Legal scholars and media personalities will debate the balance of rights, responsibilities, and liability of both the media and the government during a hypothetical health crisis.

Informed by the reactions, restrictions, and reality of the COVID-19 pandemic, the program will explore the interplay of First Amendment rights to attend and report on trials, defamation law, protection of the press and sources, and the Sixth Amendment right to a fair trial during a fictional outbreak of “duck flu” in a rural Upstate New York county, and the ensuing government response and media fallout. The full scenario is here: https://www.albanylaw.edu/government-law-center/local-media-the-law-and-the-next-pandemic

Legal, political, and ethical issues will be debated by:
Susan J. Arbetter – Political Anchor, Capitol Tonight (Spectrum News)
Stephen Clark – Professor of Law, Albany Law School
Mary Pat Donnelly – District Attorney, Rensselaer County
Hon. Michael J. Garcia – Associate Judge, New York Court of Appeals
Michael J. Grygiel – Shareholder, Greenberg Traurig, LLP
E. Stewart Jones, Jr. – Partner, Jones Hacker Murphy, LLP
Hon. William T. Little, Jr. – Judge, Albany County Court
Judith Patrick – V.P. for Editorial Development, New York Press Association
Casey Seiler – Current Editor, Times Union

The discussion will be moderated by:
Hon. Albert Rosenblatt – Retired Judge, New York Court of Appeals
Rex Smith – Former Editor, Albany Times-Union

The free event is open to the public, will be livestreamed, includes a reception, and offers Continuing Legal Education credit. However, registration is required.

The event will be held in the Dean Alexander Moot Courtroom, 4th Floor, in the 1928 Building at Albany Law School.

In-person guests must adhere to the law school’s COVID-19 policies: https://www.albanylaw.edu/covid19

This event is co-sponsored by Albany Law’s Government Law Center, the New York Fair Trial/Free Press Conference, and the New York State Bar Association and its Committee on Media Law.