About

Provided by Dentons

Our award-winning Media and Entertainment Litigation team has extensive experience representing virtually all of the major US newspapers, broadcasters, Hollywood studios and media companies in entertainment, First Amendment/media and intellectual property disputes, including collective defamation, privacy and newsgathering litigation, breach of contract, violation of licensing agreement, production issues and royalty accounting practices. We also counsel major news and media clients on all aspects of publishing, advertising and marketing law.

Our team has successfully defended major privacy class action litigations under the federal Video Privacy Protection Act (VPPA). Our success has earned Dentons a national reputation as a go-to defense firm in class actions brought under the VPPA and VRPA (Video Rental Privacy Act).

In the entertainment production space, as a result of our early-acquired experience in reality TV production, we have been called upon to create contract templates and what has come to be known as the "bible" of production guidelines, and regularly advise on personal privacy and issues.

The growth of technology is constantly changing the definition of media and communications. We helped shape the law surrounding Freedom of Information Act requests seeking text messages, emails and other electronic documents—an uncharted territory in an area of communication law where there is limited case law on whether electronic communications qualify as public records.

Chambers Review

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Media & Entertainment: Litigation - Illinois

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What the Team is Known For

Dentons houses a deep bench of media and entertainment litigators with extensive trial experience. The firm is adept at handling disputes involving privacy and IP. The attorneys represent premier newspapers, broadcasters and new media platforms in complex access and defamation disputes.

Work Highlights

  • Dentons represents defendants Hulu, Raamla Mohamed, Shonda Rhimes, Kerry Washington and Greg Zekowski in a copyright infringement action filed in the U.S. District Court of the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division.

Strengths

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Notable Practitioners

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Natalie Spears
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Natalie Spears
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Natalie Spears demonstrates a strong litigation practice and excels across a broad array of media and entertainment issues including IP, privacy and First Amendment litigation.

Natalie has good judgement and navigates tricky scenarios well.

Natalie is very practical and gets to the heart of a matter.

Samuel Fifer
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Samuel Fifer
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Samuel Fifer acts for a wide array of clients in the media and entertainment sector, including television production companies and news organizations. He demonstrates particular strength in IP matters.

Samuel is a phenomenal attorney.

Samuel is very knowledgeable and can answer anything.

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Kristen Rodriguez
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Kristen Rodriguez has experience across a range of media and First Amendment disputes, including the defense of class actions. She further leverages expertise in data privacy to support a broad client base, which includes significant publishing companies.

Ranked Lawyers at
Dentons

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Illinois

Media & Entertainment: Litigation

Natalie Spears
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Natalie Spears
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Band 1
Samuel Fifer
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Samuel Fifer
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Band 1
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Kristen Rodriguez
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Band 3