Celeste Phillips has represented journalists for four decades, concentrating her practice in defamation, privacy, and related media litigation and counseling for daily newspapers, magazines, and broadcasters, as well as book and newsletter publishers.

Celeste has served as newsroom counsel to a number of daily newspapers and other media entities, providing guidance to editors and reporters at each step of the newsgathering process, from prepublication review, to gaining access to records, to ensuring the protection of confidential sources and other privileged materials. In addition, she has participated in the defense of significant defamation actions brought against a host of media entities in a wide array of jurisdictions.

Celeste previously was with the highly regarded First Amendment boutique law firm Levine Sullivan Koch & Schulz, which merged with Ballard Spahr in October 2017.