Communications and Media Law

With over three decades of extensive experience in representing the media in Nebraska, Koley Jessen has become the go-to team for counsel when media-related entities need advice on how to avoid disputes and how to best handle them when they arise. 

We represent both print and broadcast media, including television and radio stations, with regard to every aspect of the publication portion of their business. This includes the following:

• Protection of First Amendment rights
• Defamation and privacy litigation
• Pre-publication review and counseling
• Responses to subpoenas
• Access litigation, including public hearings and public record matters
• Prior restraint matters
• Closed court matters

We have litigated defamation and privacy cases in both state and federal courts in Nebraska and in Iowa and our attorneys are licensed to practice in both states. Our access litigation routinely involves local entities and state government entities, including colleges and universities. We routinely are in court defending against reporter subpoenas and advocating against the closure of courts in some of the highest profile cases that have occurred in the State of Nebraska. Because we have received so much recognition as the attorneys for the media, judges have and continue to counsel lawyers requesting closure to first consult with our firm, as they know we will appear and advocate against it.

We also represent private individuals with respect to defamation and privacy claims and have litigated those claims in various courts.

In addition to the communications and media branch of this area, we also counsel clients with respect to advertisements, particularly those regarding product comparison or competition comparison in various industries. 

We have been recognized by our peers in publications such as Best Lawyers^® and Super Lawyers for over 10 years.