News
December 13, 2011
- Federal Court Rules in Favor of Federation International Des Droits De L'homme on Its Anti-SLAPP Motion
Despite voluntary dismissal of a complaint, the United States District Court in Los Angeles deemed the FIDH, Bostwick & Jassy's clients, to be the prevailing party on its anti-SLAPP motion, and further ruled that the FIDH could file a motion to fix attorney fees and costs while the Court retained jurisdiction to resolve that motion. FIDH is represented by Bostwick & Jassy LLP and the Center for Constitutional Rights. A link to the Court's order can be found here.
November, 2011
- Bostwick & Jassy LLP Recognized By US News & World Report As A Top Tier Firm In Media & First Amendment Law
Based on an extensive evaluation process, US News & World Report ranked Bostwick & Jassy LLP as a Tier 1 (highest rating) law firm in Media & First Amendment Law in Los Angeles, CA for 2011-2012. It is one of only two firms to hold that honor.
October, 2011
- Bostwick Named "Lawyer of the Year" In The Field of First Amendment Law
After a rigorous peer review process, Best Lawyers has named Gary L. Bostwick as the "Los Angeles Best Lawyers First Amendment Law Lawyer of the Year" for 2012.
September, 2011
- Vick Moderates Panel on Ninth Circuit's Recent Decision in Montz v. Pilgrim Films
Kevin Vick served as moderator of a panel entitled "Montz v. Pilgrim Films & Television: Copyright Preemption and the Present and Future of Implied-in-Fact Contract "Desny" Claims." The program focused on so-called "theft of idea" or "idea submission" claims. It was presented by the Los Angeles County Bar Association's Entertainment Law and Intellectual Property Section, of which Vick is a Programming Co-Chair.
August, 2011
- Vick and Jassy Author Article on Proposed Federal Right of Publicity Law
The latest issue of Communications Lawyer, a publication of the American Bar Association, contains a scholarly article by Kevin L. Vick and Jean-Paul Jassy advocating a federal right of publicity law. The article argues that the existing patchwork of state law is a threat to the First Amendment. A copy of the article can be accessed here.
July 25, 2011
- Bostwick & Jassy Represents Sony Pictures Entertainment on Successful Motion to Quash Subpoena of Michael Jackson Rehearsal Footage
Bostwick & Jassy represented Sony Pictures Entertainment in bringing a Motion to Quash subpoenas by the defendant in the criminal trial of Michael Jackson's doctor in The People vs. Conrad Murray. During the past several weeks, more than 100 hours of raw footage from "Michael Jackson's This Is It" rehearsals was privately screened at Sony Pictures for the attorneys involved in the case. Judge Michael Pastor also personally viewed some of the footage at Sony Pictures Studios and, in granting Sony Pictures' Motion to Quash, the court commended the studio's extraordinary handling of this matter and Sony Pictures' counsel. In ruling in support of Sony's motion, Judge Pastor questioned the relevance of the raw footage to the criminal case while also acknowledging Sony Pictures' right to protect the significant potential future commercial value of this unreleased footage.
June 2011
- Bostwick & Jassy LLP Secures Important Appellate Victory: Right Of Access To State Bar Records
In Sander v. State Bar of California, the California Court of Appeal issued a watershed decision recognizing a common law right of public access to State Bar records in favor of Bostwick & Jassy LLP clients Richard Sander, a UCLA professor, and Joe Hicks, a former governor of the State Bar. A copy of the decision can be found here.
June 2011
- Jassy Named A "Rising Star" For 7th Consecutive Year
For the seventh year in a row, the publishers of Los Angeles Magazine identified Jean-Paul Jassy as a "Rising Star" in the fields of First Amendment/media/advertising, general litigation and appellate law. The "Rising Star" designation is a peer-reviewed honor given to only 2.5% of attorneys in Southern California.
June 2011
- Bostwick & Jassy LLP Client Secures Victory In Student Censorship Case
Working as co-counsel, the ACLU of San Diego & Imperial Counties and Bostwick & Jassy LLP secured a stipulated preliminary injunction preventing La Jolla High School and its principal from censoring political speech on benches that have traditionally been used by students for free expression. See a press release about the preliminary injunction here.
June 2011
- Jassy Argues In Court Of Appeal For Public Access To State Bar Records
Jean-Paul Jassy argued in the Court of Appeal on behalf of UCLA law professor Richard Sander and former State Bar governor Joe Hicks in Sander v. State Bar of California. Sander and Hicks, in conjunction with the California First Amendment Coalition, seek access to a State Bar database containing certain information about bar applicants. An article about the oral argument can be seen here.
May 2011
- Bostwick & Jassy LLP Represents Student In Suit Against San Diego Unified School District For Censorship
In conjunction with the ACLU of San Diego & Imperial Counties, Bostwick & Jassy LLP sued the San Diego Unified School District and the Principal of La Jolla High School for censoring student speech and threatening to discipline students who express themselves on political issues. A press release regarding the suit with a link to the Complaint can be found here.
May 2011
- Book Review By Jassy Published In California Lawyer
Jean-Paul Jassy authored a review of Outrageous Invasions: Celebrities' Private Lives, Media, and the Law (Oxford U. Press) by Robin D. Barnes. The book review was published in the May 2011 issue of California Lawyer.
April 2011
- Vick Speaks to Communications Law Class at Cal State Fullerton
Kevin Vick gave a presentation entitled "The First Amendment on the Front Lines -- Speech Rights in Legal Context" to a Communications Law class at California State University Fullerton as part of Communications Week 2011.
April 2011
- Jassy Serves On WikiLeaks Panel At Judicial Conference
Jean-Paul Jassy served as a panelist at the 2011 District Conference of the United States District Court for the Southern District of California. The panel was entitled: "What's a Wikileak? Free Speech & Secrets In The Digital Age," and Jassy discussed First Amendment responses to potential criminal prosecutions stemming from the WikiLeaks events.
April 2011
- Bostwick Serves As Panelist At UC Berkeley Conference On Investigative Journalism
Gary L. Bostwick served on a panel entitled "The State of Non-Profit Investigative Journalism" at the 5th Annual Reva and David Logan Investigative Reporting Symposium, a gathering of the top investigative journalists and thinkers at the University of California, Berkeley. Go here to learn more.
February 2011
- Bostwick & Jassy LLP Secures Victory For Social Networking Site In Defamation Case
On February 8, 2011, a Los Angeles Superior Court judge granted an anti-SLAPP motion filed by Bostwick & Jassy LLP, striking a defamation case against a well-known social networking site. The Court decided that the speech at issue was constitutionally protected.
January 2011
- Appellate Victory For Bostwick & Jassy LLP Advertising Clients In Anti-SLAPP Case
The California Court of Appeal affirmed a trial court's decision to strike claims against Bostwick & Jassy LLP's clients, a group of Internet advertisers, for allegedly aiding and abetting the unfair dissemination of free content on the web. The suit was a direct assault on the business model of advertiser-based content on the Internet.
January 2011
- Bostwick Named A Southern California SuperLawyer
For the eighth consecutive year, the publishers of Los Angeles Magazine and Law & Politics named Gary L. Bostwick a SuperLawyer in Southern California in the fields of First Amendment, media and advertising law.
January 2011
- Jassy Begins Teaching At UC Irvine School Of Law
Jean-Paul Jassy began teaching a full-length course in Media Law at UC Irvine's new law school. The course covers defamation, privacy, copyright, trademark, anti-SLAPP law, prior restraints, reporter's privilege, access to records and proceedings, cameras in the courtroom, obscenity, indecency, commercial speech and student media issues.
December 2010
- Bostwick & Jassy LLP Successfully Argues For Public And Press Access To Toyota Settlement
Jean-Paul Jassy, representing the Los Angeles Times, San Diego Union-Tribune, Associated Press and Bloomberg News, successfully opposed a motion made by Toyota to seal its $10 million settlement with the family of four individuals killed in a Lexus 350 crash last year that was allegedly caused by a sudden acceleration problem. Toyota denies liability. At the hearing, the judge commented that Jassy's brief was "beautifully written" and "very convincing."
November 2010
- Bostwick and Jassy Listed In Southern California's Best Lawyers® 2011 Edition
Based solely on a vote of their peers, Gary L. Bostwick and Jean-Paul Jassy were selected for inclusion in the 2011 Edition of Southern California's Best Lawyers® in the field of First Amendment law. They paid no fee or other consideration for the listing. Bostwick & Jassy LLP is one of only two firms in Southern California with two lawyers in this category, and the only boutique firm with two such lawyers.
September 2010
- Bostwick & Jassy LLP Named A Tier 1 Best Law Firm® In The Field of Media And First Amendment Law
In the inaugural rankings by U.S. News & World Report and Woodward/White, Bostwick & Jassy LLP was selected as a Tier 1 (highest rating) law firm in the field of Media & First Amendment Law in Los Angeles, CA. Bostwick & Jassy LLP is the only boutique firm in this category, and one of only three firms in its tier. The Best Law Firm® ratings are based on surveys sent to 43,900 lawyers nationwide, evaluating categories such as expertise, responsiveness, cost-effectiveness and integrity. The firms that are ranked do not pay any fee or other consideration for being considered for the rankings nor for the rankings that result.
September 2010
- Bostwick & Jassy LLP Files Amicus Brief in Violent Video Game Case Before U.S. Supreme Court
Bostwick & Jassy LLP filed an amicus curiae (friend of the court) brief on behalf of the First Amendment Coalition in Schwarzenegger v. Entertainment Merchants Ass'n, Case No. 08-1448, concerning the constitutionality of California's violent video game law. The brief, which can be seen here, argues that a decision limiting the speech rights of video game makers cannot be squared with the United States Supreme Court's precedent.
August 2010
- Jassy to Teach Media Law Course At New UC Irvine School of Law
In Spring 2011, Jean-Paul Jassy will teach a course in media law at the new University of California, Irvine School of Law. The course will cover a consideration of the constitutional, statutory and tort law principles concerning protections for the media, regulation of the media, and when the media can be held liable.
July 2010
- Jassy Selected for Inclusion in 2011 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America®
Jean-Paul Jassy was recently selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2011 in the field of First Amendment Law. Selection to Best Lawyers is based on an exhaustive and rigorous peer-review survey comprising more than 3.1 million confidential evaluations by the top attorneys in the country. No fee or purchase is required for the listing. The annual advertisement-free publication has been described by The American Lawyer as "the most respected referral list of attorneys in practice. "
July 2010
- Bostwick Selected Again for Inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America®
Gary L. Bostwick was recently selected again for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® in the field of First Amendment Law. Gary has been listed in Best Lawyers since 2006.
July 2010
- Bostwick Interviewed For Radio Program Concerning Media Access To BP Oil Spill
Gary L. Bostwick was interviewed for a live national public radio broadcast concerning a new Coast Guard restriction preventing the public -- including the media -- from coming within 65 feet of oil spill clean-up measures. Bostwick sharply criticized the restriction, explaining that it impedes the media's ability to report on the activities of the government.
June 2010
- Jassy Named A Southern California "Rising Star" For 6th Year In A Row
For the sixth consecutive year, the publishers of Los Angeles Magazine identified Jean-Paul Jassy as a "Rising Star," a peer-reviewed honor given to only 2.5% of attorneys in Southern California. He is identified as a "Rising Star" in the fields of First Amendment/media/advertising, general litigation and appellate law.
June 2010
- Jassy Moderates Panel Discussion Concerning LAPD Press Passes
Jean-Paul Jassy moderated a panel discussion of active journalists at a quarterly meeting of the California Chapter of the Media Law Resource Center, discussing proposed changes to policies regarding press passes issued by the Los Angeles Police Department.
May 2010
- Jassy Quoted In Online News Story About Tattoos & The First Amendment
Jean-Paul Jassy was quoted for a story on patch.com about a tattoo artist's legal efforts to get a business permit in Hermosa Beach, Ca. The article can be found here.
May 2010
- Bostwick Elected to Board of Trustees of Los Angeles Copyright Society
Gary Bostwick was elected on May 12 to be a member of the Board of Trustees of the Los Angeles Copyright Society. The Society, meeting once a month to review significant developments in the law, seeks to promote the knowledge of copyright law and rights in intellectual property such as film, television, computer software, architecture, music, art, theater, books and newspapers, both in hard copies and on the web.
May 2010
- Vick Selected as Program Co-Chair for L.A. County Bar Entertainment Law Section
On May 4, 2010, Kevin Vick was selected as the 2010-2011 Program Co-Chair for the Entertainment Law and Intellectual Property Section ("ELIPS") of the Los Angeles County Bar Association. Kevin serves on the Executive Committee for ELIPS, which organizes seminars and events concerning a wide variety of entertainment and intellectual property law issues including copyright, trademark, patent, new media, licensing, unfair competition, libel, privacy, and right of publicity issues.
March 2010
- Bostwick & Jassy LLP Wins Anti-SLAPP Motion and Vindicates Client's Constitutional Right of Petition.
Bostwick & Jassy LLP achieved a complete victory for its client and vindicated his constitutional right of petition by winning an anti-SLAPP motion that resulted in the court striking the plaintiff's entire complaint with prejudice and without leave to amend.
March 2010
- Bostwick Named Again By Chambers USA As A Top Media & Entertainment Litigator
Chambers & Partners' Chambers USA recognized Gary L. Bostwick as a leader in the field of media and entertainment litigation in California. This high honor is based on reviews from peers, clients and independent research.
March 2010
- Bostwick Does Television Interview Discussing Censorship Of Video Games
On March 2, 2010, Gary L. Bostwick was interviewed by "Kurt the CyberGuy" from Los Angeles' KTLA Channel 5 for a local and national broadcast on the topic of video game censorship.
January 2010
- Bostwick Named A Southern California "Super Lawyer" For 7th Year In A Row
The publishers of Law & Politics, Los Angeles Magazine and Orange Coast: The Magazine of Orange County once again identified Gary L. Bostwick as a Super Lawyer, a peer-reviewed honor given to only 5% of attorneys in Southern California. He is identified as a Super Lawyer in the fields of First Amendment/media/advertising law, civil litigation defense and intellectual property.
2008 News
