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

Legal pressure and intimidation of journalists has always existed, but 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 weaponized against watchdog reporting, and 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, Global Investigative Journalism Network (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 organizations, 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.

When: Sep 19, 2024 @ 9:00 a.m. ET.

Register here.

• "How Reporters Shield Is Protecting Newsrooms From SLAPP Attacks Around the World, GIJN, August 21, 2024, by Rowan Philp.

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.