Kevin M. Goldberg, a member of the law firm of Fletcher, Heald & Hildreth, PLC, is available to provide generalized legal information to AAN members.
Consultations with Kevin are available to all AAN members. He can only provide generalized legal information, not binding legal advice. His services are limited to spotting issues; not providing definitive solutions. Consultations with him do not create an attorney/client relationship, nor should members hold Kevin out to others as “your attorney” on issues discussed through the hotline. If, after talking to Kevin, members decide to hire an attorney, he can assist in finding suitable counsel (this may turn out to be Kevin, but he will also work with to find someone in the local area).
About Kevin M. Goldberg
Kevin M. Goldberg is a member of the law firm of Fletcher, Heald & Hildreth, PLC, where he works in all areas of media law but has a particular focus on issues that are of importance to journalists and journalism organizations. From state and federal FOIA issues to reporter’s privilege and newsroom searches to taking photos, videos and otherwise acquiring information in public areas on the newsgathering side to problems involving defamation, invasion of privacy and copyright infringement on the publication side, he can provide information members need before working on stories and help by reviewing them before publication.
Kevin can also provide guidance for members on some non-journalism issues as well. He’s written numerous Terms of Use and Privacy Policies for journalism and other websites and assisted media and non-media entities in registering, protecting and monetizing their copyrighted and trademarked intellectual property, as well as having drafted and negotiated employment and employment severance agreements on behalf of both sides: employee and management.
If it’s related to newsgathering and publication or the business of news, chances are he’s worked on it at some point in the past 17 years of dealing with clients ranging from major press organizations such as the American Society of News Editors and Association of Capitol Reporters and Editors to smaller, internet-only websites and even freelance journalists. He also applies a keen sense of what reporters and editors really want to his legal work, having majored in communications, with a focus on journalism in college and serving as a prolific contributor to his law firm’s Commlawblog, regular speaker at journalism conferences and frequent source for journalists writing on public policy and legal issues relating to Freedom of Information and the First Amendment.
