National Public Radio has appointed Jonathan Hart as its new chief legal officer and general counsel, effective July 1. He currently serves as a partner in Cooley LLP’s Technology Transactions practice group.
“Over his three decades in law, he has specialized in representing a wide variety of media and technology clients — from websites, mobile applications and digital publishers, to radio and television stations — on a broad range of matters,” said Paul Haaga, NPR acting president and CEO. “He has practiced extensively in newsroom counseling and litigation, intellectual property law and complex IP licensing. In addition, he brings with him expertise in privacy law and governance of nonprofit organizations.”
Hart has served as outside general counsel to large commercial ventures, including New Century Network, Cox Interactive Media, Worth magazine and AutoTrader.com, and to nonprofit organizations, such as the Center for Public Integrity, the Online News Association, Public Media Platform, Inc. and the Online Publishers Association.
Hart is the director of the Online News Association’s Law School for Digital Journalists program, served on the faculty of the Stanford Professional Publishing Courses from 1994 through 2008, and since 2010 has taught in the Yale Publishing Course. He’s written extensively and speaks often on media, technology and publishing law. His book, “Internet Law: A Field Guide,” is in its sixth edition.
Before entering private practice, Hart clerked for United States Circuit Judge Jerome Farris and United States District Judge Almeric Christian. He is a graduate of Middlebury College and Stanford Law School.
