Biography
Stephanie S. Abrutyn is a strategic advisor and veteran litigator with more than 25 years of experience in-house at leading media companies. As a trusted advisor and strategist, clients call on her to guide them through complicated issues that arise in an evolving business and legal landscape. Stephanie’s personal experience with and understanding of operational and market realities has made her the go-to consultant for clients across the media and sports industries on cutting-edge issues such as complex media content and licensing rights, artificial intelligence and college athlete name, image and likeness rights. Her clients value her practical advice and ability to anticipate future challenges and legal risks. Stephanie’s broad range of experience in global media and technology businesses makes her particularly adept at navigating matters that require cross-functional expertise in multiple legal areas.
Stephanie regularly handles sensitive claims, complex litigation and regulatory and compliance issues in a wide range of matters, including intellectual property, First Amendment (libel and privacy), technology, antitrust and commercial disputes. She also represents documentary filmmakers, producers, artists and distributors in all legal issues arising from the production and distribution of non-fiction, unscripted and scripted film and television content, including negotiating agreements and pre-production legal review.
Prior to joining Dentons, Stephanie served as general counsel and corporate secretary for Grid, a digital media startup that launched in January 2022 and was purchased in April 2023, and as Senior Vice President and Chief Counsel, Litigation and Public Policy at WarnerMedia, where she led global litigation and oversaw public policy for WarnerMedia’s business and brands, including HBO, CNN, Turner Broadcasting and Warner Bros.
During her 15 years at HBO and WarnerMedia, and in her experience at Grid, Tribune Company and ABC, Inc., Stephanie developed a deep knowledge of the media and entertainment business that she uses to provide practical advice and creative solutions to complex problems. Her approach to litigation is tactical and fearless, and she focuses on achieving the best outcome for her client in each case, taking into consideration their unique needs, circumstances and business goals.
Stephanie is a former co-editor of The Communications Lawyer, and a frequent author and speaker on media, intellectual property and first amendment issues. She is a Visiting Clinical Lecturer at Yale Law School’s Media Freedom and Information Access Clinic, and has taught Media Law at The Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law and at New York University’s School of Professional Studies’ Masters in Publishing program.