L.A. Lawyer Rides Hulk Hogan, Roger Ailes Lawsuits To Infamy

Beverly Hills litigator Charles Harder has worked with celebrities before, but no lawsuit rivaled the case he helmed last year and rode to sudden fame. He represented former pro wrestler Hulk Hogan in his lawsuit against Gawker Media over a leaked sex tape. That suit drew national interest, which only increased after it was revealed billionaire Peter Thiel was secretly bankrolling the suit. After Harder won $140 million in damages for Hogan, he was called on to represent other celebrities against negative media stories. Ousted Fox News CEO Roger Ailes, actress Amber Heard, and Melania Trump all enlisted Harder for help battling unflattering press stories. Forbes called Harder the “rich man’s favorite tool for assaulting journalism,” but Harder insists he’s anything but the enemy of a free press. “I believe very strongly in a free press,” Harder told the Hollywood Reporter, “but the First Amendment isn’t unlimited.” In the profile, the Reporter tracks Harder’s rise from run-of-the-mill celebrity cases to being a celebrity lawyer in his own right.