After watching the justice system from the inside as a law clerk to two federal judges in my earlier years, I realized that I wanted to become an advocate for key legal principles. Now years later, serving as a First Amendment lawyer has been a dream come true.
About Gregg
Gregg is one of the country’s leading media and First Amendment lawyers. He has argued and won numerous high-profile cases on behalf of newspapers, television stations, movie producers, and other media entities. Gregg also has handled multi-million dollar commercial disputes, and trademark infringement cases.
He has argued and won cases before the Florida and United States Supreme Courts, including Butterworth v. Smith, 494 U.S. 624 (1990), where he convinced the U.S. Supreme Court that laws prohibiting grand jury witnesses from disclosing their testimony violated the First Amendment. Gregg is also a Florida-certified mediator. He practices out of TLo’s Tampa office.
Gregg repeatedly has been qualified as an expert witness on legal issues and attorneys’ fees in defamation and public records cases.
Prior to entering private practice, Gregg was a judicial clerk to the Honorable Ben Krentzman and the Honorable George Carr, both United States District Judges for the Middle District of Florida. He is a former board member and president of the Tampa Museum of Art, and former president of the Tampa Bay Business Committee for the Arts. In 2007, he was inducted into the Florida Freedom of Information Summit Hall of Fame.
JD, University of Florida (with honors), 1976
BA, Vanderbilt University (magna cum laude), 1972
Butterworth v. Smith, 494 U.S. 624 (1990). Obtained ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court that law prohibiting a reporter from disclosing the content of his own grand jury testimony violated the First Amendment.
Zimmerman v. Fulton et al., (Fla. 2d Jud. Cir. 2022). Obtained a dismissal with prejudice of a libel suit brought by George Zimmerman against Ben Crump and HarperCollins Publishing arising out of Mr. Crump’s book ”Open Season: Legalized Genocide of Colored People.”
W.P. Productions, Inc. v. Tramontina U.S.A., Inc. and Sam’s West, Inc., No. 18-cv-63162, 2020 WL 3566400 (S.D. Fla. June 12, 2020). Representing a manufacturer of cookware sets sold to major U.S. retailers, won summary judgment on 15 million dollar defamation and tortious interference claims.
Bernstein, et al. v. Larson Shannahan Slifka Group, LLC, et al. (Fla. 13th Jud. Cir. Ct. 2020). Won dismissal with prejudice, based upon official immunity, of defamation and conspiracy claims arising out of ammunition procurement contract for U.S. Special Operations Command.
Russell v. Waterman Broadcasting Corp, et al. (Fla. 20th Jud. Cir. 2019). Won summary judgment for reporter in public official defamation lawsuit brought by state attorney.
Folta v. The New York Times Company, et al., No. 1:17-cv-256-MW/GRJ, 2019 WL 486776 (N.D. Fla. Feb. 27, 2019), appeal dismissed, No. 19-10988-HH (11th Cir. Apr. 9, 2019). Won summary judgment for The New York Times and journalist Eric Lipton in defamation case involving news story profiling relationships between public university professors and the biotechnology and organic food industries concerning the safety and regulation of G.M.O. food products.
Jews for Jesus, Inc. v. Rapp, 997 So. 2d 1098 (Fla. 2008). On behalf of a consortium of media companies, convinced Florida Supreme Court not to adopt tort of false light invasion of privacy in Florida.
Lusczynski v. Tampa Bay Television (Fla. 13th Cir. Ct. 2006) Won jury verdict for WFTS-TV in defamation and false light case brought by three police officers.
Tyne v. Time-Warner Entertainment Co., 901 So.2d 802 (Fla. 2005). Persuaded Florida Supreme Court to affirm right of the producers of The Perfect Storm to create a movie depicting historical events without having to obtain consent of individuals portrayed in the movie.
Arabian Amer. Oil. Co. v. Scarfone, 713 F. Supp. 1420 (M.D. Fla. 1989), aff’d 939 F.2d 1472 (11th Cir. 1991). Litigated RICO claim for ARAMCO against architect who submitted false and fraudulent invoices, resulting in judgment in excess of $10,000,000.
Certifications
Certified mediator for Southern, Middle, and Northern Districts of Florida
Certified Florida Circuit Court mediator
Certified Florida Appellate (District) Court mediator
Recognitions
- Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent Peer Review Rated
- Best Lawyers in America
- Florida Super Lawyers
- Florida Legal Elite (Hall of Fame)
- 2019 Tampa Magazine Top Lawyers, Media Law Mediation
- Co-author, Survey of Eleventh Circuit Libel Law, Media Libel Law, Media Law Resource Center (2010-15).
- Interviewed by Fox News Sports for report about ESPN disclosing medical records of NFL player Jason Pierre-Paul. http://www.foxnews.com/sports/2015/07/09/jason-pierre-paul-could-sue-espn-but-it-would-be-tough-experts-say.html
- Gregg’s role as media attorney for the Lakeland Ledger described in Ledger story detailing scandals the paper has uncovered at the Lakeland Police Department. http://www.theledger.com/article/20131018/news/131019122
- Gregg’s role arguing for First Amendment protection of Hulk Hogan sex tape described in story about Hogan lawsuit at the website Gawker.com. http://gawker.com/a-judge-told-us-to-take-down-our-hulk-hogan-sex-tape-po-481328088
Gregg Thomas is a certified federal and state court mediator who combines wide-ranging litigation experience with realistic assessments of the strengths and weaknesses of parties’ claims and defenses. Gregg recognizes that the parties – not the mediator – settle cases. But he also believes that as a mediator he can provide the parties with an impartial and realistic perspective on their case, and a chance to put litigation behind them. As Gregg has noted, ”In almost every case, the parties stand to gain by compromising. If they continue to litigate, they are more likely to lose time, money, and peace of mind.”
Gregg’s approach to mediation derives from more than 30 years as a civil and commercial litigator, and from having clerked for two federal district court judges. Defamation law, invasion of privacy, and constitutional claims are the areas in which he is best known, but Gregg also has extensive real-world experience in many other fields, including business torts, contracts, deceptive and unfair trade practices, non-competition agreements, trade secrets, RICO, and Section 1983 actions.
About Gregg
Gregg is one of the country’s leading media and First Amendment lawyers. He has argued and won numerous high-profile cases on behalf of newspapers, television stations, movie producers, and other media entities. Gregg also has handled multi-million dollar commercial disputes, and trademark infringement cases.
He has argued and won cases before the Florida and United States Supreme Courts, including Butterworth v. Smith, 494 U.S. 624 (1990), where he convinced the U.S. Supreme Court that laws prohibiting grand jury witnesses from disclosing their testimony violated the First Amendment. Gregg is also a Florida-certified mediator. He practices out of TLo’s Tampa office.
Gregg repeatedly has been qualified as an expert witness on legal issues and attorneys’ fees in defamation and public records cases.
Prior to entering private practice, Gregg was a judicial clerk to the Honorable Ben Krentzman and the Honorable George Carr, both United States District Judges for the Middle District of Florida. He is a former board member and president of the Tampa Museum of Art, and former president of the Tampa Bay Business Committee for the Arts. In 2007, he was inducted into the Florida Freedom of Information Summit Hall of Fame.
Education
JD, University of Florida (with honors), 1976
BA, Vanderbilt University (magna cum laude), 1972
Representative Matters
Butterworth v. Smith, 494 U.S. 624 (1990). Obtained ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court that law prohibiting a reporter from disclosing the content of his own grand jury testimony violated the First Amendment.
Zimmerman v. Fulton et al., (Fla. 2d Jud. Cir. 2022). Obtained a dismissal with prejudice of a libel suit brought by George Zimmerman against Ben Crump and HarperCollins Publishing arising out of Mr. Crump’s book ”Open Season: Legalized Genocide of Colored People.”
W.P. Productions, Inc. v. Tramontina U.S.A., Inc. and Sam’s West, Inc., No. 18-cv-63162, 2020 WL 3566400 (S.D. Fla. June 12, 2020). Representing a manufacturer of cookware sets sold to major U.S. retailers, won summary judgment on 15 million dollar defamation and tortious interference claims.
Bernstein, et al. v. Larson Shannahan Slifka Group, LLC, et al. (Fla. 13th Jud. Cir. Ct. 2020). Won dismissal with prejudice, based upon official immunity, of defamation and conspiracy claims arising out of ammunition procurement contract for U.S. Special Operations Command.
Russell v. Waterman Broadcasting Corp, et al. (Fla. 20th Jud. Cir. 2019). Won summary judgment for reporter in public official defamation lawsuit brought by state attorney.
Folta v. The New York Times Company, et al., No. 1:17-cv-256-MW/GRJ, 2019 WL 486776 (N.D. Fla. Feb. 27, 2019), appeal dismissed, No. 19-10988-HH (11th Cir. Apr. 9, 2019). Won summary judgment for The New York Times and journalist Eric Lipton in defamation case involving news story profiling relationships between public university professors and the biotechnology and organic food industries concerning the safety and regulation of G.M.O. food products.
Jews for Jesus, Inc. v. Rapp, 997 So. 2d 1098 (Fla. 2008). On behalf of a consortium of media companies, convinced Florida Supreme Court not to adopt tort of false light invasion of privacy in Florida.
Lusczynski v. Tampa Bay Television (Fla. 13th Cir. Ct. 2006) Won jury verdict for WFTS-TV in defamation and false light case brought by three police officers.
Tyne v. Time-Warner Entertainment Co., 901 So.2d 802 (Fla. 2005). Persuaded Florida Supreme Court to affirm right of the producers of The Perfect Storm to create a movie depicting historical events without having to obtain consent of individuals portrayed in the movie.
Arabian Amer. Oil. Co. v. Scarfone, 713 F. Supp. 1420 (M.D. Fla. 1989), aff’d 939 F.2d 1472 (11th Cir. 1991). Litigated RICO claim for ARAMCO against architect who submitted false and fraudulent invoices, resulting in judgment in excess of $10,000,000.
Bar Admissions
Certifications
Certified mediator for Southern, Middle, and Northern Districts of Florida
Certified Florida Circuit Court mediator
Certified Florida Appellate (District) Court mediator
Recognitions
- Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent Peer Review Rated
- Best Lawyers in America
- Florida Super Lawyers
- Florida Legal Elite (Hall of Fame)
- 2019 Tampa Magazine Top Lawyers, Media Law Mediation
Appearances and Publications
- Co-author, Survey of Eleventh Circuit Libel Law, Media Libel Law, Media Law Resource Center (2010-15).
- Interviewed by Fox News Sports for report about ESPN disclosing medical records of NFL player Jason Pierre-Paul. http://www.foxnews.com/sports/2015/07/09/jason-pierre-paul-could-sue-espn-but-it-would-be-tough-experts-say.html
- Gregg’s role as media attorney for the Lakeland Ledger described in Ledger story detailing scandals the paper has uncovered at the Lakeland Police Department. http://www.theledger.com/article/20131018/news/131019122
- Gregg’s role arguing for First Amendment protection of Hulk Hogan sex tape described in story about Hogan lawsuit at the website Gawker.com. http://gawker.com/a-judge-told-us-to-take-down-our-hulk-hogan-sex-tape-po-481328088
Mediation
Gregg Thomas is a certified federal and state court mediator who combines wide-ranging litigation experience with realistic assessments of the strengths and weaknesses of parties’ claims and defenses. Gregg recognizes that the parties – not the mediator – settle cases. But he also believes that as a mediator he can provide the parties with an impartial and realistic perspective on their case, and a chance to put litigation behind them. As Gregg has noted, ”In almost every case, the parties stand to gain by compromising. If they continue to litigate, they are more likely to lose time, money, and peace of mind.”
Gregg’s approach to mediation derives from more than 30 years as a civil and commercial litigator, and from having clerked for two federal district court judges. Defamation law, invasion of privacy, and constitutional claims are the areas in which he is best known, but Gregg also has extensive real-world experience in many other fields, including business torts, contracts, deceptive and unfair trade practices, non-competition agreements, trade secrets, RICO, and Section 1983 actions.