American Lawyer Magazine: Lawsuits Brought Against Journalists
First Amendment defense lawyers tend to be passionate and uncompromising. And they don't usually represent clients who sue the media. In fact, if they do—even once—their firm is automatically suspended from the Media Law Resource Center (MLRC), the industry's preeminent defense organization. It's only happened a handful of times during the 30-year history of the group, whose members include all the major publications (including ALM Media, LLC, which publishes The American Lawyer ) and many Am Law 200 law firms.
That probably makes Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, a longtime MLRC member, the runaway leader. Its suspension last year, when it sued a filmmaker, was its second in eight years. And if it weren't already suspended, it probably would be taking its third suspension right about now.
The latest dispute involves Gibson's attempt to subpoena outtakes from a movie called Crude on behalf of client Chevron Corporation. The documentary, released last year, is about Chevron's long-running litigation involving oil pollution and environmental destruction in Ecuador (Gibson is also representing Chevron in that case). Chevron says that it needs the material to defend itself and its lawyers (neither from Gibson) who face criminal charges in Ecuador. Read more ...
