Q&A Session with Reporters Shield, a Service to Fight Against SLAPPs and Other Legal Threats

The last few years have seen a worrying rise of bullying, harassment, and attacks in the courts to silence the press. In many countries, the law is easily weaponised against watchdog reporting. 

It has become increasingly common that those investigating politics, crime, or corruption will be targeted with a lawsuit. The question is often not if you will be sued, but when.

Defending such cases is incredibly expensive and the devastating impact they can have on an organization’s finances often represent an existential threat. As legal attacks on press freedom and democracy become more common and sophisticated, it has become critical for news organizations to come up with a plan to respond.

In this webinar, GIJN will host a conversation with Clothilde Redfern, executive director of Reporters Shield, a legal support program and defense fund for investigative sites and newsrooms. Attendees will be able to ask questions about the program, membership model, and the services it provides.

This Q&A session is specially designed for organisations, since Reporters Shield can only offer its services to journalism outlets instead of individual reporters, for due diligence and legal reasons. We welcome you to attend the session with questions ready about this service.

Questions will be submitted in written form.

Reporters Shield is a US-based nonprofit — developed by investigative journalists at the OCCRP and lawyers at the Cyrus R. Vance Center for International Justice — that defends investigative reporting around the world from legal threats. The program registers organizations or outlets, for a fee, to become members, through which they then have access to legal consultation and representation. (The eligibility criteria for organizations — that they have to be engaged in public interest or investigative reporting in print or online media —  is outlined here.) Reporters Shield offers up to US$500,000 in aid that is used to provide legal services to their members. Learn more about the program.

The webinar will be moderated by Rowan Philp, GIJN’s Senior Reporter.

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The webinar will be held on art 9am US EDT on Thursday, September 19, 2024. Sign up for the webinar here.

More info: gijn.org