Recent Publications
July 24, 2008
The State of the Forum
Richard
M.
Goehler
As we approach the end of another ABA year, I am pleased to report that the state of the Forum is very good. Our programs are receiving excellent evaluations and enjoying record attendance, our publications are substantive and timely, and our membership is growing. Thanks to all of you who have volunteered your time, attended programs, written articles and participated in these Forum activities.
For the twenty-seventh consecutive year, on Sunday, April 13, 2008, the Forum jointly presented with the National Association of Broadcasters and the Federal Communications Bar Association the “Representing Your Local Broadcaster” program in Las Vegas in connection with the start of the annual NAB Convention. Congratulations and thanks go out to our program chair, Guylyn Cummins, and our financial sponsors, Dow Lohnes, PLLC, Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton, LLP, Wilkinson Barker Knauer, LLP, and Wiley Rein, LLP, for another outstanding program this year. For those who were not able to attend, the Las Vegas conference addressed major issues facing our industry from a unique perspective suggested by the book, A Wrinkle In Time. The program included excellent panel presentations on subjects such as content regulation, First Amendment and newsgathering, and making the transition to digital and beyond – DTV, HD radio and online/mobile content. Jerry Fritz and Dick Wiley also moderated a spirited luncheon program on the FCC and public interest. While in Las Vegas, our Women in Communications Law Committee hosted another successful breakfast program and the Forum Governing Committee met and tackled an aggressive business agenda. Highlighting that agenda was a detailed report by Seth Berlin updating the Governing Committee on the status of the planning for our inaugural National First Amendment & Media Law Moot Court Competition for minority law students. Be on the lookout for more details on this very important new initiative for the Forum. We very much appreciate the work of Seth, his colleague Jeanette Bead and their planning committee on this new program.
We have continued to build on the early successes of our teleseminar conference initiative. On June 5, 2008, Kevin Goering led an outstanding panel discussion on the topic of “Emerging Issues in Prior Restraint and Commercial Injunctions on Both Sides of the Atlantic.” Kevin’s panel included Saul Shapiro of New York City, Natalie Spears of Chicago, Josh Koltun of San Francisco and Kevin Bays of London, England. This panel expertly analyzed and discussed the practical issues involved in injunction suits and prior restraints in a variety of settings.
On June 26, Jonathan Avila led our Forum program, “Ivory Towers and Free Speech: Student Speech Rights in the University Environment,” at the National Conference for the Minority Lawyer in San Jose, California. The panel focused on the conflict between intellectual inquiry and freedom of speech in student and student-sponsored speech that may challenge or offend the sensibilities of other members of the university community.
For those of you who are planning to be in New York City in August for the ABA Annual Meeting, please be on the lookout for – and plan to attend – two programs which the Forum is co-sponsoring. The first, on August 7, “How to Cross-Market Our Clients Across Multimedia Platforms: Branding The Entertainment, New Media, Art and Sports Industries.” The next day, on August 8, we are co-sponsoring a program on “Text and Mobile Marketing in a Wired World.” Each of these programs looks to be extremely substantive and well worth the attendance and support of our members.
Planning is just now getting underway or next year’s Annual Conference. he dates for the annual conference are ebruary 5–7, 2009, which will be held or the first time at the Westin Kierland esort & Spa in Scottsdale, Arizona. lease mark your calendars now to hold hese dates. More details to follow as the lanning committee continues its work.
Finally, we are working on our leadership uccession and we look forward o welcoming Guylyn Cummins to the ffice of Forum Chair in August.
Originally published in Communications Lawyer.