Laura Brill

Partner, Media & Entertainment Litigation; Constitutional Litigation, Appeals, and Advice

With a focus on complex civil litigation and appeals relating to media, entertainment, commercial, and regulatory disputes, founding partner Laura W. Brill has secured precedent-setting victories in numerous appearances before state and federal courts.

She handles a broad array of high-profile business disputes involving contracts, torts, intellectual property, governance issues; First Amendment and other constitutional issues; fine art restitution; government contracting, and challenges to municipal regulation.

Recognized as among the top appellate and intellectual property litigators in California, Ms. Brill served as a law clerk to U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, with whom she has co-authored several articles, and has been a law school guest lecturer at Yale, Georgetown, UCLA, and USC.

She is a thought leader who publishes and speaks widely on legal issues, including the First Amendment, entertainment and copyright law, appellate practice, and the legal profession. Ms. Brill maintains an active pro bono docket, with a focus on equal rights, freedom of expression, and challenges to the use of the initiative process.

Chambers USA, Leading Lawyer in Litigation: Appellate – California, 2019—present

American Academy of Appellate Lawyers, Member, 2022—present

People for the American Way Foundation’s Defenders of Democracy Award honoring free speech and equal rights

Los Angeles Times Business of Law Magazine’s Legal Visionary Award, 2022

Los Angeles Business Journal’s Leader of Influence: Minority Attorneys Award, 2022

Equality California’s Good Neighbor Award

Daily Journal’s Top 100 Lawyers in California, 2017

Daily Journal’s Top Women Lawyers in California, most years, 2006–present

Lawdragon’s 500 Leading Lawyers in the U.S., 2017, 2019

Member, American Academy of Appellate Lawyers

California Academy of Appellate Lawyers, elected to membership, 2017

The Best Lawyers in America “Lawyer of the Year,” Media Law, 2021

The Best Lawyers in America “Lawyer of the Year,” First Amendment Litigation, 2020

Benchmark Litigation, Litigation Star, 2021—present

The Best Lawyers in America, Appellate Law, 2007–present

Southern California Super Lawyer, 2006–present, Including: Top 100, 2014, 2015; Top 50 Women, 2008, 2013–2017

Founder, The Civics Center

California Women Lawyers, Judith Soley Lawyer as Citizen Award, 2020

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Board of Directors, currently

Marlborough School Board of Trustees, currently

Los Angeles Copyright Society Board of Trustees, currently

Lambda Legal National Leadership Council, 2015–present; Los Angeles Leadership Council, 2007–present; Lambda Legal Board of Directors 2009–2015; also co-chaired its development committee

Los Angeles County Bar Association, State Appellate Judicial Evaluation Committee

Columbia Law School Board of Visitors

Los Angeles County State Appellate Judicial Evaluations Committee Member

California State Bar Committee on Appellate Courts, Past Member