Michael S. Anderson

Michael S. Anderson

  • Appeals & Appellate, Entertainment & Sports Law, International Law ...
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Claimed Lawyer Profile
Biography

Mike’s practice involves complex commercial disputes regarding intellectual property, insurance, securities, and constitutional, international, and comparative law. As a result of his unique background, he also has developed an expertise specific to media and entertainment law. He has experience at all levels of litigation from trial court to final appeal and especially enjoys helping innovative startups find creative solutions to practical and legal dilemmas.

With Parr Brown’s Media and First Amendment group, Mike helps businesses and individuals with a variety of privacy, defamation, and public-access issues under state and federal law. He regularly assists journalists and others seeking access to information from the government through the Freedom of Information Act and Utah’s Government Records Access and Management Act (GRAMA) or Open and Public Meetings Act.

Since first joining Parr Brown, Mike has devoted a significant part of his practice to pro bono work. Through Parr Brown’s Freedom of Information Hotline, he has handled countless public-access cases. With the ACLU, he and other Parr Brown attorneys challenged the constitutionality of Ogden’s “anti-gang injunction,” which the Utah Supreme Court invalidated as a result of their appeal. On behalf of a coalition of media outlets, he helped secure the release of surveillance footage of a fatal shooting during a criminal proceeding in a federal courtroom. And with other Parr Brown attorneys, he has been helping refugees seek asylum in the United States.

Mike’s accomplishments have been fueled by a tireless work ethic. Prior to joining Parr Brown, he won an award at an international film festival, managed political campaigns, was a licensed stockbroker, backpacked throughout Europe twice, volunteered at a civil-rights organization to help families displaced by hurricanes, and slept at countless truck stops across the country as the singer and guitarist for a touring rock band.

Practice Areas
Appeals & Appellate
Civil Appeals, Federal Appeals
Entertainment & Sports Law
International Law
Human Rights, Imports & Exports
Intellectual Property
Securities Law
Education
University of Utah
B.S.
University of Utah Logo
Columbia Law School
J.D. (2012)
Columbia Law School Logo
Awards
Rising Star
Super Lawyers
Professional Associations
Salt Lake County Community & Economic Development Advisory Council (Member 2018-2020)
Vice Chair
Current
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Bench-Media Subcommittee of the Utah Judicial Council
Co-chair
Current
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Utah Judicial Council Standing Committee on Judicial Outreach
Member (Legal Media Representative)
Current
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Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce
Leadership Utah
Current
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Entertainment Law Section of Utah State Bar (Secretary 2018-19)
Treasurer
Current
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Utah Independent Business Coalition
Board Member
Current
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Meritas Global Entertainment Law Practice Group
Steering Committee Member
Current
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Utah Arts Alliance
Board Member
Current
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ACLU of Utah
Current
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David K. Watkiss – Sutherland II Inn of Court
Current
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Media Law Resource Center
Current
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Utah State Bar  # 13976
Member
Current
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Publications
Articles & Publications
Co-Author, Open Government Guide: Access to Public Records and Meetings in Utah
Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press
Co-Author, Survey of Utah Employment Privacy Law
Media Law Resource Center
Co-Author, Survey of Utah Libel Law
Media Law Resource Center
Co-Author, Survey of Utah Privacy and Related Claims Against the Media
Media Law Resource Center
Co-Author, Utah Open Courts Compendium
Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press
Co-Author, Utah Reporter’s Privilege Compendium
Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press
Speaking Engagements
Law School for Journalists: Reporting on the Juvenile Court, Utah State Bar, December 2019
Know Your Rights: Contracts for the Artist, FanX® Salt Lake Comic Convention™, September 2019
The Post and the Pentagon Papers (with Judge Jill Pohlman, Utah Court of Appeals, and McKenzie Romero, Deseret News), Utah Bar Convention, July 2019
Morality Clauses in Entertainment Contracts, Utah Entertainment Law Section, May 2019
Courtrooms, Newsrooms, and the First Amendment, Utah State Bar: Law Day, May 2019
Humor and Building Effective Relationships (with Cartoonist/Author Pat Bagley), Utah Bar Convention, July 2018
Websites & Blogs
Website
Michael S. Anderson - Parr Brown Gee & Loveless
Contact & Map
101 South 200 East
Suite 700
Salt Lake City, UT 84111
Telephone: (801) 532-7840
Fax: (801) 532-7750