Media Law

Practice Contacts:
Jonathan S. Piper207.791.3000 |
We Represent The Media

Preti Flaherty has the largest media practice in northern New England, representing publishers and broadcasters throughout the region, leading media trade associations, as well as national media when they are drawn into our legal system.

Pursuing a vigorously proactive First Amendment practice, we provide prepublication review, libel and privacy advice, protection of newsgathering and editorial processes and related services for a range of clients, including some of the region's largest and most influential media organizations.  Our attorneys work in tandem with our clients to strategize and prosecute freedom of information claims against government entities under state and federal open records and open meetings laws. 

As general counsel to leading press associations, we have had great success effecting favorable changes in the laws and defending against legislation adverse to the media.

When necessary, we also possess the proven knowledge and experience to secure our clients' interests in court, as demonstrated in our widely-reported defense of Forbes magazine in a $10 million libel suit.  We have also obtained libel defense verdicts in favor of WGME-TV, the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram, the Maine Times, the Casco Bay Weekly, the Forecaster, Wal Mart, and others.

We are members of the counsel section of the Media Law Resource Center, and are co-authors of its widely used 50 State Survey of Media Libel Law in the United States.

At Preti Flaherty, we know that probing and unfettered newsgathering is frequently enhanced by sound legal judgment.  We work in partnership with our clients to strengthen their power to gather and disseminate information.

Representative Media Clients

Trade Associations
Maine Daily Newspapers Association
Maine Freedom of Information Coalition
Maine Press Association

Newspapers/Magazines
Bridgton News
Brunswick Times Record
Forbes
The Forecaster
Journal Tribune
Maine Sunday Telegram
New York Observer
The New York Times Company
Portland Press Herald
Wiscasset Newspaper

Broadcasters
Pegasus Broadcast Television, Inc.
Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc.
WGBH Educational Foundation
WMTW Broadcast Group, LLC

Media Insurers
First Media Insurance
Media Professional Liability Insurance
Employers Reinsurance Co.


media law, first amendment law, prepublication review, libel, privacy advice, journalism, media, newsgathering, public access, freedom of information claims, open records, open meetings, press association, shield law, Preti, Preti Flaherty
media-law