ProfNet Experts Available on Civil Rights Act Anniversary, Political Contributions, More
Also in This Edition: Jobs for Writers and Media Industry Blog Posts
NEW YORK, April 9, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Below are experts from the ProfNet network that are available to discuss timely issues in your coverage area. If you are interested in interviewing any of the experts, please contact them via the contact information at the end of the listing. To receive these updates by email, send a note to [email protected] with the industries you cover, and we'll add you to the appropriate edition.
If you are in need of additional experts, you can also submit a query to the hundreds of thousands of experts in our network. You can filter your request by institution type and geographic location to get the most targeted responses. The best part? It's free! Just fill out the query form to get started.
If you have any questions or need assistance with any aspect of ProfNet, please drop us a note at [email protected].
EXPERT ALERTS
- Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Civil Rights Summit
- Divorce Wars: Military Style
- Adult Children Caring for Aging Parents: Five Essential Documents You Must Have
- Criminal Victims Often Find Civil Justice
- Higher Speed Limits, Greater Consequences
- Millions Affected by GM Ignition Switch Recalls
- Energy Boom Supporting Chinese Investment
- Conscious Uncoupling Can Create Common Ground
- Right to Political Contributions is Protected
MEDIA JOBS
- Reporter, Texas Courts – Law 360 (TX)
- Metro Producer – The Boston Globe (MA)
- Senior Editor – CNET en Espanol (CA)
OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES
- Press Releases: The Most Trusted Form of Company-Generating News
- Blog Profiles: Social Media and PR
- Grammar Hammer: Shoulda, Woulda, Coulda
EXPERT ALERTS:
Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Civil Rights Summit
Lex Frieden, MA, LLD
Board Member
United Spinal Association
"No one should have their ambitions, dreams or opportunities stifled by discrimination. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other civil rights legislation have established a fundamental framework for nondiscrimination on the basis of disability, but we have yet to experience the full impact of those provisions. The dreams and ambitions of many people with disabilities have yet to be realized. Significant disparities in housing, transportation, employment and community living by people with disabilities are evidence of the need for us to continue our fight for civil rights and equal opportunity."
A United Spinal board member, Frieden played an integral role in the development, passage and implementation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). He is a professor at University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and director of the Independent Living Research Utilization (ILRU) program at TIRR Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston. Frieden will participate in a social justice panel discussion on April 10 at the LBJ Presidential Library in Austin, Texas, as part of the Civil Rights Summit. He will talk about the linkage of the ADA with the Civil Rights Act of 1964; why disability rights are civil rights; and how the discrimination faced by people with disabilities is similar to that faced by people of color, women and LGBT individuals. He will emphasize how important community integration is to the over 50 million people with disabilities living in the U.S. today. The panel discussion will immediately follow the keynote speech by President Barack Obama. Other panel participants include former Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin; humanitarian Maria Shriver; athlete and philanthropist David Robinson; and businessman Steve Stoute on the panel.
Website: https://www.unitedspinal.org; http://bit.ly/1lKeChc
Media Contact: Ahvi Spindell, [email protected]
Divorce Wars: Military Style
Jeffrey Kerstetter, Esq.
Partner
Law Offices of Lynda Hinkle
"While every divorce is fraught with pitfalls, ranging from finding a compatible attorney to legal, custodial and emotional issues, military divorces raise special challenges. I've witnessed first-hand lawyers misquoting, misinforming or misadvising military clients or service members' spouses."
Most lawyers, including divorce lawyers, are unfamiliar with the interplay of state and federal statutes that could apply. Kerstetter, a military divorce attorney, offers a helpful tip sheet for any military personnel seeking a divorce. Law Offices of Lynda Hinkle is a Blackwood, N.J.-based law firm that that specializes in all forms of family law including divorce, military divorce, custody, prenuptial, domestic violence, wills and estates.
Website: http://www.lyndahinkle.com
Media Contact: Tom Peric, [email protected]
Adult Children Caring for Aging Parents: Five Essential Documents You Must Have
Ronald Fatoullah, Esq.
Founder
Ronald Fatoullah & Associates
"The demands of caring for an aging parent can cause emotional complications and stress for all concerned. If you find yourself in this situation or one similar, the best place to start is by making sure your elderly parent has these five essential documents; last will and testament, health care proxy, power of attorney, living trust and living will. These documents will give you clear instructions in case a medical emergency should arise. Keep them handy."
Fatoullah is the founder of Ronald Fatoullah & Associates, a firm that focuses on elder law & trusts & estates. He has an eight-year inclusion as one of the "New York Area's Best Lawyers," and is also recognized by the New York State Bar Association, for his "advocacy, persistence and drafting" in creating the "Uniform Adult Guardianship Act".
Media Contact: Carol Schell, [email protected]
Criminal Victims Often Find Civil Justice
Charla Aldous
Civil Trial Lawyer
Aldous Law Firm in Dallas
"Two recent cases that gained national attention due to what some considered poor criminal court outcomes may be destined for a turnaround in civil court. In Delaware, a judge concluded an heir to the du Pont family fortune wouldn't 'fare well' in prison and sentenced him to no jail time, even though he pleaded guilty to the rape of his 3-year-old daughter. In Texas, teen driver Ethan Couch pleaded guilty to the intoxication manslaughter of four people, but his now-infamous 'affluenza' defense resulted in a sentence of just 10 years' probation. Each case is now the subject of civil lawsuits brought by those who were harmed. We find time and again that those with financial resources can hire good lawyers and often escape accountability in criminal actions. In such instances, the much-maligned civil trial lawyers are the ones who can bring justice and public attention to wrongs in hopes that they do not occur again."
Media Contact: Mark Annick, [email protected]
Higher Speed Limits, Greater Consequences
Steven C. Laird
Personal Injury Attorney
Law Offices of Steven C. Laird in Fort Worth, Texas
"Texas' move to increase speed limits on some highways in and around Dallas and Fort Worth could bring more accidents and more fatal crashes. The Texas Department of Transportation is increasing the speed limits on many highways in the Dallas/Fort Worth area from 60 to 65 miles per hour, saying the previous lower speed limits were implemented to reduce pollution levels. Now that vehicle emissions have reduced, transportation officials feel they can increase speed limits. However, numerous studies have shown that increased traffic speeds increase accidents. Higher speed limits come with consequences. Studies say that when the National Maximum Speed Limit Law's highway speed limit of 55 mph was repealed in 1995, fatal accidents increased nationwide by more than three percent."
Media Contact: Dave Moore, [email protected]
Millions Affected by GM Ignition Switch Recalls
Eugene R. "Gene" Egdorf
Attorney
The Lanier Law Firm in Houston
"The number of vehicles recalled by General Motors over faulty ignition switches has grown by nearly 1 million with the recent announcement of additional model years containing a dangerous defect that causes airbags to malfunction. According to GM, 13 people have been killed in accidents involving faulty ignition switches, and more than 2.5 million GM vehicles are being recalled overall. In the interest of safety, we hope GM owners take heed and get their vehicles repaired as quickly as possible. GM says there are 13 deaths, but we think there may be many more, and GM should be held responsible in a court of law."
Media Contact: Bruce Vincent, [email protected]
Energy Boom Supporting Chinese Investment
Debra Villarreal
Attorney
Thompson & Knight in Dallas
"Joint-venture investments in U.S. energy holdings by Chinese state-owned and private enterprises continue to grow. This trend is motivated in large part by the need for Chinese entities to understand the management techniques and technology of American energy companies. With the U.S. now on track to becoming the world's largest oil and gas producer, and China already the world's largest consumer, such partnerships can be mutually beneficial. China has enormous shale gas reserves, but production has been slow due to a variety of economic and geographic challenges. They recognize the need to learn from and partner with domestic producers, consistent with contractual and governmental restrictions. Meanwhile the infusion of Chinese capital allows U.S. companies to continue exploration and production from our own reserves."
Media Contact: Barry Pound, [email protected]
Conscious Uncoupling Can Create Common Ground
Jeffrey O. Anderson
Family Law Attorney
McCurley Orsinger McCurley Nelson & Downing, L.L.P. in Dallas
"The concept of 'conscious uncoupling' immediately became something of a punchline when Gwyneth Paltrow used it to describe the end of her marriage to Chris Martin. Although it could be a ploy to buy time to create a divorce battle plan, it might also be a signal that they have found common ground in trying to create the best possible situation for their children. The breakup of the family is hard on children. The idea of conscious uncoupling might not help a husband and wife evolve as going human concerns, but it might help their family evolve into a different normalcy without as much trauma to their children. The uncoupling process can give the parents time to breathe and ease into a different normal, and let the children get accustomed to a new life before the word 'divorce' is said and the blinding white light explodes in their heads."
Media Contact: Rhonda Reddick, [email protected]
Right to Political Contributions is Protected
Chris Gober
Political Legal Consultant
Gober Hilgers PLLC in Austin
"While many Americans advocate limiting the amount of money being infused into the political process, the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in McCutcheon v. Federal Election Commission is a reminder that the government's ability to reduce the amount of money in politics is limited by the First Amendment. In the ruling, the court struck down the federal aggregate contribution limit that restricts how much money a donor may give in total to all candidates and political committees during a two-year period. The decision is a consistent reaffirmation that the government may not constitutionally restrict the political participation of some in order to enhance the relative influence of others. As the court stated, 'Money in politics may at times seem repugnant to some, but so too does much of what the First Amendment vigorously protects. If the First Amendment protects flag burning, funeral protests, and Nazi parades – despite the profound offense such spectacles cause – it surely protects political campaign speech despite popular opposition."
Media Contact: Rhonda Reddick, [email protected]
MEDIA JOBS:
Following are links to job listings for staff and freelance writers, editors and producers. You can view these and more job listings on our Job Board: https://prnmedia.prnewswire.com/community/jobs/
- Reporter, Texas Courts – Law 360 (TX)
- Metro Producer – The Boston Globe (MA)
- Senior Editor – CNET en Espanol (CA)
See more listings here.
OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES:
Following are links to other news and resources we think you might find useful. If you have an item you think other reporters would be interested in and would like us to include in a future alert, please drop us a line at [email protected]
- PRESS RELEASES: THE MOST TRUSTED FORM OF COMPANY-GENERATING NEWS. Press releases are the most trusted source of company-generated news, according to a study. Press releases won by a long shot – 33 percent of respondents trust them the most, followed by articles authored by the CEO (16 percent), blog posts by the CEO (4 percent) and advertisements (3 percent): http://prn.to/1gtBa0i
- BLOG PROFILES: SOCIAL MEDIA & PR. Interested in all things social media? In this week's Blog Profiles, Christine Cube reviews some social media blogs that both interesting and informative. Check them out: http://prn.to/1mDcB6e
- GRAMMAR HAMMER: SHOULDA, WOULDA, COULDA. "Should, Woulda, Coulda" are contractions for "should have," "would have," and "could have." But there's often confusion with how things sound when you're speaking. In this week's Grammar Hammer, Cathy Spicer breaks it down: http://prn.to/P9cVhG
PROFNET is an exclusive service of PR Newswire. To submit a request for experts: http://bit.ly/findexperts To search the ProfNet Connect experts database: http://www.profnetconnect.com To contact ProfNet by phone: +1-800-PROFNET, ext. 1 To share a thought on Expert Alerts: [email protected]
SOURCE ProfNet
Share this article