Avrillon Huet assists and defends media companies (newspapers, radios, and broadcasting networks) as well as individuals and legal entities targeted by information material, specifically in the following areas:

• Legal proceedings regarding free speech issues, before civil or criminal courts: defamation, press offence, violation of the presumption of innocence, etc.
• Request for withdrawal of articles and comments on blogs and social networks, notice of illegal content (e-reputation)
• Request for the right of reply and rectification in response to a publication in the medias, on blogs, and on social networks
• Legal assistance to journalists and media companies dealing with French administrative authorities (in particular Autorité de régulation de la communication audiovisuelle et numérique (ARCOM) and Commission Paritaire des Publications et Agences de Presse (CPPAP))
• Advice to media companies, broadcasting companies and websites on the governance of legal entities, on media governance issues, and on the independence of journalists and editorial teams
• Takeover, restructuring and insolvency of media companies.

We usually intervene in the wake of controversial publications in the media or on social networks, to determine their legal qualification (defamation, insult, etc.) either to assess the opportunity to initiate proceedings or to defend the freedom of speech of the author or journalist.

We also support media companies facing insolvency proceedings by providing assistance to managers, shareholders or to potential buyers in order to help preventing newspapers from going bankrupt.

Avrillon Huet has been taking part in public debates about media-related matters. Benoit Huet is a member of Reporters Without Borders’ Legal Committee.  He is the author of a book titled “Information is a public good” (Editions du Seuil, co-written with Julia Cagé), which deals with media ownership, editorial independence, and the relationship between media shareholders and journalists.