Ashurst offers a highly regarded media and entertainment practice, adept at navigating both contentious and non-contentious issues. The firm’s client base includes numerous household names and the team is at the forefront of media law reform. Anita Cade‘s expertise in intellectual property attracts high-profile cases involving music royalties and licence negotiations. Robert Todd is a leading authority on defamation and frequently advises on technology disputes within the media sector. Lisa Ritson supports clients with the registration, exploitation, and enforcement of IP rights, as well as drafting related agreements. Tihana Zuk strengthens the team with her in-depth knowledge of competition law and regulatory developments.

Johnson Winter Slattery continues to represent leading media and entertainment clients in high-profile defamation cases. The team frequently advises on key regulatory developments, including changes to anti-siphoning laws, the Broadcasting Services Act and privacy regulations. With over 25 years of experience, Kevin Lynch is a respected figure in the print, radio, and television sectors, and the practice was considerably bolstered by the May 2024 hire of Sophie Dawson from Bird & Bird. She has secured numerous high-profile victories in copyright litigation, with Sam Johnson giving expert pre-publication and dispute-resolution counsel. Eve Thomson oversees complex disputes at all levels of the Australian judiciary, and Claudia Boccaccio is a further key figure, supporting her clients with defamation defences.

Minter Ellison‘s busy media and entertainment team supports international media companies and some of Australia’s largest publishers. The team has a strong track record in high-profile defamation disputes, copyright, and licensing matters. Notably, the group plays a key role in the internationally reported Ben Roberts-Smith defamation case. Peter Bartlett is widely renowned for his defamation defence work, while John Fairbairn has extensive experience in copyright, patent, and trade mark disputes, including injunction applications. Patrick Considine advises a diverse client base on defamation, IP, suppression orders, and contempt of court issues. Dean Levitan specialises in pre-publication advice for publishers and broadcasters, while also handling complex litigation.

Allens is a trusted advisor to major media companies, handling a broad array of commercial, corporate, and regulatory matters. The firm has a strong reputation for its work on sports media broadcasting rights, regularly guiding investors through the complexities of the Broadcasting Services Act. Gavin Smith is recognised for his expertise in negotiating media rights agreements with Australia’s leading sporting governing bodies. Kylie Brown leverages her M&A and commercial law experience to support the media and entertainment sector, while Jacqueline Downes specialises in the intersection of competition and media law. Miriam Stiel provides key clients with comprehensive advice across all aspects of intellectual property.

Baker McKenzie delivers a full spectrum of media and entertainment services, from high-profile copyright and defamation litigation to media transactions and pre-publication advice. The team also counsels blue-chip corporates on digital content acquisition and commercial matters, including third-party partnering arrangements. Andrew Stewart is a leading authority on copyright enforcement, advising major movie studios and other media stakeholders. Adrian Lawrence has been at the forefront of Australia’s online and digital media law for over 25 years. Allison Manvell is a key name for commercial and regulatory issues, while Nicholas Kraegen has amassed considerable experience with matters put before the Copyright Tribunal.

Clayton Utz‘s broad expertise is evident in the wide range of commercial, contentious, and reputational management matters it handles. The team is highly regarded for its work on high-profile sports media matters, particularly media rights deals. Timothy Webb brings a strong contentious background paired with deep knowledge of the TMT sector, while Walid Sukari leads some of the firm’s most significant sports media rights and content negotiations. Akmal Chunara’s negotiation expertise is sought after by broadcasters in sports rights agreements. Joel Parsons is a key name for IP, contract, and defamation disputes, and Ian Bloemendal excels as a commercial litigator.

Gilbert + Tobin is a highly respected name in the media and entertainment sector, known for handling some of Australia’s most prominent defamation cases. Recently, the team has been instrumental in advising on ACCC investigations and ACMA inquiries. Michael Williams has led numerous high-profile media and entertainment disputes, and Rebecca Dunn has played a key role in landmark entertainment cases, often shaping the legal landscape around emerging online technologies. Siabon Seet is a leading litigator with extensive experience before the copyright tribunal, while for regulatory and broadcasting advice, Crispian Lynch is key counsel to a range of media organisations.

Thomson Geer provides prepublication advice, as well as fielding a team of expert litigators skilled in handling high-profile defamation cases. The team is well-versed in breach of confidence, contempt, suppression orders, and freedom of information claims, and has a track record representing major clients in administrative law and judicial review matters. Additionally, they frequently advise on commercial agreements for clients, with a focus on IP and media. Justin Quill is a trusted media lawyer, renowned for his expertise and dedication. John-Paul Cashen and Marlia Saunders are both highly regarded litigators in the media and entertainment sectors.

Banki Haddock Fiora is a specialist intellectual property, media, and information law firm. The team is known for its strong defamation expertise, defending a diverse range of clients. On the advisory side, the firm provides pre-publication guidance to major publishers. Leanne Norman is a longstanding leading expert in defamation and media law, with a strong track record in high-profile cases. Bruce Burke advises some of Australia’s largest publishers, broadcasters, and issuers on defamation and contempt matters.

Bird & Bird is regularly engaged by social media platforms, gaming companies, media conglomerates, and international sports federations. The team’s broad expertise includes privacy, defamation, contempt, licensing, and marketing and advertising laws, with strong capabilities in pre-publication advice. Shane Barber advises global businesses on media law aspects and supports video game clients with regulatory issues. Julie Cheeseman specialises in handling contentious matters, compulsory processes, and pre-publication advice. Rich Hawkins brings deep expertise in high-value sports media rights transactions. Brianna Quinn is instrumental in maintaining the firm’s prominent standing in the sports sector, but the team suffered a blow when Sophie Dawson departed in May 2024.

As well as handling the full range of contentious and non-contentious media matters, Corrs Chambers Westgarth often operates on the intersection between technology and media. Notably, the team is continues to defend Google in the high-profile antitrust litigation initiated by Epic Games. James North applies his corporate and commercial expertise to advise both national and global media companies and broadcasters. Eugenia Kolivos brings deep advertising and marketing experience across all media platforms, while Mark Wilks adds strong litigation capabilities to the team.

Hall & Wilcox has established a strong reputation in the sports and events industry, acting on contentious and commercial matters in this space. Media rights transactions, sponsorship agreements, M&A, and disputes are all mainstays of this active practice. Team head Martin Ross presides over the transactional side of the practice. James Deady has extensive experience in technology procurement, privacy and data security, and intellectual property matters, and Mark Lebbon has advised on a multitude of commercial sports transactions.

Herbert Smith Freehills LLP remains highly active in high-profile media deals, disputes, and regulatory matters. The team’s commercial acumen enables it to support clients across all stages of the business cycle. Leading media companies are drawn to Kristin Stammer’s expertise in licensing and distribution, while Kwok Tang offers valuable insight into technological developments within the media and entertainment sectors. Tess Mierendorff is a well-regarded IP lawyer who also frequently advises on advertising and publishing agreements.

Simpsons Solicitors offers specialised expertise across film, TV, music, publishing, and video games. The team provides end-to-end legal support to broadcasters and production houses in the TV sector, while representing music clients in high-profile copyright litigation. Video game companies turn to the firm for expertise in IP, defamation, and censorship issues. Mark Bamford specialises in finance, asset structuring, and security. Adam Simpson has over 25 years of experience in media litigation. Jules Munro adds significant intellectual property expertise.