Overview
Christine Walz is a litigation and media attorney in Holland & Knight's New York office. She is a member of both the firm's Litigation Section and Media Practice Team.
Ms. Walz is routinely called on to assist media clients with a wide range of First Amendment issues, including defamation, privacy, newsgathering, reporters' privilege and access to public records. She also has extensive experience in federal and state court litigation, defending clients in civil enforcement actions and other complex litigation.
Media
- Represents broadcasters, publishers and Internet companies in defamation and invasion of privacy lawsuits and in protecting privileged information from compelled disclosure in both state and federal courts across the country
- Assists in lawsuits to obtain access to public records, including high-profile litigation against the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
- Advises on a variety of newsgathering issues, including accessing public records and meetings, protecting anonymous sources and reporting on hacked or leaked materials
- Counsels on copyright compliance and licensing issues, as well as provides assistance and pre-publication advice to television shows, online publications, newspapers and magazines
- Conducts seminars to prepare media clients for potential legal issues
Fair Housing and Americans with Disabilities Act
- Defends multifamily housing developers, hotel operators and shopping center developers in actions involving compliance with the Fair Housing Act (FHA) and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
- Routinely counsels public and private real estate investment trusts (REITs), housing developers, hotels, website operators, restaurants, and local governments concerning the requirements of the FHA and ADA
Complex Litigation
- Prosecuted and defended clients in litigation at the state and federal level in cases involving the False Claims Act (FCA), Administrative Procedure Act (APA), employment retaliation, breach of contract, unfair competition, trademark and copyright infringement, fraud and various business torts
Ms. Walz was selected as a 2016 Holland & Knight Rising Star, which is an intensive program of leadership, management and professional skills development for female attorneys.
Prior to joining Holland & Knight, Ms. Walz worked on Capitol Hill as a congressional aide and as an intern at the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the White House, where she coordinated communications between the White House and federal agencies.
Representative Experience
- Defending a blogger against defamation and tortious interference with prospective economic advantage
- Defending news organizations against defamation and invasion of privacy claims
- Representing a newspaper in a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit against a federal agency for historical files
- Counseling an internet registry and several website operators on takedown demands, terms of use, privacy policies and subpoenas for anonymous posters
- Counseling clients on compliance with regulations on the use of unmanned aerial systems (commonly referred to as drones) for newsgathering, photography and other purposes, as well as representing a group of media amici in a case concerning civil penalty for using a commercial drone
- Defending major national apartment industry clients against "pattern and practice" litigation alleging failure to design buildings in compliance with requirements of the Fair Housing Act (FHA) and related Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) provisions
- Advising clients on developing multifamily apartment complexes that comply with the design and construction requirements of the FHA
- Advising clients on developing management policies that comply with requirements of the FHA
- Advising website operators on developing websites that comply with the ADA
- Defending a government contractor in a False Claims Act (FCA) and employment retaliation dispute
- Defending a corporate client against securities fraud claims associated with the acquisition of a subsidiary
Credentials
- The George Washington University Law School, J.D., with honors
- University of Michigan, B.A.
- District of Columbia
- New Jersey
- New York
- Virginia
- U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia
- U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey
- U.S. Court of Federal Claims
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
- All State Courts in New York
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York
- American Bar Association, Forum on Communications Law, Governing Committee
- Women in Communications Law
- Media Law Resource Center, Next Generation Committee, Inaugural Co-Chair
- Media Law Resource Center, Defense Counsel Section
- National Multifamily Housing Council, Emerging Leaders Program
- Holland & Knight Pro Bono All-Star, 2020, 2021
- National Press Photographers Association, Alicia Calzada First Amendment Award, 2017
- Holland & Knight Rising Star, Class of 2016