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Committees

MLRC members are eligible to join issue-oriented committees to work and network in smaller groups on particular areas of interest and expertise. The committees cover a wide range of topics, from litigation practices and legislative developments to internet, entertainment and international law developments. Committees meet regularly, generating initiatives, materials and programs that benefit the entire membership.

Advertising & Commercial Speech

The Committee considers limitations on false and misleading advertising and reviews proposed restrictions and regulations on forms of advertising, such as advertising related to drugs, alcohol and tobacco. Recognizing that these restrictions and regulations occur on a state-by-state basis, the Committee attempts to provide membership alerts when appropriate.

Anti-SLAPP

The MLRC Anti-SLAPP Committee meets bimonthly and focuses its attention on recent SLAPP rulings, the progress of new anti-SLAPP bills in state legislatures without strong SLAPP legislation, possible model SLAPP statutes, and advice and counsel on securing federal anti-SLAPP protections.

Criminal Law

The Criminal Law Committee addresses the growing intersections between criminal and media law, including anything from protecting journalists and sources from criminal liability to dealing with search warrants and government subpoenas.

Data Privacy

The Data Privacy Committee’s purpose is to monitor domestic and international developments in the law governing the collection, maintenance and use of data concerning individuals and entities as relevant to MLRC’s media members, and to educate members regarding those developments, their impact on both the business of and the content produced by members, and areas of legal risk and best practices for reducing that risk.

Diverse Voices

The Diverse Voices Committee focuses on issues and topics of particular interest to members of the media who represent or report on under-served communities. The Committee will work to create seminars and other content on legal issues that disproportionately impact such content creators or that may be of particular concern to diverse communities. We also hope to expand MLRC’s outreach to bring more diverse voices into MLRC’s membership by identifying publications, organizations and individuals in the media bar and as well as across the industry that work with under-served communities.

Employment Law

The Employment Law Committee applies the expertise of MLRC member firms regarding libel, privacy and related claims to the employment context, where such claims frequently appear in wrongful termination and related lawsuits.

Entertainment Law

The Entertainment Law Committee holds monthly conference calls to discuss developments in entertainment law and practice, including idea theft and related copyright claims, right of publicity law and legislation, litigation over violent video games and broadcast indecency.

Insurance

The purpose of the Insurance Committee is to bring together in-house counsel, defense attorneys, and insurance professionals to consider issues and developments of importance in media defense and insurance that will result in greater knowledge and understanding of the nuts and bolts of insurance coverage, the media insurance marketplace, and the risk management challenges faced by media clients today.

International Media Law

The International Law Committee addresses the issues that our members encounter when they publish and gather news abroad.  It is the charge of this committee to keep our members and their counsel abreast of international developments, and to avail ourselves of any opportunities to be heard on issues that will affect member media organizations.

Internet & Technology Law

The Internet and Technology Law Committee focuses on media law issues as they relate to online content, and focuses on IP and media law issues that are more broadly associated with emerging technologies.

Litigation

The Litigation Committee concerns itself with all aspects — pre-trial, trial and post-trial — of defamation and invasion of privacy lawsuits brought against the media.

Media Copyright and Trademark

The Copyright and Trademark Committee provides a forum for MLRC members from a broad cross-section of organizations to discuss recent legal developments and day-to-day issues affecting the media in these areas.  The Committee serves as a resource for members to stay up-to-date on copyright and trademark issues directly relevant to the media business.

Media Deals

The Media Deals Committee is a resource for the day-to-day transactional work of media & entertainment in-house counsel and attorneys. Whether you regularly draft film/tv or audio production, advertising or event related agreements; navigate complex IP licenses or advise on M&A IP issues; negotiate talent releases, or simply want to learn more about these practice areas, we welcome you to join the first MLRC committee focused deal making in media & entertainment.

Newsgathering

The Newsgathering Committee focuses on legal issues involved in collecting news and information. These issues include source confidentiality, access to places and note retention policies.

Next Generation

The Next Generation Committee provides a forum for lawyers of any age who have been practicing media law for a decade or less.

Pre-Publication/Pre-Broadcast

The focus of the Pre-Publication/Pre-Broadcast Committee is on legal processes prior to publication or broadcast. These include newsroom seminars on libel and privacy issues and pre-publication legal review.

Sports

With the global value of sports media rights at over $50 billion, the legal protection of such rights is critical. The Sports Committee provides a forum for members to discuss media matters in the sports industry – from the rights of sports properties and media platforms to the acquisition and distribution of sports content. The Sports Committee will discuss recent legal developments and day-to-day issues affecting the media within the sports industry.

State Legislative Affairs

The focus of the State Legislative Affairs Committee is to track and advise on legislation at the state level impacting the media industry.  The Committee will advocate for the advancement of laws that further First Amendment concerns and access to government information, and defend against laws that minimize First Amendment rights or decrease access to government information.

Sign up for a committee.