< Directory Craig A. Newman

Craig A. Newman is a member of the firm’s Executive Committee and its litigation practice group.

Mr. Newman has more than 25 years of experience as a law firm partner, general counsel and corporate executive.  He regularly counsels international institutions, executives, corporate boards and committees, entrepreneurs, private equity and hedge funds and investment banks in a wide range of global issues with an emphasis on complex corporate litigation, intellectual property, corporate governance, cybercrime and regulatory matters.  He also conducts internal investigations to assist management and boards with the most complex operational and governance matters.

Previously, Mr. Newman served as General Counsel of a $6.5 billion multi-sector global investment firm with holdings in 67 companies.  He also served as General Counsel of Americast, the Disney-led national media and technology consortium co-owned by the nation’s largest telecommunications companies.

Mr. Newman spent more than a decade as a partner with Arnold & Porter LLP.

Most recently, Mr. Newman has represented, among other clients:

• Top tier investment banking firm in development and implementation of protocols to manage counter-party risk and pursue fast-track remedies in multi-billion dollar global transactions;
• NYSE-listed company and its senior management in litigation related to the disclosure of the identity of an anonymous blogger and alleged cyber hacker who disclosed confidential and proprietary information on the Internet;
• Media joint venture in American Arbitration Association arbitration arising out of the termination of a marketing and advertising affiliate of a Fortune 500 company;
• One of the largest media enterprises in the U.S. and Canada as conflicts counsel in their Chapter 11 reorganization in the Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York;
• NYSE-listed company in investigation into alleged cyber hacking of confidential corporate information by business competitor;
• Global hedge fund in litigation against European financial institution relating to the termination of a $1.5 billion total return swap portfolio of corporate loans and bonds;
• Private equity and investment funds with respect to the fiduciary obligations and duties of corporate officers and directors under a broad range of scenarios;
• Special Board Committee of NYSE-listed institution with respect to shareholder derivative demands;
• Group of prominent members of the Internet blogging community including a UCLA Constitutional law scholar, as amici, in a defamation case before the U.S. Third Circuit Court of Appeals;
• Federally appointed Receiver in a securities fraud civil enforcement action instituted by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission arising out of a multi-million dollar Ponzi scheme;
• Major university and faculty member in investigation related to allegations of plagiarism and copyright infringement; and,
• Investment partnership in litigation relating to control and ownership of a real estate investment company including successfully securing a mandatory injunction granting Oracle Partners the right to operate the company pending trial.

Mr. Newman is a frequent speaker and contributor to major publications including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, CNBC, Fortune, Bloomberg, the Columbia Journalism Review, among others.

Mr. Newman also serves as Chief Executive Officer of The Freedom2Connect Foundation, a Washington, D.C.-based non-profit dedicated to promoting Internet freedom through the use of technology; Chairman of the National Board of Advisors of the Cronkite School of Journalism & Mass Communication at Arizona State University; and as a member of the Advisory Board of Newsy, a multi-source news service.

He has also completed the Harvard Business School Corporate Governance Program.

Mr. Newman is admitted to practice in New York, the District of Columbia and Michigan.

Honors & Awards

• Member, Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication Hall of Fame
• Bernard Kilgore Fellowship awarded by The Society of Professional Journalists/Sigma Delta Chi and The George Washington University
• The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers Intellectual Property Award

News

• Craig Newman interviewed about LivingSocial hacking in Washington Business Journal article "The Ugly Things Hackers Can Do With LivingSocial User Data"
• Craig Newman quoted in Hedge Funds Review article “Hedge Funds Are Increasingly Seeing Cloud Technology as a Viable Solution to Rising IT Costs”
• The Washington Post reports on Craig Newman's appointment as CEO of the Freedom2Connect Foundation
• Craig Newman appointed CEO of the Freedom2Connect Foundation
• The Legal 500 United States recognizes RK&O practices and attorneys
• Craig Newman quoted in Arizona Republic article “ASU history professor at center of plagiarism debate”
• Craig Newman quoted in The Wrap article “For Rupert Murdoch, Parliament Report Could Spur U.S. Legal Woes”
• Craig Newman quoted in Law360 article “With More Investor Safeguards, JOBS Bill Heads To Obama”
• Craig Newman quoted in Westlaw Journal article “Website operator can’t claim absolute immunity for alleged defamation”
• Craig Newman quoted by The Associated Press, San Francisco Chronicle, USA Today regarding Twitter censorship plan
• Craig Newman quoted in Adweek article "How to Get Equity Without Really Trying"
• Craig Newman quoted in Management Today article "Off on a Rant"
• Craig Newman quoted in Internet Evolution article "Tweeters Meet Trouble in Mexico"
• FCC's Future of Media report cites RK&O partner Craig Newman's recent essay in the Columbia Journalism Review
• RK&O Partner Craig Newman profiled in 2011 edition of Cronkite Journal
• RK&O files amicus brief in First Amendment case before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
• Craig Newman quoted in InsideCounsel article "Waive the Flag: Bank of America case has companies reconsidering what is privileged"
• Craig Newman profiled in National Law Journal

Seminars & Speaking Engagements

• Craig Newman and Daniel Stein to moderate “Cyber Security, The No. 1 Issue With GCs” at the 25th Annual General Counsel Conference
• William Barry, Craig Newman, Daniel Stein and Daniel Zinman lead Directors & Boards Roundtable on Boards in Crisis: Responding to Litigation and Regulatory Challenges
• Craig Newman and Daniel Stein present "Cybercrime: A Multi-Faceted Legal Challenge” PLI briefing
• Richards Kibbe & Orbe LLP Partner Craig Newman speaks at Freedom to Connect 2013 in Washington, D.C.
• Craig Newman and Daniel Zinman present PLI webcast “Special Litigation Committees: Back in Vogue”
• Daniel Stein and Craig Newman led the “Civil Enforcement Cases: Emerging Trends and Issues in the Wake of the Financial Crisis” PLI briefing
• Craig Newman presents “Understanding Policy Issues vs. Securities Rules if You’re in the Crowdfunding Business” at The Crowdfunding Conference
• Craig Newman moderated "Crowdfunding: The Next Big Thing or Entree to Digital Fraud?" PLI briefing
• Craig Newman presents "Expressing Freedom of Speech or Breaking the Law?" podcast hosted by Thomson Reuters
• Craig A. Newman co-presents "Your Reputation Online: Best Practices for Private Equity Firms & Portfolio Companies" webinar hosted by Dow Jones and the Private Equity Analyst

Publications

• “Cyberattacks a Huge Threat to Start-Ups, and Their Investors” by Craig Newman and Daniel Stein published by The New York Times
• “The Special Litigation Committee: Special Handling Required” authored by Craig Newman, Daniel Zinman and Alex Solomon published in Directors & Boards, March 2013 edition.
• "A Need for Clearer Disclosure Rules after Cyberattacks" by Craig Newman and Daniel Stein published by The New York Times
• “Corporate America Is Ignoring the Cybercrime Alarm” by Craig Newman and Daniel Stein published on CNBC.com
• “Winning the Internet Arms Race” by Craig Newman published in The Wall Street Journal
• “The World of the News” by Craig Newman published in Editor & Publisher
• "Derivatives risk remains poorly understood" by Craig Newman and David Daniels published in Financial Times
• “Puncturing a finance myth of the digital age” by Craig Newman published by The Deal
• “Twitter’s Date with the Censor: Is There a Silver Lining for Free Speech and More?” by Craig Newman published by Red Herring
• "Is Crowdfunding the Next Big Thing or an Invitation to Digital Fraud?" by Craig A. Newman published in Wired
• "Tribune suits put public liability on trial" by Craig Newman published in the Financial Times
• "Why Law and Journalism Schools Need to Work Together" by Craig Newman published in the Columbia Journalism Review
• "Managing Litigation and Regulatory Risks in Loan Facility Restructurings" by Michael Mann and Craig Newman published in the Bloomberg Law Report
• "Suing Anonymous Online Critics: Worth the Trouble?" by Craig Newman published in Fortune
• "Lender Restructuring Risks" by Michael Mann and Craig Newman published in American Banker
• "Beyond the Tipping Point: A Strategic Shift in the Relationship Between Investors and Their Portfolio Companies" by Craig Newman and David Daniels
• "Recent Development Relating to MAC Clause - MAC Clause Asserted to Prevent Liability for Exit Financing in Solutia Bankruptcy Proceeding" by Craig Newman
• "Delaware Chancery Court Limits Liability to Break Up Fee in Merger Termination" by Craig Newman

Professional & Community Affiliations

• Chief Executive Officer, Freedom2Connect Foundation
• Chairman, National Advisory Board, Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, Arizona State University
• Advisory Board Member, Newsy/Media Convergence Group
• Visiting Lecturer, University of Missouri-Columbia School of Journalism
• Member, Media Council, The Paley Center for Media
• Faculty, Practising Law Institute