Marvin S. Putnam
Partner
Marvin Putnam is a partner in O’Melveny's Century City office, a member of the Business Trial and Litigation Practice, and the Hiring Partner for the Century City office.
Marvin has represented clients in numerous industries on a range of issues in trial and appellate courts, both federal and state, throughout the country. A principal focus of his work is the representation of the media in defense of their First Amendment rights. In this capacity, he has handled numerous defamation actions ranging from the answer to the appellate stages. Marvin provides prepublication review for national news, variety, and talk show programs as well as national publications and film and television studios. He has represented, at both the trial and appellate levels, the nation's largest cable company in a series of federal actions relating to violations of the Federal Communications Act, international media entities in numerous federal and state defamation and invasion-of-privacy matters, film and television concerns requiring a First Amendment defense, journalists in numerous reporters' privilege subpoena actions, and media entities seeking both court and legislative access. Recently, Marvin served as counsel in a highly publicized trial of an invasion-of-privacy claim brought against the distributor of a reality television series – the outcome of which the
National Law Journal deemed one of the ten most significant defense verdicts of the year.
In addition to his media work, Marvin has represented several international banks in various federal actions and international tribunals regarding their activities during World War II, an international law firm in a securities litigation and SEC investigation, an international energy concern in various federal and state tort actions, and a major pharmaceutical company in the then-largest class action ever filed. He has also assisted in other SEC proceedings and investigations, arbitrations before various international tribunals, and grand jury proceedings.
Professional Activities
Clerkship, Honorable Roger Andewelt, US Claims Court, Washington, D.C.
Admitted to Practice, US District Court, Eastern and Southern Districts of New York, Central District of California; US Court of Appeals, Second and Ninth Circuits
Member, New York State Committee on Media Law; National Press Club
Honors, Named a “Power Lawyer” by
Hollywood Reporter ESQ (2008, 2009, 2010, 2011); named a "Super Lawyer" in a survey conducted by Law & Politics Media Inc. and published in
Los Angeles magazine (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012)
Chair, PEN USA
Languages, French