Free legal help available for online journalism start-ups and media creators
If you have been following this site, you probably know that on September 25 our Center for Sustainable Journalism is hosting the Media Law in the Digital Age workshop with the Harvard University Law School’s Berkman Center for Internet & Society. It is happening right here on the campus of Kennesaw State University and is designed for everyone connected to the online digital publishing world.
What you might not know is that David Ardia, who is our workshop co-producer from the Berkman Center, also runs the Online Media Legal Network, which helps set up pro bono or reduced fee legal help for emerging online journalism enterprises. This comes from its About page:
The Online Media Legal Network (OMLN) is a legal referral service that connects qualifying online journalism ventures and digital media creators with lawyers willing to provide legal services on a pro bono or reduced-fee basis. OMLN supports promising ventures and innovative thinkers in online and digital media by providing access to legal help that would otherwise be unavailable.
Lawyers participating in the network can assist qualifying clients with a broad range of legal issues, including business formation and governance, copyright licensing and fair use, access to government information, pre-publication review of content, and representation in litigation.
Our Center has its own start-ups including the Juvenile Justice Information Exchange, JJIE.org. OMLN connected us with the Atlanta office of Dow Lohnes, one of the top media law specialty firms in the country, and we have been receiving continuing pro bono advice.
Trust me, in this digital media age, it is a good idea to have excellent lawyers in your corner. Don’t wait until you are desperate. So if you are a media creator or journalism start-up and have legal questions, you might contact OMLN.
