Mary Ellen Roy

Mary Ellen Roy practices in the areas of First Amendment law, entertainment and business litigation. She represents media and advertising companies in pre-publication and pre-broadcast review, defamation defense, privacy law, courtroom access, public records and open meetings, reporter’s privilege, negligent misrepresentation, and other First Amendment issues.

She also handles intellectual property law matters, including copyright and trademark counseling, litigation, registration, prosecution and proceedings before the U.S. Copyright Office, the Patent and Trademark Office (PTO), and the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB).

She has experience with various Internet and technology law issues, including domain name disputes in international arbitrations before the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), privacy and terms of use policies for websites, and anonymous speech postings.

Ms. Roy’s practice includes representing electric, gas, and water utilities in antitrust and consumer class actions, municipal franchise disputes, expropriation litigation, and regulatory proceedings before the Louisiana Public Service Commission (LPSC) and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).

In addition, she represents corporate clients in a wide variety of litigation matters, including bank mergers and acquisitions, franchisor/franchisee disputes, shareholder and securities suits, entertainment law issues, unfair trade practices claims, protection of trade secrets, lender liability, real estate partnerships, arbitration and general business torts.

EDUCATION:

• Harvard Law School, J.D., cum laude, 1984
• University of Louisiana at Lafayette, B.A., summa cum laude, 1981

ADMISSIONS:

• U.S. District Court, Middle District of Louisiana
• U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
• U.S. District Court, Western District of Louisiana

Membership:

• Louisiana Bar Foundation (Fellow)
• ABA Communications Law Forum, Women in Communication Law (former Co-Chair)
• ABA Communications Law Forum (Governing Board, 2005-2008)
• ABA Section of Litigation, Regional Meetings Subcommittee, Intellectual Property Litigation Committee (Chair, 2002-2005)
• Louisiana State Bar Association, Intellectual Property Law Section (Chair, 2003-04)
• Louisiana Board of Regents, Statewide Coordinating Commission for Higher Education (At-Large Member and Executive Committee, 2006-2011)
• Sedona Conference Working Group on Protective Orders, Confidentiality and Public Access (Former Steering Committee Member)

Experience:

• Media and First Amendment Law
  • Represented coalition of 10 news media organizations to open court proceedings in Mychal Bell/Jena Six juvenile case.
  • Successfully represented national television cable news channel to obtain Katrina death autopsy reports.
  • Obtained dismissal of national civil liberties organization in defamation suit brought by public school teacher of student who was disciplined after telling another student that his mother was gay.
  • First Amendment counsel to organization comprised of Chief Executive Officers of the largest corporations in New Orleans regarding lobbying, speaking out, and publishing newspaper ads regarding controversial issues in post-Katrina New Orleans.
• Intellectual Property Law :
  • Represented sports marketing firm in trademark infringement actions against national beer manufacturer and professional football team.
  • Represented kennel club in trademark cancellation proceeding against rival kennel club.
  • Defeated motion for preliminary injunction to enjoin publication of online business publication involving alleged theft of trade secrets.
  • Represented documentary film producers in action for Lanham Act and contract violations. Achieved early settlement.