San Francisco, December 3, 2025 — The American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP) is proud to announce the creation of its first ever Legal Advisory Council (LAC). This new advisory panel consists of attorneys and law firms that will help assist the organization in broadening its industry-leading role in advocating for the legal issues that affect all visual creators.
“ASMP has been at the center of almost every major legal case affecting photographers for the last 80 years. This commitment has only grown recent years as ASMP has been the lead author on multiple U.S. Supreme Court amicus briefs helping the courts to know how their decisions affect the lives and livelihoods of millions of photographers and visual creators,” says Thomas Maddrey, ASMP’s Chief Executive Officer and former practicing attorney. “We simply are the leading photo trade association in the judicial advocacy arena, and this has a direct impact on our Members and the broader visual community, something we are immensely proud of.”
The newly formed LAC will hold its first meetings in Q1 of 2026 and will help provide guidance to ASMP about what areas of the ever-changing judicial landscape require attention but will also serve as a resource to ASMP’s Members through a variety of new avenues that help connect artists and attorneys.
As ASMP Chief Operating Officer Melanie Porter notes, “without a doubt, the most popular Member Benefit, and the most exclusive, is our Legal & Business Clinic where each Tuesday morning, Members can meet one-on-one with ASMP’s network of attorneys ready to help point them towards the resources they need to thrive. The Legal Advisory Council is the next step in cementing ASMP’s leadership in these areas, and all of it is designed to benefit our dedicated Members.”
The Inaugural Members and firms in the LAC include:
- Bell Nunnally – Attorney Brent Turman
- Doniger / Burroughs – Attorney Scott Burroughs
- Carrington Coleman – Attorney Andrea Perez
Long-time attorney for ASMP Brent Turman from law firm Bell Nunnally adds: “It is a great honor to have our firm help launch the ASMP Legal Advisory Council. Representing ASMP in recent years, I have had a front row seat to the impact that ASMP has in the legal advocacy arena, and we are looking forward to support all of these existing efforts, as well as many more to come.”
ASMP National Board Chair Kevin Brusie understands why this area is so vital to photographers. “Photographers need someone on their side, especially when it comes to legal challenges they face. In the age of generative AI, it’s more important than ever that ASMP remain the leader in this area. The development and creation of the LAC is tangible evidence that not only are we doing it, we are extending our commitment to legal advocacy in novel ways.”
About ASMP: The American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP) is the premier trade association for the most respected photographers, videographers, and new media visual content creators across the worlds of advertising, magazines, photojournalism, portraiture, sports, fashion, entertainment, nature, fine art, video/film, and beyond. ASMP is the leader in providing extensive education and resources to photographers on the best practices to run and grow a business in these fields, promoting the rights of photographers through a robust program of legal and public policy advocacy, connecting member photographers with clients, and producing business publications for photographers that set the industry standards. The organization exists because the work of these visual creators is so important to our economy and our culture. Founded in December of 1944 with a storied history that is an integral and pivotal part of the progression of photography as a profession, industry, and cultural force, ASMP is proud to stand with its more than 7,200 members, across 38 chapters and 71 countries.
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