May 11, 2016 – Florida Bar’s Media Law Conference on June 17 at Annual Convention in Orlando: Access-Privacy the Focus; Drones, Body Cams & Hulkamania the Highlights
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Karen Y. Kirksey, (850) 561-5766, kkirksey@floridabar.org
Tallahassee—The Florida Bar’s Media Law Conference has been on hiatus since 2013, but with a theme of universal appeal and a diversity of interesting panelists, it’s back, with a vengeance.
“The Privacy Machine v. the Press: Surveillance, Drones, Body Cams and Hulkamania” will be held in conjunction with The Florida Bar’s 2016 Annual Convention, on Friday, June 17, from 9 a.m. – 1:45 p.m. at the Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek.
“I cannot think of a better re-launch of the Media Law Conference than what we have planned,” said conference co-chair Dwayne A. Robinson. “We have an impressive group of state and national speakers whose insight will reflect the differing viewpoints about the privacy issues confronting the media. Not only will the discussion be educational, it will be entertaining as well.”
Speakers include civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump, president of the National Bar Association; attorneys on both sides of the Hulk Hogan v. Gawker trial: Rachel Fugate, Ken Turkel and Shane Vogt; Chuck Tobin, a partner at Holland & Knight in D.C., who has a drone practice; Yolanda Fernandez, spokesperson for the St. Petersburg Police Department and a member of the American Bar Association’s Task Force on Law Enforcement Body Cameras; media law attorney Dori Ann Hanswirth, a partner at Hogan Lovells, NYC;and journalists Tim Nickens, editor of editorials at the Tampa Bay Times, and John Cutter, managing editor of the Orlando Sentinel Media Group.
The Media Law Conference has been a signature program of the Media & Communications Law Committee of The Florida Bar since 1974. “It has provided a forum for the exchange of views and information on issues shared by the legal profession and news media,” said committee chair Nadia B. Ahmad. “Each year the format and topics are tailored to trending issues. For lawyers and journalists, access and privacy are always relevant.”
Here’s the complete schedule for Friday, June 17:
9:15-10:15 a.m. Panel 1- hot topics and new developments in public access and privacy law in Florida
* Mary Helen Farris, general counsel, Hillsborough County Attorney’s Office, focuses on open government law
* Pat R. Gleason, Special Counsel for Open Government, Office of the Attorney General, Florida
* Richard Harrison, partner, Richard A. Harrison, P.A., represents parties seeking to protect privacy rights
* Tim Nickens, editor of editorials, Tampa Bay Times
* Alison Steele, partner, Rahdert, Steele, Reynolds & Driscoll PL, represents the Tampa Bay Times
10:30-11:45 a.m. Panel 2- privacy, private business and the media in the age of drones, body cams and hidden cameras
* Kathi Belich, reporter, WFTV-9 ABC, Orlando
* Benjamin Crump, president, National Bar Association
* John Cutter, managing editor, Orlando Sentinel Media Group
* Yolanda Fernandez, spokesperson St. Petersburg Police Department; American Bar Association Task Force on Law Enforcement Body Cameras
* Andrew Hoffman, associate, Norton Rose Fulbright, NYC
* Adam Tebrugge, American Civil Liberties Union of Florida staff attorney
* Charles D. Tobin, partner, Holland & Knight, D.C., chairs firm’s National Media Practice Team; has drone practice
12:30-1:45 p.m. Panel 3- a look at the recent Hulk Hogan v. Gawker trial, the biggest media case of the year
* Rachel Fugate, partner, Thomas & LoCicero PL, lawyer for Gawker
* Dori Ann Hanswirth, partner, Hogan Lovells US LLP, NYC, media/entertainment litigation
* William D. Henslee, law professor, Florida A & M University College of Law
* Jon L. Mills, director, Center for Governmental Responsibility, University of Florida Levin College of Law
* Kenneth Turkel, partner, Bajo Cuva Cohen Turkel PA, lawyer for Hulk Hogan
* Shane Vogt, partner, Bajo Cuva Cohen Turkel PA, lawyer for Hulk Hogan
Media Law Conference attendance is complimentary. RSVP to Karen Kirksey at kkirksey@floridabar.org or 850-561-5766. For CLE credit, register for The Florida Bar’s Annual Convention.
The Media Law Conference will be followed by the committee’s long-running CLE seminar, First Amendment and the U.S. Supreme Court, from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. Find out how Justice Antonin Scalia’s surprising death and the impending appointment of his successor could impact First Amendment jurisprudence for generations to come. Moderated by Tom Julin of Hunton & Williams LLP, the “veteran” panelists are U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit Judge Adalberto Jordan; U.S. District Judge Donald M. Middlebrooks; Third District Court of Appeal Retired Chief Judge Alan R. Schwartz; University of Miami Law Professor Lili Levi; University of Florida Professor Lyrissa Lidsky; Florida International University Law Professor Howard Wasserman; Carlton Fields Jorden Burt Partner Richard J. Ovelmen; and Hunton & Williams LLP partner Jamie Z. Isani. Annual Convention registration is required.
Media Law Conference co-sponsors include Hogan Lovells US LLP; Marks Gray, PA; Thomas & LoCicero PL; and The Brechner Center for Freedom of Information, University of Florida.
For information about sponsorship opportunities, contact Mamie Joeveer at
mamie.joeveer@hoganlovells.com or 305-459-6628.
For details on Annual Convention registration and to make hotel reservations, go to
http://www.floridabar.org/annualconvention
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EDITORS: Please note The Florida Bar is not an association and “Association” is not part of our name. Proper reference is “The Florida Bar.” Local bar organizations are properly termed “associations.”