teaching the nuts and bolts of constitutional and criminal law to high school students in the Bronx.

Practice Highlights

Pre-broadcast and IP counseling

Provides pre-broadcast fair use, copyright, defamation, privacy, and production counseling and other IP advice to media, entertainment, and technology companies. Recent highlights include "Fosse/Verdon," "Weird: The Al Yankovic Story," "Surviving R. Kelly," "Cheer," "Chef's Table," "Allen v. Farrow," "Dumb Money," "Marty Supreme," "Pretend It's a City," "Phoenix Rising," "On the Record," "Physical," "Snowpiercer," "Full Frontal with Samantha Bee," "Red Table Talk," "Dancing for the Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult," "Polo," "Dogs," and "Toxic: The Britney Spears Story."

Media litigation

Regularly represents media clients in copyright, trademark, defamation, idea-submission, right-of-publicity, anti-SLAPP, and other litigation matters nationwide to protect and defend documentaries, television series, films, books, music, games, and less traditional content (fun highlights: recipe tutorial and flight safety videos).

Francesca Gregorini v. Apple Inc. et al.

Defended copyright-infringement lawsuit against Blinding Edge, M. Night Shyamalan, and others relating to the television series "Servant." After two-week trial, obtained unanimous jury verdict in favor of all eleven defendants. (C.D. Cal. Ongoing)

Copeland v. Netflix et al.

Representing defendants in defamation lawsuit over Peabody-winning docuseries, "Surviving R. Kelly." (D. Del. Ongoing)

Changing World Films v. Parker

Defending writers, producers, and distributor of film "American Skin" in copyright infringement action. Bifurcated the case into an initial phase focused solely on access and then prevailed on a motion for summary judgment based on a lack of access as a matter of law. (C.D. Cal. Ongoing)

Eden Film Production v. Lockjaw

Representing Lionsgate, Paramount, and others based on allegations that the series "Yellowjackets" infringes the copyright of plaintiff's film "Eden." Defendants filed a motion to dismiss, which is pending. (C.D. Cal. Ongoing)

McGillvary v. Netflix et al.

Successfully defended Netflix in lawsuit over documentary "The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker." Obtained dismissal on copyright, trademark, defamation, right-of-publicity, defamation, public disclosure of private facts, and intentional infliction of emotional distress claims with successful 12(b)(6) and anti-SLAPP motions, and obtained award of attorneys' fees. (C.D. Cal. 2024)
Searching...

Admitted to Practice

  • New York
  • California
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, 2nd Circuit
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York
  • U.S. District Court, Central District of California
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of California
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of California
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of California
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, 9th Circuit

Education

  • J.D., New York University School of Law, 2015
    • Articles Editor, Journal of Intellectual Property and Entertainment Law
    • Clinic on Policy Advocacy in Latin America
  • B.A., Broadcast Journalism and Latin American Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2012
    • ABC11/Walt Disney Scholar

Languages

  • English, Spanish

Memberships & Affiliations

    • Active Member, Production Executives Peer Group, Television Academy

Professional Recognition

    • Named "One to Watch" by Best Lawyers in Entertainment and Sports Law, 2024-2025; in Intellectual Property Law, 2024-2025
    • Named a "Rising Star" by Law360, 2023
    • Pro Bono Publico Award, Legal Aid Society, 2017

Background

    • Associate, Cahill Gordon & Reindel, New York, N.Y., 2015-2017
    • Legal Intern, Mecklenburg County Public Defender’s Office, Charlotte, N.C., 2013
    • Undergraduate Intern, CNN International, CNN en Español, NBC News (IRTS Fellow), ABC WTVD
Searching...
06.05.25
Presentations
Moderator, "The Similarity Trap: Defending Creators in a Time of Legal Uncertainty," DOWNLOAD, Davis Wright Tremaine, Los Angeles
Publications
05.07.25
News
Cydney Swofford Freeman of Davis Wright Tremaine Named a 2025 "Lawyer on the Fast Track" by The Recorder Read More
Publications
01.02.25
News
Davis Wright Tremaine Promotes New Class to Partnership Read More
Publications
08.15.24
News
2025 Edition of Best Lawyers Recognizes More Than 180 Davis Wright Tremaine Attorneys for Excellence Read More
Publications
08.17.23
News
2024 Edition of Best Lawyers Recognizes More Than 175 Davis Wright Tremaine Attorneys for Excellence Read More
Publications
07.27.23
News
Media & Entertainment
"Rising Star: Davis Wright's Cydney Swofford Freeman," Law360 Read More External Link
Robotic hand typing on a keyboard
04.10.18
Insights
Intellectual Property
Artificial Intelligence, Fair Use, and Using AI to Create New Works Read More
Your search returned no results. Please try another search or remove search criteria.
DWT logo
©1996-2025 Davis Wright Tremaine LLP. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Attorney Advertising. Not intended as legal advice. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Media Kit Affiliations Legal notices
Privacy policy Employees DWT Collaborate EEO
SUBSCRIBE
©1996-2025 Davis Wright Tremaine LLP. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Attorney Advertising. Not intended as legal advice. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.