Improve your skills at the 2008 Convention & National Journalism Conference
Support fellow journalists and protect the freedom of speech and press at the 2008 SPJ Conference & National Journalism Convention, Sept. 4-7 in Atlanta, Ga. Listed below is a mere sampling of the special events and professional development programs designed to fit your needs!
Legal Defense Fund Auction
This year, the Legal Defense Fund's live and silent auctions will be held during the Opening Night Reception on Thursday, Sept. 4. You don’t want to miss the opportunity to see the fabulous items available for bid and to network with hundreds of journalists — all for a great cause! Check out more details here: http://spj.org/c-highlights.asp
Hi, I'll Be Suing You Today
Description: If you libel or slander someone on a major story, L. Lin Wood could be the man who’ll sue you. Once called “the lawyer for the damned,” he has represented Richard Jewell, the family of JonBenet Ramsey, Gary Condit, and Beth Holloway (mother of Natalee). In 2007, he signed on to represent Howard K. Stern, executor of Anna Nicole Smith's estate. He'll discuss defamation concerns and what NOT to do during a “media frenzy.”
Speakers: L. Lin Wood, partner, Powell Goldstein LLP
FOI Warriors: Learn All About the New FOIA Amendments
Description: Experts on the amendments Congress recently passed to the Freedom of Information Act will tell you all about the drama leading up to the new law, what the new law says, and what it means for journalists engaged in using FOIA. Learn which provisions are likely to end up in litigation, as well as which parts of the law will help journalists get better and quicker access to federal government information.
Speakers: Daniel J. Metcalfe, executive director, Collaboration on Government Secrecy; Lucy Dalglish, executive director, Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press; Laurie Babinski, associate, Baker Hostetler
For a full list of programs offered at this year’s Convention & National Journalism Conference, visit http://www.spj.org/c-programs.asp.