FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT Justin Silverman | 774.244.2365 | justin@nefac.org
The New England First Amendment Coalition will lead three upcoming classes at the Nackey S. Loeb School of Communications in Manchester, N.H. The classes will be held online and are free to attend.
The classes will be taught by:
Justin Silverman is executive director of the New England First Amendment Coalition. A Massachusetts-based attorney, Silverman helps lead NEFAC’s First Amendment and open government advocacy throughout the six-state region. His commentary has appeared in dozens of publications including The New York Times, Washington Post and The Boston Globe. A former journalist and publisher, Silverman is also an adjunct professor at the University of Maine School of Law and New England Law in Boston.
Gregory V. Sullivan, Esq. is the president of Malloy & Sullivan, Lawyers Professional Corporation and teaches First Amendment Media Law at Suffolk University Law School in Boston. He serves as the president of NEFAC and on the New Hampshire Supreme Court Committee on the Judiciary and the Media. He has argued numerous landmark First Amendment and Right to Know cases before the Supreme Court of New Hampshire and serves as General Counsel to Union Leader Corporation. He is a founding Member of the Nackey S. Loeb School of Communications.
NEFAC is the region’s leading advocate for the First Amendment and the public’s right to know about government. The coalition provides many educational programs and resources. Learn more about how NEFAC can help you or your classroom.
Common Exceptions to Free Speech
Jan. 17 | 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.
While the First Amendment protects our right to free speech, that protection is not absolute. This course will introduce students to common exceptions to our right to free speech and explore the seminal cases that helped shape the boundaries of First Amendment protection. Students will be introduced to the legal concepts of incitement, libel, obscenity and true threats, among others.
The Fundamentals of the First Amendment and Your Right to Know
Jan. 17, 24, 31 and Feb. 7 | 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.
The First Amendment guarantees five basic freedoms: freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. During the past century, federal and state courts have wrestled with the clash between free expression on the one hand, and public safety and national security, on the other. This class is a First Amendment primer, with class time focused on the topics of defamation, privacy rights and the Right-to-Know law, allowing students to go deeper into the law with real case examples and stories ripped from the headlines.
NEFAC.ORG: A First Amendment and Open Government Toolbox
Feb. 16 | 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.
The New England First Amendment Coalition’s website (nefac.org) is a free and publicly-accessible resource for journalists, attorneys, educators and other citizens concerned about constitutional freedoms and open government. NEFAC Executive Director Justin Silverman will lead a walk-through of the site, sharing its many features and tools that can help you learn — or teach — about First Amendment rights and freedom of information laws.
NEFAC was formed in 2006 to advance and protect the Five Freedoms of the First Amendment, including the principle of the public’s right to know. We’re a broad-based organization of people who believe in the power of an informed democratic society. Our members include lawyers, journalists, historians, academics and private citizens.
Our coalition is funded through contributions made by those who value the First Amendment and who strive to keep government accountable. Please make a donation here.
Leadership Circle donors include the Rhode Island Foundation, Hearst Connecticut Media Group, The Boston Globe, Paul and Ann Sagan, and the Robertson Foundation. Major Supporters include Boston University, the Academy of New England Journalists, the Society of Professional Journalists Foundation, Genie Gannett for the First Amendment Museum, Linda Pizzuti Henry, Connecticut Public and GBH-Boston.