Samantha Lachman

Sam Lachman is a member of DWT's media and entertainment group. She has extensive experience in federal and state courts across the country, at the trial and appellate level, defending media, entertainment, and tech clients against defamation, copyright, privacy, and SLAPP suits. Her background as a journalist informs her robust pre-broadcast and pre-publication counseling practice. She advises production companies, streaming services, and newspapers on issues related to defamation, right of publicity, privacy, copyright, fair use, trademark, and the First Amendment.

Additionally, Sam maintains an active pro bono practice focused on government transparency, including suits under the Freedom of Information Act and California's Brown Act. She deeply enjoys assisting nonprofit newsrooms, journalists, and independent documentary filmmakers, on a pro bono basis, with pre-publication and pre-broadcast review.

Prior to joining DWT, Sam served as a judicial law clerk to the Hon. Susan P. Graber of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit and the Hon. James V. Selna of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. She worked as a politics reporter for HuffPost before attending law school.