Deborah Drooz is accomplished in the areas of First Amendment law with special emphasis on the law of defamation. Her areas of expertise include intellectual property, appellate work, and entertainment transactions. She has successfully argued matters before various trial and appellate courts, and is responsible for many precedent-setting appellate decisions in libel cases. Ms. Drooz also advises public figures and corporations on First Amendment issues.

Prior to attending law school, Ms. Drooz was a journalist for The Los Angeles Herald Examiner and a contributing editor for the Los Angeles Weekly. She is currently an adjunct professor of defamation and privacy law at Southwestern University School of Law.

Ms. Drooz has a strong record on appeal. Her published opinions include:

Lewis v Travelers, 749 F.Supp. 556 (S.D.N.Y.) (1990);

Star Editorial v Dangerfield, 7 F.3d 856 (9th Cir. 1993);

Gordy v. New York Daily News, 95 F.3d 829 (1996);

Barricade Books, Inc. v. Barry B. Langberg, 2000 WL 1863764, Media L. Rep. 1353 (S.D.N.Y. 2000);

Styne v. Stevens, 78 Cal App. 4th 17 (2000);

Benasra v. Marciano, 92 Cal. App. 4th 987 (2001);

Steam Press Holdings, Inc. v. Hawaii Teamsters and Allied Workers Union, Local 996., 302 F3d 998 (9th Cir. 2002); and

Stroock & Stroock & Lavan v. Tendler, 102 Cal. App. 4th 318 (2002).

Ms. Drooz’s recent unpublished appellate victories include:

Alexander Haagen III v. Saks & Company, D.C. No. cv-00-13251 (9th Cir. 2005);

Stroock & Stroock & Lavan v. Broadway, California Court of Appeal, 4th District, Division 3, case no. G038354 (2008)

Together with her longtime partner Barry Langberg, Ms. Drooz has represented a number of public figures in defamation matters. They include Martha Stewart, Frank, Kathie Lee, and Cody Gifford, Kevin Costner, Rodney Dangerfield, Motown Records’ founder Berry Gordy, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder and the founder of Mirage Resorts, Steve Wynn. She also represents corporate clients, including Flur Daniels, Inc. and Mirage Resorts, Inc.

Activities

Lecturer, Southwestern University School of Law's LL.M. Program in Entertainment Law;

Speaker, Fast Times in Hollywood: Keeping Up With Cutting Edge Issues in Entertainment and Media Law, Donald E. Beiderman Entertainment and Media Law Institute, 2009;

Speaker, Rethinking Pro Bono Practice, UCLA School of Law, 2008;

Speaker, Mealey’s Anti-SLAPP Conference, 2003-2004;

Lecturer, Licensing and Clearances in the Television Industry, Beverly Hills Bar Association, Entertainment Industry Division, 1997;

Author, Richard Jewell’s Rights, Los Angeles Daily Journal, November 1996.

Admitted to Practice

California, 1986; U.S. Court of Appeals, Second, Fifth, Ninth and Eleventh Circuits; Certified Mediator, California Court of Appeal

Education

J.D., Southwestern University, 1986; Recipient, American Jurisprudence Awards for Remedies and Constitutional Law

B.A., University of California - Los Angeles, 1979