First Amendment and Anti-SLAPP Law

A SLAPP ("Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation") is a lawsuit meant to intimidate and silence critics by burdening them with the cost of a legal defense. Anti-SLAPP laws give defendants a relatively speedy way to combat this type of action, lessen the burden of litigation, and force the plaintiff to pay legal fees. Often, after a successful anti-SLAPP motion, a defendant will pursue an abuse of process or malicious prosecution claim against those who previously tried to silence her. This type of action - called a “SLAPPback” claim - also has its own law and unique procedure.

At Seals Phillips LLP, we take pride in our anti-SLAPP and SLAPPback successes. We have litigated in this complex area for more than a decade, representing both plaintiffs and defendants, with a greater than 90% success rate. Collin's articles on anti-SLAPP law have appeared in several publications, most recently in Los Angeles Lawyer Magazine (co-written with Gary Brophy).  Successes include Golden State Seafood, Inc. v. Schloss (2020) 53 Cal.App.5th 21, and West v. Arent Fox LLP(2015) 237 Cal. App. 4th 1065.