For more than 40 years South Carolina newspapers, broadcasters and other news outlets and publications have looked to Baker, Ravenel & Bender for representation in media-related and First Amendment cases in state and federal courts. The firm has built an outstanding record in media law cases involving the defense of defamation and invasion of privacy claims, asserting access rights to courts and court records and protecting news organizations and reporters from being compelled to become investigators for litigants.

Most of the significant media law cases decided by South Carolina and federal appellate courts during the period have had the firm as a representative of a party or as counsel for friends of the court. The firm has also been a leader in the assertion of rights of access to the records and meetings of public bodies with involvement in many significant cases decided under the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act. As the media landscape has changed the firm has represented clients bringing “cybersquatting” claims against domain name poachers and asserting the reporter’s shield law to protect on-line publishers.