MEDIA AND FIRST AMENDMENT LAW

Watkins Ludlam Winter & Stennis, P.A. represents media clients in a variety of matters, including defamation, access issues under the Mississippi Open Meetings and Public Records Acts, and the Federal Freedom of Information Act, reporter's privilege, pre-publication review and intellectual property issues.

Our attorneys have been involved in groundbreaking freedom of information lawsuits.  These cases include Gannett River States Pub. Co. v. Hand, 571 So. 2d 941 (Miss. 1998) which established a mandatory procedure in Mississippi which must be followed before any courtroom or court file may be closed.  In Re Gannett River States Pub. Corp., 630 So. 2d 351 (Miss. 1994), another case handled by attorneys in the Firm's Media Practice Group, specified that the Hand standards applied to voir dire and reiterated the applicability of the standards "in all criminal cases involving any closure of any trial proceedings to the public and press."  Additionally, our attorneys also have vast experience with requests for public records and access to meeting and resulting litigation.

In connection with its access practice, the Firm operates the legal hotline for the Mississippi Center for Freedom of Information, and contributes to its quarterly newsletter.  Firm members respond to questions from publishers, broadcasters and the general public who seek access to governmental meetings and records.

Watkins Ludlam Winter & Stennis, P.A. attorneys also have substantial litigation experience in both the federal and state in matters involving libel, slander, privacy and commercial speech.  Our attorneys are frequently called upon to protect the rights of publishers and/or broadcasters who have been subpoenaed for information and/or testimony.

The Media Law practice provides pre-publication counseling to publishers and broadcasters concerning stories that are in draft stages.  This counseling consists of identifying potential risks involved in the editorial content of the stories.

Members of the Firm have been honored for their work in the First Amendment area, including being recognized by Best Lawyers in America.  Members of the Firm frequently give client seminars on media law issues and speak to other groups on this subject matter.  The Firm counts the State's two largest newspapers as well as NBC, CBS, ABC and Fox television station affiliates among its clients.

Attorneys

Laura Limerick Gibbes
Henry F. Laird, Jr.
Christopher R. Shaw
Leonard D. Van Slyke, Jr.