David E. Snyder

David E. Snyder is an associate in the Entertainment, Media and Technology and Business Trial Practice Groups in the firm's San Francisco office. Before practicing law, he was a newspaper reporter. He worked as a staff writer at the Washington Post, the Dallas Morning News and the Albuquerque Tribune.

Areas of Practice

Mr. Snyder advises clients on legal issues related to privacy, the First Amendment and copyright.  He has litigated the right of access to records under the First Amendment and the common law right of access.  He also has experience litigating complex consumer class actions in state and federal court.

In the area of class action defense, Mr. Snyder has experience defending lenders against class actions filed under California's Rees-Levering Act and Rosenthal Act.  He also has experience defending airlines against consumer class actions predicated on state-law claims.

Prior Experience

• Staff Writer, The Washington Post, 2000-2005
• Staff Writer, The Dallas Morning News, 1998-1999

Education

• J.D., University of California, Berkeley School of Law (Boalt Hall), 2008
• M.S., Columbia University, 2000, Journalism, with honors, Nona Balakian Award for literary journalism
• B.A., University of Texas at Austin, 1997, Plan II Honors and English, with highest honors, summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa

Clerkships

• Law clerk to Hon. Richard C. Bosson, New Mexico Supreme Court

Admissions

• California
• New Mexico

Representative Experience

First Amendment/Freedom of Information

Representation includes:

Sander v. State Bar of California, 196 Cal.App.4th 614 (2011). Succesfully litigated the public's right of access to records regarding applicants to the State Bar of California.

Accountability Counsel v. OPIC. Successfully appealed denial of Freedom of Information Act fee waiver.

Class Action Defense

Represents automotive lender in class actions challenging post-repossession notices.

Represents airlines in class actions alleging breach of contract.

Memberships

• Mr. Snyder is the attorney member of the San Francisco Sunshine Ordinance Task Force, which hears complaints about violation of the city's open-meetings and open-records laws.
• Mr. Snyder is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists of Northern California's Freedom of Information committee.

Articles

• Enjoining the World: Does the Internet Make Prior Restraints Impossible, Or Are They Easier Than Ever?, Media Law Resource Center Bulletin, June 2010

Class Action Defense Strategy Law Blog Articles

• "The California Court of Appeal Again Chips Away at In re Tobacco II," May 24, 2011