Gregg D. Thomas

Primary Practices

Education

  • JD, University of Florida (with honors), 1976
  • BA, Vanderbilt University (magna cum laude), 1972

Bar Admissions

  • Florida
  • Middle District Florida
  • Southern District Florida
  • Northern District Florida
  • 11th Circuit
  • 5th Circuit
  • U.S. Supreme Court

Recognitions

Certifications

  • Certified mediator for Southern, Middle, and Northern Districts of Florida
  • Certified Florida Circuit Court mediator
  • Certified Florida Appellate (District) Court mediator
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.

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.

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.

  • 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), obtained summary judgment for an investigative reporter in a public official defamation lawsuit brought by a state attorney regarding a broadcast documenting the high rate of unsolved homicides and whether the state attorney’s prosecution policies was a contributing factor.

  • Folta v. The New York Times Co., et al. (N.D. Fla. 2019), obtained summary judgment for The New York Times and journalist Eric Lipton in a defamation lawsuit brought by a University of Florida professor regarding a news article documenting public academics’ relationships with the biotechnology and organic food industries.

  • Has represented more than 50 newspapers and/or television stations in access litigation seeking governmental information in high-profile criminal cases, including cases involving Christine Falling, Ted Bundy, Danny Rolling, Julie Schnecker, Casey Anthony, and George Zimmerman.

  • Jews for Jesus, Inc. v. Rapp, 997 So. 2d 1098 (Fla. 2008). On behalf of a consortium of media companies, convinced Florida Supreme Court that Florida should not adopt the tort of false light invasion of privacy.
  • Led a media team seeking to prohibit local government officials from banning the film The Last Temptation of Christ and, within 24 hours of being retained, persuaded U.S. District Court to declare a ban unconstitutional and to permanently enjoin its enforcement.
  • Lusczynski v. Tampa Bay Television (Fla. Cir. Ct. 2006). Won jury verdict for WFTS 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.
  • 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.

  • Arabian Amer. Oil. Co. v. Scarfone, 713 F. Supp. 1420 (M.D. Fla. 1989), aff'd 939 Fo. 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.

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