Constance M. Pendleton
Partner
Connie Pendleton represents clients in the area of media law, from pre-publication counseling through trial and appeal. She represents online publishers; production companies; cable news and entertainment networks; podcasters; television and radio broadcasters; book, magazine, and newspaper publishers; book sellers, journalists, and authors in defamation, privacy, and newsgathering claims; reporter’s privilege, copyright, theft of ideas, and other First Amendment matters. She also provides advice on advertising, marketing, contests and sweepstakes, and other promotions.
As the daughter of a U.S. Foreign Service Officer and a World Bank lawyer, Connie grew up around the world, living in Tel Aviv, Bujumbura, Brussels, London, Paris, Boston, New York, and Washington, D.C.
Connie has represented Air America Radio Network, Al Jazeera, Amazon.com, Atlantic Media, Oath (AOL/HuffPost), Bauer Publishing, Center for American Progress, Center for Public Integrity, Chicago Public Media, China Central Television (CCTV), Comcast, CNBC, CNN, Discovery Inc. (Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, TLC, Investigation Discovery, Science Channel, HGTV, Food Network, Travel Channel, Discovery Studios), Dow Jones (Wall Street Journal, Barron’s), E! Entertainment Television, The Economist, Facebook, Fusion, Gannett Co., Hot Snakes Media, Hulu, Injustice Watch, Jet.com, Journal Communications Inc., Jupiter Entertainment, Kurtis Productions, MTV, News Corp., NBCUniversal, Pew, Pro Publica Inc., Random House, Serial Productions, Sierra Club, Simon & Schuster, Some Spider (Scary Mommy.com, Café.com), TheCipherOnline.com, This American Life, TV One/Urban One, United Mine Workers of America, and V-Day.
Practice Highlights
Pre-publication and pre-broadcast counseling
Defamation, privacy, and right-of-publicity litigation
Copyright and Lanham Act litigation
Admitted to Practice
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New York, 1998
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District of Columbia, 1999
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U.S. District Court District of Columbia
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U.S. District Court Southern District of New York
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U.S. District Court Eastern District of New York
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U.S. Court of Appeals D.C. Circuit
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U.S. Court of Appeals 2nd Circuit
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U.S. Court of Appeals 3rd Circuit
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U.S. Court of Appeals 11th Circuit
Education
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J.D., University of Virginia School of Law, 1997
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B.A., English, Barnard College, Columbia University, 1992, cum laude
Memberships & Affiliations
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- Chair, Media Law Committee of the Arts, Entertainment and Sports Law Section, District of Columbia Bar Association, 2017-2019
- Former Co-chair, Media Law Practice Group, Davis Wright Tremaine LLP
- Trustee, 2014-2018; Co-chair, Head of School Search Committee, 2017-2018 – National Child Research Center (NCRC Preschool), Washington, D.C.
- Former member, Head of School Counsel, Milton Academy, Milton, Mass.
- Former Board member, Blue Igloo Playgroup, Washington, D.C.
- Advisor, Friends of Macomb Park, Washington, D.C.
Professional Recognition
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- Named as one of "America's Leading Lawyers for Business" by Chambers USA in Media & Entertainment (D.C.), 2019-2020; Listed as "Up and Coming," 2016-2018. Cited as "a rising star who enters the rankings after receiving strong praise for her handling of litigation and prepublication counseling in the media space."
- Selected to "Washington, D.C. Super Lawyers" in Media & Advertising Law, Thomson Reuters, 2014-2021
- Named as one of the "Best Lawyers in America" in Media Law by Best Lawyers, 2010-present
- Named one of "Washington's Top Lawyers" in First Amendment & Media Law, by Washingtonian Magazine, 2015, 2018
- Fellow, American Bar Foundation
- Exclusive winner of the "2013 Client Choice Award" for Media and Entertainment Law in Washington, D.C. by ILO and Lexology, nominated by corporate counsel
