Aaron is the leader of the firm's Media & First Amendment Practice Area, helping clients navigate issues such as defamation, free speech, licensing, press relations, and related issues including New York’s Open Meetings Law and Freedom of Information Law. He draws from a wealth of media experience, having spent 13 years as an investigative television reporter in Pittsburgh, Buffalo, and Wilmington, North Carolina, before becoming a lawyer.

As part of his growing media law practice, Aaron has become a leader in defending higher education clients against claims involving the freedom of speech and association. He also advises these clients on related compliance and governance issues designed to prevent them from becoming the target of First Amendment litigation. Aaron is highly experienced in helping businesses and individual clients confronted with reputational defense issues, including responding to false and defamatory comments in online interviews, posts and publications. He advises media clients with pre-publication reviews of articles and videos and assists them in responding to subpoenas for their materials. Aaron also regularly helps clients respond to press inquiries, particularly for sensitive issues.

Aaron also has extensive experience assisting clients with complex commercial matters and disputes. He has represented private and public sector clients engaged in some of the region’s most significant construction disputes, state-permitted energy projects, and False Claims Act cases. He represents both developers and host communities as their trusted counsel.

In 2021, Aaron obtained a jury verdict in excess of $1 million for his client in a commercial dispute—even though his client was the defendant in that case. The jury rejected the plaintiff’s claims and instead found in favor of his client’s counterclaim.

Recognitions

  • Listed, Best Lawyers in America (Commercial Litigation) 2023 - 2024
  • Listed, Best Lawyers in America Ones to Watch (Commercial Litigation, Construction Law, Litigation - Construction, Litigation - Environmental) 2022
  • Listed, Upstate New York Super Lawyers Rising Stars (Business Litigation) 2017 - 2023
  • Listed, Buffalo Business First/Buffalo Law Journal's Legal Elite of Western New York, Rising Star, 2018 
  • Max Koren Award (most outstanding member of University at Buffalo School of Law class of 2013)
  • David Kochery Leadership & Service Award, 2013
  • James M. Kieffer Trial Excellence Award, 2013
  • Robert J. Connelly Trial Technique Award, 2012
  • Best Advocate of the 2012 Buffalo-Niagara Mock Trial Competition
  • Former member, Buffalo Law Review editorial board

News & Insights

Civic

  • Member, Dean's Advisory Council: University at Buffalo School of Law
  • Chairman, Erie County Audit Committee: 2016-Present
  • Member, Board of Directors: Western New York Deaf Access Services
  • President, Board of Directors: University at Buffalo School of Law Graduates of the Last Decade (GOLD) Group - 2018

Professional

  • American Bar Association

  • New York State Bar Association

  • Bar Association of Erie County

  • Former executive board member, University at Buffalo School of Law Student Bar Association

Multimedia & Podcasts

  • From free speech to copyrighted images, here are some prominent court cases businesses need to know about (podcast)

    From free speech to copyrighted images, here are some prominent court cases businesses need to know about (podcast)

    With prominent court cases constantly in the news, it can be tricky to interpret how major court decisions involving the First Amendment impact businesses, individuals and the community. Aaron Saykin, partner, media and First Amendment practice leader at Hodgson Russ LLP, dives into this hot topic with Buffalo Business First Publisher John Tebeau, in the latest episode of the Thought Leaders in Law and Business podcast.

    In part 1 of this conversation, when these two were together for the podcast’s premiere episode, they tackled Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, one of the most frequently cited and complained about statutes in Washington, D.C., from both parties, according to Saykin. This time, in addition to continuing the conversation about free speech, they cover defamation of character and fair use of copyrighted images.

    “If you post something on a social media site — and you go into those terms and conditions — you are typically giving them a license to do certain things with that photo. It doesn't mean somebody else can come and take the photo and publish it somewhere else, and that's the vast majority of what you see cases on,” Saykin said. “But if you're an artist, I would be very careful of posting your copywritten work. Just by signing up and creating an account on that platform, you may be waiving a particular right.”

    Listen to this podcast episode to learn more about several big court cases, including:

    The “don’t say gay” statute in Florida (Disney v. DeSantis).The $787 million settlement Fox agreed to pay in the election defamation lawsuit (Dominion Voting Systems v. Fox News).“A one-of-a-kind case” when Sarah Palin’s campaign was falsely linked to the 2011 mass shooting in Arizona (Sarah Palin v. The New York Times).The fair use defense involving copyrighted photographs taken of Prince in the 1980s (Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts Inc., v. Goldsmith).

  • The latest on the Section 230 debate — and what it might mean for businesses (podcast)

    The latest on the Section 230 debate — and what it might mean for businesses (podcast)

    Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act is one of the most frequently cited and complained about statutes in Washington, D.C., from both parties, according to Aaron Saykin, partner, media and First Amendment practice leader at Hodgson Russ LLP.

    The law was enacted in the 1990s and it shields online platforms — like Google, Yelp, Twitter, Facebook — from legal liability for posts published by their users. “This was the advent of the internet,” Saykin said. “I think forward looking members of Congress said, ‘We don’t want to cripple this new platform —this new level of innovation — with defamation suits.’”

    In the premiere episode of the Thought Leaders in Law and Business podcast, presented by Hodgson Russ and The Business Journals, Saykin discusses this hot topic with host John Tebeau, publisher of Buffalo Business First.

    “The Supreme Court has said certain types of speech can be regulated and treated differently like commercial speech. There's a different level of scrutiny for that. Things that are lewd, there's certain jurisprudence that allows the regulation of that. But just political speech and regulating that based on the content is fraught with peril for the government,” Saykin said.

    Listen to this podcast episode to learn more about:

    Why Saykin changed his career path from an investigative television reporter to lawyer.Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act — what it says, what it means, the benefits and the negatives.Exceptions to the law.The different reasons both parties want Section 230 changed.What the world might look like if the liability shield is repealed.

Thought Leaders in Law and Business Podcast
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Aaron M. Saykin / News & Insights