Victor A. Kovner

Represented The New Republic (TNR II) in miscellaneous claims against a magazine publisher including copyright infringement, labor and employment and contractual disputes (Ongoing).

Represented Hit the Ground Running Films and successfully defended Mr. Jarecki against a series of motions by defense counsel in Mr. Durst’s criminal trial to obtain his documents and testimony under the California Shield Law and reporter’s privilege (August 2021).

Counsels a wide number of media entities in pre-publication or pre-broadcast issues for various print publications and for motion picture companies. (Ongoing)

Provides pre-broadcast review and strategy to groundbreaking documentary and docudrama filmmakers and producers including: Hit the Ground Running Films, Andrew Jarecki, Robert Kenner, Elise Pearlstein, Laura Bickford, Abby Disney and Laura Poitras. Film projects have included documentaries such as, "Citizen Four" (recipient of the 2011 Academy Award for documentaries),"Capturing the Friedmans" (an Academy Award Nominee), "Catfish," "Food, Inc.," "Last Stop on the Way to the Oasis," and "Sexy Baby" and docudramas, such as "All Good Things," and "Fur." Also the six-part documentary series for HBO "The Jinx" (recipient of the Emmy Award). As the trial of Robert Durst for murder proceeds in California, there are reporters’ privilege issues pending. (Ongoing)

Action under Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act to recover Pissarro painting looted by Nazis from plaintiff's grandmother in 1939 and now held by the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum in Madrid. The Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit upheld en banc the district courts' denial of defendants' motion to dismiss, holding that they are subject to suit under the immunity exception for claims involving property taken in violation of international law. The pending claim is now sub judice in the 9th Circuit. After multiple appeals, local counsel is handling the trial in the District Court. (Ongoing)