Meenakshi Krishnan

Associate

Meenakshi Krishnan counsels and defends media, nonprofit, and technology clients in First Amendment, copyright, newsgathering, and defamation matters. Her experience includes researching and litigating significant issues surrounding free expression, privacy, and FOIA. Prior to joining DWT, Meenakshi worked as a Legal Fellow at the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University, where she focused on FOIA and First Amendment litigation, including legal challenges to social media blocking by public officials and the government's system of pre-publication review.

Francesca Gregorini v. Apple Inc. et al.

Defending copyright-infringement lawsuit against Apple, M. Night Shyamalan, and others relating to the television series "Servant." (C.D. Cal., Ongoing)

NetChoice LLC v. Bonta

Won a landmark injunction for online service providers in a high-stakes First Amendment and constitutional challenge to prevent enforcement of AB 2273 (Cal.), an internet regulation threatening the most extensive attempt by any state to censor online speech. (N.D. Cal. and 9th Cir., Ongoing)

Flynn v. CNN

Successfully defended CNN at summary judgment in false light lawsuit over CNN's reporting related to QAnon, brought by relatives of Michael Flynn. (S.D.N.Y. 2024)

Sandmann v. ABC

Successfully defended ABC News at summary judgment and on appeal in a defamation lawsuit over ABC's reporting about the controversial encounter between Indigenous Peoples March attendees and high school students from Covington, Kentucky, in front of the Lincoln Memorial in January 2019. (E.D. Ky. 2022; 6th Cir. 2023)

Dickerson v. CBP

On behalf of reporter, successfully obtained release under FOIA of previously redacted Customs and Border Protection (CBP) records pertaining to the Trump administration's family separation program, as well as favorable fees settlement. (S.D.N.Y. 2021)

*Denotes an attorney's experience prior to joining Davis Wright Tremaine

Admitted to Practice

District of Columbia, 2018
U.S. District Court, District of Columbia, 2021
U.S. Court of Appeals, 2nd Circuit, 2021
U.S. Court of Appeals, 4th Circuit, 2019
U.S. Court of Appeals, 6th Circuit, 2022

Education

J.D., Yale Law School, 2018
- Executive Editor, Forum and Features, Yale Law Journal
- Student Director, Media Freedom and Information Access Clinic
- Co-President, Yale Law and Technology Society
- Winning Team and Best Oralist, First Amendment and Media Law Diversity Moot Court Competition, ABA Forum on Communications Law, 2018
M.Phil., International Relations and Politics, University of Cambridge, 2014
B.A., History and Political Science, Wake Forest University, 2013, with honors, summa cum laude
- Phi Beta Kappa
- Guy T. Carswell Scholar

Languages

Spanish

Memberships & Affiliations

- Co-chair, NextGen Committee, Media Law Resource Center, 2024-present
- Advisory Board Member, Initiative for a Representative First Amendment, 2021-2024

Professional Recognition

- Named to "Capital Pro Bono Honor Roll" by the D.C. Court of Appeals and the D.C. Superior Court, 2022-2023

Background

- Legal Fellow, Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University, New York, N.Y., 2019-2020
- Judicial Law Clerk, Hon. James A. Wynn, Jr., U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit, Raleigh, N.C., 2018-2019
- Fulbright Scholar, Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain, 2014-2015