Kelli L. Sager

Los Angeles

Media & Entertainment Litigation

A prominent First Amendment litigator for media and entertainment clients, Kelli L. Sager is a Davis Wright Tremaine LLP partner who specializes in copyright, trademark, defamation, right of publicity, right of privacy, reporter's privilege, public access to the courtroom and anti-SLAPP cases.

With Donald Trump's trials looming, Sager assessed the prospect for televised proceedings. "All of them should be televised. There are no more important cases," she said in early August, stressing that she is not involved at this point. "Adam Schiff and others in Congress have asked Chief Justice Roberts to permit television cameras in the federal cases. There have been no motions yet filed by media people. If Congressman Schiff wants someone to testify, I'd be happy to assist."

Sager's most recent win came Aug. 3 when a trial judge in Los Angeles dismissed attorney Mark J. Geragos' libel suit against the Los Angeles Times and three of its reporters over articles about Geragos' involvement in a $17.5 million settlement fund for family members of victims of the Armenian genocide. The judge granted an anti-SLAPP motion filed by Sager. Geragos v. Los Angeles Times Communications LLC et al., 23STCV06397 (L.A. Super. Ct., filed March 22, 2023).

In another case for the Times, Sager has been lead counsel in successfully seeking to compel the State Bar to disclose records of its handling of complaints against disbarred attorney Thomas V. Girardi. When made public following an order by the state Supreme Court, the records revealed more than 200 complaints against Girardi over four decades; the Bar acknowledged "serious failures" in its disciplinary system and audited its own handling of the Girardi matters. Los Angeles Times Communications LLC v. State Bar of California, S269401 (S. Ct., order filed Sept. 1, 2021).

"We then settled and the State Bar paid the Times $130,000," Sager said. A May 2023 letter from the parties to the court announced the deal.

Sager added: "The information that The Times succeeded in getting the State Bar to reveal, and the changes in its practices as a result, were significant. And the Bar's willingness to reimburse The Times for a substantial part of the fees incurred in this lawsuit made this an important win for transparency."

--John Roemer