Leita Walker > Ballard Spahr LLP > Minneapolis, United States > Lawyer Profile

Ballard Spahr LLP Offices

Ballard Spahr LLP
2000 IDS CENTER 80
SOUTH 8TH STREET
MINNEAPOLIS, MN 55402-2119
MINNESOTA
United States
Visit website

Leita Walker

Leita Walker photo
612.371.6222 walkerl@ballardspahr.com

Work Department

Litigation

Position

Partner

Career

Leita Walker is a litigator and trial lawyer in the firm’s Media and Entertainment Law Group. She has nearly 15 years of experience defending media organizations in libel litigation and helping them obtain access to governmental and judicial records.

Leita’s First Amendment practice includes defending libel, privacy, and right of publicity claims in trial and appellate courts across the country; prepublication vetting of both news and entertainment content; and advising clients on subpoenas and privilege issues, copyright law, and state and federal Freedom of Information Act laws.

Prior to becoming a lawyer, Leita wrote for The Christian Science Monitor, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, and the Lawrence Journal-World.

Admissions: Iowa, Minnesota, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin, U.S. District Court of the Southern District of Iowa

Publications:

Author, “A Racial Reckoning, Reporter Arrests, and Court Access: The Inside Story of a Minneapolis Media Lawyer,” American Bar Association’s Communications Lawyer, Summer 2021

Co-author, “Chauvin Trial Shows Why Cameras Need to Be in Court,” Bloomberg Law, March 31, 2021

Memberships

Board member, American Bar Association Litigation Journal

Central Regional Division Co-Chair, American Bar Association Forum on Communications Law

Media Law Resource Center

Children’s Law Center of Minnesota

Volunteer Lawyers Network

Education

University of Kansas School of Law (J.D. 2006)
Editor-in-Chief, Kansas Law Review
Valedictorian
Order of the Coif

University of Kansas (B.S. 2002)
Editor-in-Chief, University Daily Kansan

Lawyer Rankings

United States > Media, technology and telecoms > Media and entertainment: litigation

With a strong focus on First Amendment litigation, Ballard Spahr LLP is able to handle many of the increasing number of defamation suits being filed in the United States. The team also has a formidable track record in cases related to government transparency and access to public records, exemplified by the firm’s representation of 16 news organizations seeking access to videos related to the Capitol Riot. In Washington DC, practice head Charles Tobin focuses his practice on media defense, an area that includes prepublication content review, Freedom of Information Act requests and subpoena advice. Libel specialist Leita Walker operates from Minneapolis, and recently submitted written comments to the Minnesota Supreme Court in support of a rule change that would increase the use of cameras in courts. Also in DC, seasoned litigator Jay Ward Brown is highly experienced in fair use copyright and defamation matters; the DC-based lawyer also specializes in obtaining clearance for documentary films and TV series. Philadelphia-based lawyer Michael Berry is also a key name in the team.

Lawyer Rankings

Top Tier Firm Rankings

Firm Rankings