Women in Law 2025

2025

NATALIE SPEARS PARTNER Dentons US LLP

"C hampioning free speech and opening doors for women in law both have been of enormous importance to me throughout my career.” Natalie Spears is one of the nation’s leading First Amendment and media defense lawyers, recognized for her work protecting the rights of journalists, filmmakers, and storytellers to share information and stories of public significance. A partner at Dentons for nearly three decades, Natalie co-chairs the firm’s global Technology, Media and Telecommunications sector and represents many of the world’s most respected media organizations, including NBCUniversal, CBS, ABC, HBO, Netflix, Dow Jones, The New York Times and The Chicago Tribune. Her career reflects a steadfast commitment to advancing free expression and creative voices. Natalie has successfully defended clients in some of the most closely watched media cases of recent years. She successfully represented Netflix and filmmaker Ava DuVernay in defamation lawsuits over the acclaimed series When They See Us—a dramatization of the wrongful convictions of five teenagers in the 1989 “Central Park Jogger” case, who as adults are now known as the “Exonerated Five”. She also defeated defamation claims tied to Netflix’s Jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy and MSNBC’s coverage of the January 6 Capitol attack. Her victories have helped shape the legal landscape for filmmakers and journalists to provide important information and perspectives to the public. Beyond her litigation success, Natalie is deeply committed to leadership, mentorship, and equity in the profession. Over a decade

ago, she co-founded Dentons’ WomenLEAD program, which connects and elevates women across offices and practice groups through business development, peer support, and sponsorship. She also serves as a mentor and facilitator for the firm’s “Preparing for Rain” and Emerge programs, which focus on professional growth and client development skills for women attorneys and other underrepresented professionals. Through these roles, Natalie has helped cultivate a culture of inclusion and opportunity, mentoring countless lawyers throughout their careers. Her dedication to justice extends beyond the firm. For more than 25 years, Natalie has been a leader with the National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC), one of the country’s most respected immigrant rights organizations. She has served as Board Chair, event co-chair, and leadership committee member, working to advance legal protections for immigrants and asylum-seekers through advocacy, fundraising, and pro bono representation. Natalie’s dedication and achievements have been recognized across the profession. In 2024, Law360 named her an MVP in Media and Entertainment Law, one of the publication’s most competitive honors. She is ranked Band 1 by Chambers USA for Media & Entertainment Litigation (2007–2024) and has been listed in Best Lawyers in America for both Commercial Litigation and First Amendment Law. “When we lift each other up, we expand the space for women’s voices—in the courtroom, in boardrooms, and in every story that needs to be told.”

WOMEN IN LAW 2025