Grace Speights

Tell us about your biggest win from January 2019 through June 2020 and how you achieved the result for your client.

Grace Speights

MORGAN, LEWIS & BOCKIUS

Winning the jury verdict for Public Broadcasting Service in March 2020 in the case against former talk show host Tavis Smiley was my biggest win. After PBS terminated its contracts with TS Media in February 2018 following sexual misconduct allegations against Mr. Smiley, TS Media sued PBS for breach of contract. We responded by countersuing TS Media for breach of the “morals clauses” in the show’s agreements, which had prohibited Smiley from doing anything that might reflect unfavorably on PBS. It was a calculated risk because morals clauses, while common, are rarely litigated. Our strategy paid off when the jurors returned a verdict in favor of PBS on both TS Media’s claim against PBS and PBS’s counterclaim against TS Media, and awarded PBS approximately $1.5 million in damages.

Share two trial tips that have been key to your success.

1) Be yourself. Being myself has never failed me. Know your facts and share them using your own voice. You earn credibility and buy-in with judges, juries, defendants and adversaries when you bring your true self to a trial. 2) Tell a good chronological story using everyday common and simple words.

Photo Credit: Diego M. Radzinschi/ALM

Mark MacDougall