Anselmi & Carvelli, LLP has earned a national reputation for cutting through the complexities of defamation, media and First Amendment law. We have significant experience defending news organizations–newspapers, online entities, television networks, and other media outlets and individuals–against claims by public figures and individuals.

We represent individuals sued for libel over allegedly defamatory Internet Posts or reviews on social media.

In addition, we are often called on to provide public relations advice and crisis management for companies or individuals in litigation or facing legal issues.

As a result, we frequently appear in important cases before appeals courts as amicus curiae (friends of the court) on behalf of media organizations. We also are often asked to provide expert opinions online, in print and on video.

We also advise clients on workplace defamation issues, often as part of employment litigation.

Our practice includes:

• Defamation defense (online and print)
• Libel (written defamation)/slander (spoken defamation)
• Media issues
• Newsperson’s Shield Law
• Open public records laws (federal and state)
• Public relations/crisis management regarding legal issues
• Workplace defamation

Our recent engagements include:

• Successfully appearing before the New Jersey Supreme Court in appeals over who is a journalist eligible for shield-law protection, whether there can be presumed damages in defamation matters and whether a defendant or convicted offender may claim an arrest/conviction never occurred for purposes of filing a defamation lawsuit.
• Quashing a subpoena and winning a ruling that an unpaid government watchdog blogger was a journalist under the Newsperson’s Shield Law.
• Successfully representing a large media company in the pursuit of state records on forgiveness of debts to public agencies and crafting a legal-fee settlement with the state for refusal to initially provide those records.