Haynes and Boone, LLP Partner Laura Prather has been nominated by the Professional Women in Advocacy Conference as a recipient of the 2016 Excellence in Advocacy Awards for her various Texas legislative initiatives.
Three finalists in each category will be announced Oct. 10. Awardees will be announced at the Excellence in Advocacy Reception and Awards at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. on Nov. 10.
Awardees will be selected by the leadership of the esteemed Bryce Harlow Foundation, which is dedicated to enhancing the quality of professional advocacy and increasing the understanding of its essential role in the development of sound public policy.
Prather is nominated in the Excellence in a State Issue Campaign category, which is an effort in which the advocate has successfully impacted the outcome of a state or local legislative or regulatory problem or opportunity on behalf of a cause, issue, client, organization or coalition.
At the firm, Prather is a member of the Litigation Practice Group in the Austin office. She focuses her practice on First Amendment, intellectual property, media and entertainment litigation and appeals. Prather has significant government relations experience as an advocate at the Texas Legislature on First Amendment and open government concerns.
She advises an extensive array of content providers including online and traditional newspapers, magazines, radio and broadcasters, cable television stations, production companies and music and sports entities. Prather was the lead negotiator for the three most significant pieces of First Amendment legislation in recent history in Texas – the reporters’ privilege, the anti-SLAPP statute, and the Defamation Mitigation Act. Through her efforts, Prather both formed and led the coalitions in support of all three of these measures. All three laws are designed to promote and protect free speech rights in Texas.