Paul J. Safier's practice focuses on representing news, entertainment, and other media clients in defamation, privacy, false advertising, copyright, and trademark lawsuits, as well as representing the press and public in seeking access to court and government records. In addition, he routinely assists journalists with prepublication review, advising clients about intellectual property, libel, and newsgathering risks. Paul regularly speaks on matters involving the First Amendment and media law. Prior to practicing law, he studied political science at Princeton University and was a lecturer at Princeton, Swarthmore College, and Temple University.
Paul previously was with the highly regarded First Amendment boutique law firm Levine Sullivan Koch & Schulz, which merged with Ballard Spahr in October 2017.
Judicial Clerkship
Hon. Thomas L. Ambro of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
Representative Experience
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Successfully represented a coalition of national media entities in unsealing the names of the jurors in both of the criminal trials of Bill Cosby
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Successfully represented Dow Jones & Company, Inc., in seeking access to records that had been filed under seal in the Delaware Court of Chancery in an investor lawsuit against Theranos, Inc., the once highly touted startup blood-testing company
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Successfully defended ESPN and its journalists against a defamation lawsuit brought by the wife of a prominent assistant basketball coach. The lawsuit challenged a broadcast reporting on sexual abuse allegations by a former ball boy against the coach. The coach’s wife alleged that the broadcast implied she was aware of the abuse and failed to intervene. Granting ESPN's motion for summary judgment, the court held that the plaintiff was a limited purpose public figure, that the defendants "conducted a painstakingly thorough investigation," and that the court did not doubt the accuracy of their reporting.
