Harold W. Fuson, Jr.

Harold W. “Hal” Fuson is a media leader, lawyer, teacher and writer. He retired in 2009 after negotiating the sale of The San Diego Union-Tribune, concluding 26 years as an employee of the newspaper’s former owner, The Copley Press. Hal was Copley's chief legal advisor for more than two decades. In 2007, he became the company’s executive vice president and chief operating officer. He continued on Copley's board until the family-held, San Diego company dissolved in 2016. Previously, he was senior staff counsel at The Los Angeles Times.

Hal served on the boards of the Newspaper Association of America, California Newspaper Publishers Association (where he was vice president and chair of the government affairs committee) and Media Law Resource Center (where he served as chair).

His book, Telling It All: A Legal Guide to the Exercise of Free Speech, was described by Publishers Weekly as “an admirable easy-to-read handbook on how to avoid the legal pitfalls that can accompany free expression.” Hal's work in protecting First Amendment rights has been recognized nationally by the Media Law Resource Center and by state associations in California and Illinois.

Hal is a director and former chair of The Old Globe Theatre. He also serves on the non-profit boards of Grinnell College, the First Amendment Coalition and California Press Foundation. He lives in Encinitas, CA with his spouse of 50 years, Pam. Together they support The Old Globe and many other San Diego institutions.