Elizabeth A. McNamara
Partner
Elizabeth McNamara has more than 30 years of litigation and counseling experience in media and intellectual property law, representing publishers (books, magazines, newspapers, and websites), television and radio broadcasters, cable companies, and motion picture producers and distributors. Her litigation practice includes all areas of sophisticated IP, media and entertainment litigation at the trial and appellate level of federal and state courts, in such areas as libel, privacy, copyright, trademark, prior restraint, and reporter's shield laws.
Liz has represented Associated Press, Bauer Publishing, Cablevision, CBS, CNN, Conde Nast, Financial Times, Hachette Book Group, Macmillan, MTV Networks, NBC, Random House, Sesame Workshop, Showtime, Simon & Schuster, Time Inc., and Wenner Media.
Admitted to Practice
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New York, 1982
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U.S. Supreme Court, 1998
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U.S. Court of Appeals 1st Circuit, 2010
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U.S. Court of Appeals 2nd Circuit, 1996
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U.S. Court of Appeals 3rd Circuit, 2008
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U.S. Court of Appeals 4th Circuit, 2017
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U.S. Court of Appeals 7th Circuit, 2014
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U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit, 2000
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U.S. Court of Appeals 11th Circuit, 2019
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U.S. District Court Southern District of New York, 1983
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U.S. District Court Eastern District of New York, 1983
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U.S. District Court Eastern District of Michigan, 2004
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U.S. District Court Western District of New York, 2015
Education
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J.D., University of North Carolina School of Law, 1981
- Order of the Coif
- Law Review
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B.A., University of Wisconsin, 1975
- Phi Beta Kappa
Memberships & Affiliations
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- Former Chair, Committee on Communications and Media Law, New York City Bar Association
- Former East Coast Representative, Forum on Communications Law
- Communications and Entertainment Committee, New York State Bar Association
- The Copyright Society of the USA
- Lawyers Committee, Association of American Publishers
Professional Recognition
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- Named "Lawyer of the Year" in First Amendment Law (New York), Best Lawyers, 2022
- Award Winner, "Women of Influence" by the Coalition of Women's Initiatives in Law and Best Lawyers, 2017
- Named as one of "America's Leading Lawyers for Business" by Chambers USA in Media & Entertainment: First Amendment Litigation (New York), 2007-2021; Media & Entertainment: Copyright & Contract Disputes (New York), 2007-2016; Media & Entertainment: Litigation (New York), 2017-2021; First Amendment Litigation (Nationwide), 2011-2021; Received "Band 1" ranking for First Amendment Litigation (New York), 2012-2020; Received "Band 1" ranking for Media & Entertainment: First Amendment Litigation (Nationwide), 2012-2021
- Named one of Hollywood's Top 100 Attorneys by The Hollywood Reporter, 2021
- Named among New York's Top 20 Entertainment Lawyers by The Hollywood Reporter, 2020
- Received the "John M. Davis Award for Outstanding Legal Expertise," Davis Wright Tremaine, 2015
- Selected by Best Lawyers as New York's "Lawyer of the Year" in Intellectual Property Litigation, 2017
- Selected by Best Lawyers as New York City's "Lawyer of the Year" in Copyright Law, 2016
- Selected by Best Lawyers as New York City's "Lawyer of the Year" in Media Law, 2013, 2018
- Named one of the "Best Lawyers in America" in Communications and Advertising Law by Best Lawyers, 2006-2009; named in First Amendment, Media, and Intellectual Property Law, 2006-present; named in Entertainment Law, 2010-present
- Selected to "New York's Top 50 Women Super Lawyers and First Amendment/Media Lawyers," Thomson Reuters, 2007-2008
- Selected to "New York Super Lawyers," Thomson Reuters, 2006-2020
- Named as one of Lawdragon's "500 Lawyers in America," 2007
- Sharing the Power Award, InsideCounsel Magazine, 2010
Background
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- Member, Executive Committee, Davis Wright Tremaine LLP, 2016-present