On Feb. 11, the Philadelphia Bar Association, Bar-News Media Committee, will host "How and When to Share Your Opinion with the Press – Submitting to Editorial Pages.
Members of the media have been invited to speak from several area newspapers. The program will take place from noon to 1 p.m. at 1101 Market St., 11th Floor Philadelphia. To register, go to http://www.philadelphiabar.org/page/EventDetails?appNum=4&eventID=NEWS0211
The Bar-News Media Committee is responsible for liaison between the bar and the news media (including print and electronic media such as newspapers, magazines, radio, television and the Internet). This liaison is maintained through ongoing discussions, the coordination of guest speakers and panel presentations, as well as an annual continuing legal education program on ethics and the news media.
Should you plan to attend, you should know that there are various types of communication managed by editorial editors. One is an op-ed (opinion-editorial), which is a form of writing that is used to express a personal opinion. Another is a Letter to the Editor. These are underutilized and extremely powerful ways to publish an attorney’s opinion and demonstrate his or her depth of knowledge on a particular topic. In this way, the attorney is positioned as a thought leader in her area of expertise. Editorials are traditionally located in the opinion pages of a newspaper (and now online for most), which is one of the most widely read sections. The submissions that get published deal with often-controversial topics of current interest and take a stand on the issues addressed. They must be well written, focused, concise and timely.
Share your success stories with our blog readers. Let us know what topics you’ve addressed via a letter to the editor or opinion editorial. Inquiring minds want to know.
Gina F. Rubel, Esq., is the owner of Furia Rubel Communications, Inc., a public relations and marketing agencywith a niche in legal communications. A former Philadelphia trial attorney and public relations expert, Gina is the author of Everyday Public Relations for Lawyers. Gina and her PR firm have won numerous awards for legal communications, public relations, media relations, strategic planning, corporate philanthropy and leadership. She maintains a blog at www.ThePRLawyer.com and is a regular contributor to The Legal Intelligencer Blog. You can find her on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/ginafuriarubelor follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/ginarubel. For more information, go to www.FuriaRubel.com.
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