Michael J. Grygiel

About Michael

Michael J. Grygiel focuses his practice on national media law, with an emphasis on defending news and entertainment organizations from news-gathering and publication-related claims, including defamation, copyright infringement and invasion of privacy matters. He also represents media companies and other clients in complex Lanham Act, trade secret and Internet-related litigation and counseling. Michael has served as lead trial counsel to media and other clients in bet-the-company litigation, including a nationally watched news aggregation copyright case and a trade libel action against a major medical device manufacturing company. He is experienced representing the press in a wide range of matters involving applications for access to civil and criminal court proceedings and records, and freedom of information law cases in both federal and state courts. Prior to Michael’s career in private practice, he was the Director of the Arthur Levitt Public Policy Center at Hamilton College, where his teaching concentrated on First Amendment and constitutional law.

Practice Areas

Civil Rights Insights

What Is the SPLC, and When Do You Actually Need a Civil Rights Attorney?

The Southern Poverty Law Center litigates impact cases — but most individual civil rights claims need a private attorney. Here's what the SPLC does, when you need your own lawyer, and the short deadlines you cannot afford to miss.

Education

• Hamilton College, BA, graduated 1979

Bar Admissions

• District of Columbia, The District of Columbia Bar
• New York, New York State Bar Association
• Vermont, Vermont Bar Association

Languages