Society of Professional Journalists: Legal Defense Fund

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Legal Defense Fund Committee
The LDF Committee oversees the Society's Legal Defense Fund, a unique account that can be tapped for providing journalists with legal or direct financial assistance. Application to the fund is approved by either a small committee or the national board, depending on the level of assistance sought. The committee works throughout the year raising funds for LDF.

FOI FYI: Latest Posts
— Open government a casualty in Utah’s war on mug-shot websites
— Oklahoma State University wins SPJ’s National Black Hole Award
— North Carolina paper Cherokee Scout withdraws request for gun records, grovels for forgiveness

Legal Defense Fund Committee Chair

Hagit Limor
Investigative Reporter
WCPO-TV
1720 Gilbert Avenue
Cincinnati, OH 45202
513/852-4012
E-mail
Bio (click to expand)

Hagit Limor’s other experience with SPJ includes stints as National President; National President-Elect; National Secretary-Treasurer; National Membership Committee; National Finance Committee Chair; current National Legal Defense Fund Committee chair; National Chair of Executive Director Search Committee; Board Member of the Sigma Delta Chi Foundation; and Greater Cincinnati Pro Chapter President, membership chairman and current board member.

Outside of SPJ, she serves in dual roles as a professor at the University of Cincinnati's Electronic Media Department and as WCPO-TV's Emmy and national award-winning investigative reporter. At WCPO, she's served as an anchor, general assignment reporter, and currently as investigative reporter. Her abilities as a writer and reporter have garnered Hagit more than 100 national, state and local awards, including ten Emmy awards, a National Headliner Award, three national Sigma Delta Chi Awards and as a national finalist with the Investigative Reporters and Editors Association.

Hagit received bachelor's and master's degrees in journalism from the Medill School of Journalism, Northwestern University.

At home, she shares life with her husband Jeff, her son Jake, a dog and two cats.

Freedom of Information
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FOI Audit Tookit | PDF
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FOI FYI: SPJ’s FOI Committee Blog
— Open government a casualty in Utah’s war on mug-shot websites
— Oklahoma State University wins SPJ’s National Black Hole Award
— North Carolina paper Cherokee Scout withdraws request for gun records, grovels for forgiveness

FOI Committee
This committee is the watchdog of press freedoms across the nation. It relies upon a network of volunteers in each state organized under Project Sunshine. These SPJ members are on the front lines for assaults to the First Amendment and when lawmakers attempt to restrict the public's access to documents and the government's business. The committee often is called upon to intervene in instances where the media is restricted.

Freedom of Information Committee Chair

Linda Petersen
Managing Editor
The Valley Journals
801-254-5974 X 17
E-mail
Bio (click to expand)

Linda Petersen is the managing editor of The Valley Journals, a group of 15 free, total market coverage, monthly community papers in the Salt Lake Valley, Utah.

She is president of the Utah Foundation for Open Government, a citizen coalition that works to educate and advocate for open government.

A past president of the Utah Headliners pro chapter, she is currently the chapter’s FOI officer and treasurer.

For her open government advocacy, she has received the Utah Press Association John E. Jones Award, the Utah Headliners Clifford P. Cheney Service to Journalism Award and the Howard S. Dubin Outstanding Pro Chapter Member Award.

Home > Legal Defense Fund > LDF Auction

Legal Defense Fund Auction

Help SPJ sustain the Legal Defense Fund by donating an item for this year’s LDF auction.

Our theme for this year’s auction is “Share Your Talents,” because we believe that individuality and personal touch are the most attractive aspects of an auction item.

Share your talents and the skills of your friends and family. Are you crafty? Donate a handmade scarf to the auction. Does your brother enjoy pottery? Ask him to contribute a piece for this important cause. Have a friend with a small business who wants exposure? See if they’ll submit a bit of their merchandise to be displayed before hundreds of people — make sure they include business cards! There are so many ways to share your gifts with others and, in turn, help protect the First Amendment. You can donate a service, too, like a résumé critique, interview practice and copy editing. Tell us how you’d like to participate.

We need a variety of items, so we’re giving you many ways to contribute.

You can select an item from our list and volunteer to donate it by clicking the “I’ll donate this!” link, which will allow you to email SPJ headquarters with your donation information. You will receive a confirmation email with donation instructions within two business days from SPJ headquarters. If you have questions, please email Christine DiGangi at cdigangi@spj.org.

Item

Estimated value

Bookstore gift card

$20-$50

I’ll donate this!

iPad case

$20-$50

I’ll donate this!

Restaurant gift card

$30-$50

I’ll donate this!

“Car Talk” mug

$15

I’ll donate this!

“On Deadline” wall clock

$15

I’ll donate this!

2013 desk calendar

$10-$20

I’ll donate this!

Travel mug

$15-$35

I’ll donate this!

The New Yorker cartoon

$100-$150

I’ll donate this!

Interested in donating an item not on our list? That’s great! Contact our communications coordinator Christine DiGangi at cdigangi@spj.org and send the item to us by Aug. 17.

Please send donations, along with the donation form, to:

Society of Professional Journalists
Attn: LDF Auction
3909 N. Meridian St.
Indianapolis, IN 46208

If you are making a monetary donation, please be sure your check or money order indicates that the contribution is for the Legal Defense Fund. Please note: Donations are not tax deductible.