Randy L. Dryer
University of Utah Presidential Honors Professor and Visiting Professor of Law
In 2011, Professor Dryer became a full-time member of the University of Utah faculty, being named a Presidential Honors Professor, with a joint appointment at the S.J. Quinney College of Law and the University Honors College. Prior to his faculty appointment, he practiced law with Parsons Behle & Latimer, Utah's largest law firm, for 30 years and taught as an adjunct professor at the University for eight years.
Professor Dryer is a nationally-recognized expert in Media and First Amendment Law and Crisis Management. During his legal career, he represented virtually every major news organization in the State of Utah and many national news organizations, including the New York Times, CNN, the Associated Press, 60 Minutes, Scripps-League Newspapers, Bloomberg News and Redbook magazine. He speaks frequently on First Amendment issues and regularly advises businesses in preparing crisis management plans and in responding to a crisis when one occurs.
Professor Dryer has argued numerous cases before the Utah Supreme Court, the Utah Court of Appeals and the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals. He has also filed various briefs in the United States Supreme Court, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
He was a member of the Board of Trustees of the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympic Games Organizing Committee and served for eight years as chair of the Utah Athletic Foundation, the Olympic legacy organization that owns and operates various Olympic facilities. He is a past-president of both the Utah State Bar and the Salt Lake County Bar Associations. Professor Dryer served for 17 years on the University of Utah Board of Trustees, including six years as chair. He has been listed in "Best Lawyers in America" each year since 1993, and in 2012 was named by Best Lawyers as "First Amendment Lawyer of the Year" in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Professor Dryer teaches courses in Media Law, Pretrial Practice, Crisis Management, Cyberlaw and Privacy. In 2010, he was named the Outstanding Adjunct Teacher of the Year at the law school.
Scholarship Highlights
Publications
"Media Libel Law, MLRC 50-State Survey of Libel and Privacy Law," Utah Chapter (2004-current)
"An Abridged Checklist of Legal Concerns for Government & NGO Use of Social Media," MPA Graduate School Presentation (June 2012)
"Emerging Ethical & Legal Issues in the Brave New World of Social Media and Corporate Transparency," Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Institute Journal (July 2010)
"Advising Your Clients (And You!) In The New World Of Social Media: What Every Lawyer Should Know About Twitter, Facebook, YouTube & Wiki" 23 Utah Bar Journal (May/June 2010)
Protecting Your Intellectual Property in the World of Social Media, Utah CEO Magazine (May 2010)
"Social Media: Business Opportunity and Legal Risks," Utah CEO Magazine (April 2010)
Selected Talks and Presentations
Attack of the Drones: How Unmanned Machines are Changing the Way We Fight, Spy, Rescue and Report, Leonardo After Hours Public Lecture Series, Salt Lake City, UT, Dec. 2012
Forget the Chalkboard: The Wall is the Place to be, but Watch Out for Those Legal Potholes, SUECON Annual Conference, St. George, UT, Oct. 2012
Social Media Land Mines for Pharmacists, American Society for Pharmacy Law Annual Conference, Salt Lake City, UT, Oct. 2012
Government Transparency in Five Easy Steps, Utah League of Cities and Towns Annual meeting, St. George, UT, Sept. 2012
Legal Issues in Government Crisis Communications, Utah Public Information Officers Annual Conference, St. George, UT, Sept. 2012
If Your Mayor (City Council) Is Going To Wade in the Social Media Pool, Make Sure the Lifeguard is Present, Utah Association of Government Communications, Salt Lake City, UT Aug. 2012
Formulating Social Media Policy, Utah Digital Government Summit, Salt Lake City, UT June 2012
Formulating Social Media Policy, Utah Digital Government Summit, Salt Lake City, UT, June 2012
An Abridged Checklist of Legal Concerns for Government & NGO Use of Social Media, MPA Graduate School Presentation, Salt Lake City, UT, June 2012
Social Media & Teachers: Legal Do’s and Don’ts, Huntsman Teacher Seminar, Salt Lake City, UT, June 2012
The Ethical Risks of Playing in the Social Media Sandbox: What Lawyers Must & Must Not Do, Utah State Bar CLE Seminar, April, 2012
The Web 2.0 Revolution: Five Profound Impacts On Our Justice System, S.J. Quinney College of Law Faculty Symposium, Salt Lake City, UT, Jan. 2012
Professional Service
University of Utah
Member, Friends of Museum of Natural History of Utah Board (current)
Member, Student Enrollment Management Committee (current)
Member, President's Campaign Cabinet Executive Committee, "Together We Reach"
Capital Campaign (current)
Chair, University Board of Trustees (2007-2011)
Member, University Board of Trustees (2004-2011)
Community
Board of Trustees and Management Committee, Salt Lake Organizing Committee for the
2002 Olympic Winter Games, (former)
Chair, Utah Athletic Foundation, (Olympic Legacy Foundation) (former)
Chair, Utah Athletic Foundation, (Olympic Legacy Foundation) (former)
Board of Trustees, Repertory Dance Theatre, (former)
National Board of Directors, Campaign Legal Center based in Washington, D.C. (former)
Commissioner, Commission on Strengthening Utah’s Democracy, (former)
Professional Affiliations
American Bar Association
Utah State Bar
Salt Lake County Bar Association, President (former)
Media Law Resource Center