What Is RSL Media and Why Does the Human Consent Standard Matter?
On May 12, 2026, RSL Media launched as a public benefit nonprofit co-founded by CEO Nikki Hexum, Cate Blanchett, Doug Leeds, and Eckart Walther. Its mission is to
Latest from Close-Ups
A Legal Ticket Thicket: Two Proposed Laws
Ticket sellers, resellers, and consumers in California should be aware of two bills making their way through the legislature that could vastly change how secondary ticket markets work in California. One aims to end speculative selling and the use of
Navigating Targeted Protests at the Office and at Home
Targeted public protests can quickly place businesses and individuals in highly visible and legally sensitive situations. When demonstrators gather outside a workplace or private residence—for example, if an activist group takes issue with an organization’s business practices and elects to
California’s Updated Right of Publicity Statute Provides Increased Protection and Expedited Relief
Last month, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law Senate Bill 683, which makes a significant addition to Civil Code § 3344, California’s Right of Publicity statute. With the amendment, § 3344 now expressly authorizes injunctive relief, which strengthens individuals’
Defamation on the Rise and Anti-SLAPP Protections at Risk: Lee Brenner and David Fink Featured in The Recorder
In a recent interview with The Recorder, Venable partners Lee Brenner and David Fink, based in Los Angeles, weighed in on two major developments shaping today’s defamation litigation landscape: the sharp increase in defamation lawsuits and the troubling erosion
Whose Rules Rule? Different Approaches to Key AI and Copyright Fair Use Principles Across the Administration, Copyright Office, and the Courts
In the past few months, the administration, the Copyright Office, and the courts have weighed in on several material issues at the cross section of copyright law and AI. The White House’s recent announcement of its AI Action Plan offers
When Do Opinions Become Defamation?
Statements of pure opinion are not actionable as defamation, as they do not imply facts capable of being proven true or false. Qureshi v. St. Barnabas Hosp. Ctr., 430 F. Supp. 2d 279, 288 (S.D.N.Y. 2006); Cochran v. NYP Holdings,
When Gossip Becomes Defamation: Liability for Rumors and Their Ripple Effects
In the age of group chats and rumor mills, telling even one person a damaging rumor can unleash consequences far beyond the intent of the original conversation. But when does gossip cross the legal line?
A recent decision out of
The Libel-Proof Plaintiff
Who can’t recover for defamation even though they may have been libeled?
The libel-proof plaintiff.
The “libel-proof plaintiff” doctrine provides an independent ground for dismissing a defamation cause of action on the basis that a person with a widespread reputation
To Be or Not to Be…Discoverable: Third-Party Litigation Funders
Should California courts permit litigants to conduct discovery into litigation funding, namely whether a third party is funding their adversary’s litigation efforts?
Certainly, parties defending a case will want to know, “Who are we really litigating against, and what are