Media & Defamation Law
<< servicesWe Are recognized leaders in media and defamation issues, both across Canada and in cross-border issues. We have experience representing major daily newspapers, national broadcasting corporations, radio stations, web-based media outlets, and local and community outlets.
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Understanding your needs
Now more than ever, the media requires timely and practical advice. You face time-sensitive and high stakes decisions every day. As your trusted legal counsel, we offer you real-time, practical advice. Our team consists of recognized leaders with unparalleled depth in Western Canada.
We provide advice on media cases that deal with issues such as:
- Publication bans
- Unsealing court files
- Contempt of court
- Television access
- Quashing of subpoenas and search warrants
- Access to information
- Constitutional challenges
We also provide day-to-day pre-publication advice and have significant experience in defending and prosecuting defamation actions.
Our media clients and our media team have been instrumental in shaping media and defamation law in Canada. Our clients rely on us for day-to-day and minute-to-minute advice.
Fred Kozak KC, Counsel
We have appeared before the Supreme Court of Canada on many occasions, including in some of our country’s most important media-related cases interpreting the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Our track record
We have litigated high-profile media issues on behalf of publishers and broadcasters in the courts of Alberta, Saskatchewan, Yukon, the Northwest Territories, and the Supreme Court of Canada. This includes successful appearances before the Supreme Court of Canada on many precedent-setting cases including:
- Hunter v. Southam Inc. (1984) (search of a media outlet)
- Edmonton Journal v. Alberta (Attorney General) (1989) (statutory publication ban)
- Moysa v. Alberta (Labour Relations Board) (1989) (reporter-source privilege)
Our team continues to appear before the Supreme Court of Canada regularly.
Our commitment to the community
We contribute meaningfully to the media community in Canada. We actively participate in associations including the Canadian Media Lawyers Association, and regularly present at media-related conferences.
We are committed to education. We offer our clients regular education seminars on a variety of topics.
We are also engaged in the future of journalism. Members of our team teach Communication Law to students in MacEwan University’s Faculty of Fine Arts and Communications.
