Reputations can be harmed or destroyed by false statements in traditional media like newspapers, magazines, TV and radio/podcasts, as well as on social media, websites, blogs and by word of mouth. The harm is compounded by the permanence of such false statements, easily found by a Google search.
We protect our clients’ reputations by preventing harmful statements from becoming public in the first place, forcing publishers to immediately remove, retract or correct them and, if necessary, pursuing a lawsuit.
We have helped to protect the reputations and privacy interests of countless businesses and individuals, including some of the world’s largest corporations and most famous people, numerous Fortune 500 companies and ultra high-net worth individuals, scores of A-list celebrities, including motion picture and TV stars, television personalities, recording artists and professional sports figures, and multiple political officials, including the President and First Lady of the United States, and several US Senators. We have represented clients against virtually all major media outlets and social media companies.
Our reputation protection practice typically falls into three categories:
1. Pre-Publication Correspondence
Prior to publication, a media outlet will usually contact the subject of a story for comment, often with a very short deadline to respond. We are experienced at quickly analyzing the underlying facts and issues, communicating with our clients to understand their needs, and corresponding with the publication to prevent false and damaging stories about our clients from being published, or at the least, ensure that damaging information is neutralized. We have, on many occasions, successfully persuaded a publication to not run a story at all, or exclude damaging information about our client from the story.
2. Post-Publication Demand for Retraction
After a story runs, there is an opportunity to have damaging information removed before filing a lawsuit. We are experienced with retraction statutes throughout the US and have successfully obtained corrections, retractions, apologies and/or monetary payments for many clients, without the need to file a lawsuit. We also have experience in forcing “copycat” publishers, which sometimes number in the dozens, to follow a removal or correction by the original publication.
3. Defamation Litigation
If a publication fails or refuses to adequately retract, correct, apologize and/or pay damages, then a defamation lawsuit may become necessary. We have litigated defamation cases throughout the US, including in California, New York, Washington DC, Texas, Florida, Massachusetts, Illinois, Virginia, Georgia and many other states. We are highly experienced at navigating the unique legal issues associated with representing defamation plaintiffs, and also defendants, including state-specific anti-SLAPP statutes and First Amendment defenses.
