The National Law Journal (NLJ) has named Haynes and Boone, LLP Partner Laura Lee Prather to its 2020 list of First Amendment Rights Trailblazers. The honor recognizes legal professionals who have made a significant mark to advance free speech rights.
To read the full NLJ feature about all recognized trailblazers, click here. See the profile on Prather on P. 8.
Prather is a partner in the firm’s Litigation Practice Group and head of the Media Law Practice Group. She focuses her practice on First Amendment, Anti-SLAPP, intellectual property (IP) and media and entertainment litigation and appeals. She has significant government relations experience as an advocate at the state and national level on First Amendment and government transparency measures.
Prather was instrumental in the passage of the three most significant pieces of First Amendment legislation in recent history in Texas – the reporters’ privilege, Texas’ Anti-SLAPP statute, and its retraction statute. All three laws are designed to promote and protect free speech rights in Texas. She has also testified on Capitol Hill in support of passage of a federal Anti-SLAPP statute and, through her work with the Media Law Resource Center, founded and chaired its national committee of First Amendment attorneys engaged in advocating for free speech rights throughout the country.
Prather last year received The American Lawyer's Tony Mauro Media Lawyer Award in recognition of her tireless and successful efforts advocating for legislation to strengthen First Amendment rights in Texas. The American Lawyer separately named Prather as one of the 45 best young women lawyers in the nation, recognizing her substantial career as a fierce advocate of First Amendment rights, defending media companies in cases involving reporting on matters of public concern, and defending entertainment companies in theft of idea, negligence, and copyright infringement litigation. In addition, she is the first woman to receive Texas Daily Newspaper Association’s “Legacy Award,” and was named Texas Association of Broadcasters’ “Associate of the Year” and as one of Texas Lawyer’s “Extraordinary Women in Texas Law.”
In September, Prather was one of five women featured in the Austin Business Journal’s 2020 “Profiles in Power” series, which recognized her national reputation as a leading defender of freedom of speech and citizens’ access to governmental records.
Haynes and Boone is an international corporate law firm with offices in Texas, New York, California, Charlotte, Chicago, Denver, Washington, D.C., London, Mexico City and Shanghai, providing a full spectrum of legal services in energy, technology, financial services and private equity. With more than 575 lawyers, Haynes and Boone is ranked among the largest U.S.-based firms by The National Law Journal, The American Lawyer and The Lawyer. The firm has also been recognized across the board for excellence in the BTI Consulting Group’s 2020 “A-Team” report, which identifies the law firms that in-house counsel commend for providing superior client service.
To read the full NLJ feature about all recognized trailblazers, click here. See the profile on Prather on P. 8.
Prather is a partner in the firm’s Litigation Practice Group and head of the Media Law Practice Group. She focuses her practice on First Amendment, Anti-SLAPP, intellectual property (IP) and media and entertainment litigation and appeals. She has significant government relations experience as an advocate at the state and national level on First Amendment and government transparency measures.
Prather was instrumental in the passage of the three most significant pieces of First Amendment legislation in recent history in Texas – the reporters’ privilege, Texas’ Anti-SLAPP statute, and its retraction statute. All three laws are designed to promote and protect free speech rights in Texas. She has also testified on Capitol Hill in support of passage of a federal Anti-SLAPP statute and, through her work with the Media Law Resource Center, founded and chaired its national committee of First Amendment attorneys engaged in advocating for free speech rights throughout the country.
Prather last year received The American Lawyer's Tony Mauro Media Lawyer Award in recognition of her tireless and successful efforts advocating for legislation to strengthen First Amendment rights in Texas. The American Lawyer separately named Prather as one of the 45 best young women lawyers in the nation, recognizing her substantial career as a fierce advocate of First Amendment rights, defending media companies in cases involving reporting on matters of public concern, and defending entertainment companies in theft of idea, negligence, and copyright infringement litigation. In addition, she is the first woman to receive Texas Daily Newspaper Association’s “Legacy Award,” and was named Texas Association of Broadcasters’ “Associate of the Year” and as one of Texas Lawyer’s “Extraordinary Women in Texas Law.”
In September, Prather was one of five women featured in the Austin Business Journal’s 2020 “Profiles in Power” series, which recognized her national reputation as a leading defender of freedom of speech and citizens’ access to governmental records.
Haynes and Boone is an international corporate law firm with offices in Texas, New York, California, Charlotte, Chicago, Denver, Washington, D.C., London, Mexico City and Shanghai, providing a full spectrum of legal services in energy, technology, financial services and private equity. With more than 575 lawyers, Haynes and Boone is ranked among the largest U.S.-based firms by The National Law Journal, The American Lawyer and The Lawyer. The firm has also been recognized across the board for excellence in the BTI Consulting Group’s 2020 “A-Team” report, which identifies the law firms that in-house counsel commend for providing superior client service.