Julie A. Ford
Julie Ford has represented newspapers, magazines, book publishers, authors, and television and cable networks, in libel, privacy and copyright litigation for over 32 years. Her clients have included HBO, CBS, NBC, Texas Monthly, the Austin American-Statesman, The Texas Tribune, Simon & Schuster, Capital Records and Perseus Books Group.
Julie has been listed in The Best Lawyers in America© in the field of First Amendment Law since 2007. She is also listed in Best Lawyers® for Litigation – First Amendment, for which she was also named Lawyer of the Year in Austin, Texas in 2021. In addition to First Amendment and media defense, her trial and appellate practice also includes trademark and unfair business practices, water rights, real estate, general business and contract disputes.
Education
- Bachelor of Science, University of Texas (1974)
- Juris Doctor, with high honors, University of Texas School of Law (1983)
- Chancellors, Keeper of the Peregrinus
- Note Editor, Texas Law Review
- Order of the Coif
Professional Experience
- Of Counsel, George Brothers Kincaid & Horton, LLP (2012-present)
- Of Counsel, George & Brothers, LLP
- Of Counsel, Haynes & Boone, LLP
- Partner, George, Donaldson & Ford, LLP
- Partner, Graves, Dougherty, Hearon & Moody
- Associate, Vinson & Elkins
- Law Clerk to the Honorable Homer Thornberry, United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
Bar Admissions
- State Bar of Texas (1983)
- United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
- United States Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas
- U.S. Court of Federal Claims
Awards
- Named Austin Lawyer of the Year for First Amendment Law in The Best Lawyers in America (2021)
- Selected for inclusion in Best Lawyers® for First Amendment Law (2007-2021)
- AV® Preeminent (5.0) Peer Review Rating by Martindale.com
(AV and AV Preeminent are registered certification marks of Red Elsevier Properties Inc., used in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards and policies.)
Professional Associations & Activities
- American Bar Association, Communications Law Section, Member
- Media Law Resource Center, International Law Committee, Vice Chair
- Media Law Resource Center, Defense Counsel Section, Member
- Austin Bar Association, Appellate Section, Member
- Media Law Resource Center London Conferences, Facilitator
Publications & Presentations
Articles & Papers
- Co-Author, Survey of Texas Libel Law, in MLRC 50-State Survey: Media Libel Law
- Julie A. Ford, Other People’s Music: Compulsory Licenses under the Copyright Act of 1976, Annual Entertainment Law Institute, State Bar of Texas (October 2007)
Speeches
- Moderator: Media Law Resource Center London Conference – Trial publicity (September 2013)
- On-Line News, LRC Institute’s Speaker’s Bureau (January 2009)
- Misappropriation of Names, Image and Persona Claims, Annual Entertainment Law Institute, State Bar of Texas (October 2007)
Significant Cases
Supreme Court of Texas
- Mission Petroleum Carriers, Inc. v. Soloman, 106 S.W.3d 705 (Tex. 2003)
- Huckabee v. Time Warner Entm’t Co. L.P., 19 S.W.3d 413 (Tex. 2000)
- Edwards Aquifer Authority v. Chemical Lime, Ltd., 291 S.W.3d 392 (Tex. 2009) (amicus brief on behalf of San Antonio Water System)
Texas Courts of Appeals
- Jennings v. Wallbuilders Presentations, Inc., 378 S.W.3d 519 (Tex. App.—Fort Worth 2012, pet. filed)
- Zumwalt v. City of San Antonio, No. 03-11-00301-CV, 2012 WL 1810962, (Tex. App.—Austin. May 17, 2012, no pet.)(mem. op.)
- San Antonio Properties, L.P. v. PSRA Investments, Inc., 255 S.W.3d 255, (Tex. App.—San Antonio 2008, pet. granted, judgm’t vacated by agm’t)
- Moron v. Computer Curriculum Corp., No. 13-03-052-CV, 2004 WL 1797583 (Tex. App.—Corpus Christi. August 12, 2004, no pet.)
- Landry’s Seafood Restaurants, Inc. v. Waterfront Cafe, Inc., 49 S.W.3d 544 (Tex. App.—Austin 2001, pet. dism’d)
- Skelton v. Commission for Lawyer Discipline, 56 S.W.3d 687 (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 2001, no. pet.)
- Texas Monthly, Inc. v. Transamerican Natural Gas Corp., 7 S.W.3d 801 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 1999, no pet.)
- Bobbitt v. Cantu, 992 S.W.2d 709 (Tex. App.—Austin 1999, no pet.)
- HBO, A Division of Time Warner Entm’t Co., L.P. v. Harrison, 983 S.W.2d 31 (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 1998, no pet.)
- HBO, A Division of Time Warner Entm’t Co., L.P. v. Huckabee, 995 S.W.2d 152 (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 1998, pet. granted), aff’d, Huckabee v. Time Warner Entm’t Co. L.P., 19 S.W.3d 413 (Tex. 2000)
- Time Warner Entm’t Co., L.P. v. Hebert, 916 S.W.2d 47 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 1996, no writ)
- City of Stephenville v. Texas Parks and Wildlife Dept., 940 S.W.2d 667 (Tex. App.—Austin 1996, writ denied)
- Grant v. Wood, 916 S.W.2d 42 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 1995, no writ)
- Anonsen v. Donahue, 857 S.W.2d 700 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 1993, writ denied)
- Orchid Software, Inc. v. Prentice Hall, Inc., 804 S.W.2d 208 (Tex. App.—Austin 1991, writ denied)
Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals
- Arete Partners, L.P. v. Gunnerman, 643 F.3d 410 (5th Cir. 2011)
- Arete Partners, L.P. v. Gunnerman, 594 F.3d 390 (5th Cir. 2010)
- Carr v. Alta Verde Indus., Inc., 931 F.2d 1055 (5th Cir. 1991)
Federal District Courts
- Orhii v. Omoyele, No. 4:08-CV-3557, 2009 WL 926993 (S.D. Tex. March 31, 2009)
