Matthew L. Schafer advises and defends news and entertainment clients in content-related matters. His practice spans the full lifecycle of content, from advising on routine editorial, production, and newsgathering matters to litigating complex defamation, privacy, and copyright claims. He also litigates for access to public records and defends against subpoenas for newsgathering materials in state, federal, and military courts. And, he counsels clients on other sensitive issues, including responding to search warrants, grand jury investigations, and the arrest of journalists in the field. 

Matt has navigated high-profile disputes opposite public officials and figures, drawing on his diverse background: as a lawyer at the media defense firm Levine Sullivan Koch & Schulz; as in-house litigation counsel for Paramount Global, defending CBS News, Showtime, and Simon & Schuster; and as newsroom counsel to BuzzFeed News, where he fielded day-to-day issues from its bureaus around the world. In these capacities, he has advised executive leadership, talent, and editorial staff. 

In 2025, members of the New York City Bar Association elected Matt to serve on its Board of Directors. Matt also teaches Journalism & the Law at Fordham University School of Law and often writes on press freedom for the popular press, including in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.