Ballard Spahr LLP, led by Washington DC-based Chad Bowman, specializes in First Amendment issues and media law. Clients praise the firm for being ‘extremely responsive, competent, and efficient’ when handling libel, privacy and IP claims. Bowman focuses his practice on advising new and legacy media organizations on publication risk, alongside representing clients in state and federal court in defamation and First Amendment cases. Seth Berlin represents clients in defamation, privacy, and copyright matters, both in federal and appeals courts. Philadelphia-based Michael Berry brings experience to the team, representing clients in First Amendment cases, defamation disputes, and right of the press issues.
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Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- They provide very practical and quick guidance on media issues.
Key clients
- The Associated Press
- Dow Jones & Company
- American Broadcasting Companies, Inc.
- Bloomberg L.P.
- Cable News Network, Inc.
- CBS Broadcasting Inc.
- Fox News Network, LLC
- National Public Radio, Inc.
- NBCUniversal Media, LLC
- The New York Times Company
- The New Yorker
- NYP Holdings
- Reuters News & Media Inc.
- WP Company LLC
- Lawdragon
- The Washington Post
- Univision
- Penguin Random House LLC
- PEN American Center, Inc.
- Newsday LLC
Work highlights
Represented The Associated Press in challenging the Trump Administration’s decision to ban The AP from the White House press pool and exclude AP reporters from select events.
Represented two Thomson Reuters entities in a case against novel claims brought under New Jersey’s Daniel’s Law.
Represented 20 members, former members and administrators of the Pulitzer Prize Board in a defamation lawsuit brought in Okeechobee County, Florida.
Practice head
Chad Bowman
Other key lawyers
Michael Berry; Seth Berlin