Samantha Barbas

Samantha Barbas is a legal historian and author known for her work in legal history, tort law, First Amendment law, and mass communications law. Barbas serves as the Aliber Family Chair in Law at the University of Iowa College of Law, following her tenure at the University at Buffalo School of Law, where she directed the Baldy Center for Law and Social Policy. Her scholarship examines the intersection of law, culture, media, and technology, with a focus on the history of free speech, privacy, and defamation in the United States.

Barbas has authored seven books, including "Actual Malice: Civil Rights and Freedom of the Press in New York Times v. Sullivan," which was recognized by The New Yorker and reviewed by The New York Times Book Review for its examination of the Supreme Court decision that influenced modern libel law and press freedom. Her other works, such as "The Rise and Fall of Morris Ernst: Free Speech Renegade" and "Confidential Confidential: The Inside Story of Hollywood’s Notorious Scandal Magazine," have been featured in major outlets including The New York Times, The New York Review of Books, and CNN, reflecting her engagement with both academic and public audiences.

Barbas has delivered lectures for the Organization of American Historians and presented the Constitution Day Lecture at the Library of Congress. Her commentary on First Amendment and libel issues appears in national media, including the Washington Post and USA Today. Barbas is recognized by the National Endowment for the Humanities as a Public Scholar and is known for translating complex legal history into accessible narratives, contributing to discussions on the relationship between law, media, and democracy.