Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Federal court as defense haven - Update

Yesterday, VLW posted a blog item entitled “Federal court as defense haven.” The item reported remarks made at a seminar held at the Spring Section meetings of the Virginia Association of Defense Attorneys at Keswick Hall May 11.

Over many years, reporters from Virginia Lawyers Weekly have attended numerous meetings held by Virginia bar groups, including the VADA. Our reporters frequently have filed stories and news items after attending these meetings. This is what we do.

In the normal course of business, such meetings are public and comments made from a podium can be, and frequently are, reported.

While we maintain that the May 11 Keswick seminar in question was public and that any remarks made there are no different from statements made at other open meetings, the speaker in question subsequently stated that she believed that the meeting was private.

We can agree to disagree on whether the meeting was public or private. But as a courtesy to the speaker, we have withdrawn the blog item.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I must say, that I am a member of VADA and frequent these meetings, and have NEVER been aware that press was present. I think that when the defense bar or plaintiff's bar come together we use these forums to vent or speak our mind, assuming that our peers of like mind are the only ones listening. This is a good lesson learned.

Anonymous said...

So, you think the lesson learned is that its OK to "vent" to people of a "like mind" by saying things that you would not want heard by the general public? I think the lesson is don't say foolish things about judges (or anyone whose respect you want) at anytime. It will get out.