ProfNet Experts Available on FAA Drone Rule, School Transgender Bathrooms, and Workplace Politics

NEW YORK, Aug. 31, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Below are experts from the ProfNet network that are available to discuss timely issues in your coverage area.

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EXPERT ALERTS

• New FAA Rule Clears Drones and Startup Opportunities for Takeoff
• Politics in the Workplace
• School Bathroom Transgender Ruling Sets Up Lengthy Legal Battle

MEDIA JOBS

• Reporter – WMUR-TV (NH)
• Fox & Friends Freelance Writer – Fox News Channel (NY)
• Senior Editor – U.S. News & World Report (DC)

OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES

• Blog Profiles: Higher Education Blogs
• Media Insider: Instagram Most Engaging, BuzzFeed Multiplies
• The Five Types of Journalists Using Social Media 

EXPERT ALERTS:

New FAA Rule Clears Drones and Startup Opportunities for Takeoff
John Fry
Partner, Technology and Intellectual Property Litigation Practice
Morris, Manning & Martin LLP
A lot more drones will be in the air soon. The FAA's new Small Unmanned Aircraft Rule, effective August 29, means countless businesses will be able to use small drones. This can include journalists, farmers, utilities, insurance companies, public safety agencies, real estate firms and more. Commercial drones must weigh less than 55 pounds, operate within the line of sight of the operator, and fly only during the day, though twilight flights are allowed with the proper lights. It will still be a while before they can deliver big packages. But there's no end to the businesses small drones can help. Says Fry: "Whether drones are used to support a business in some fashion or whether it is a drone business in and of itself, they will soon be critical to the success of many organizations. The area of development of the technologies that will ultimately provide 'virtual' visual line of sight, collision avoidance and airspace management are popular opportunities for startup companies." Fry is Chair of the UAS/UAV/Drone Practice Group at Morris, Manning & Martin LLP. He is located in Atlanta, Georgia.
Bio: http://www.mmmlaw.com/people/john-fry
Website: http://www.mmmlaw.com
Contact: Terri Thornton, [email protected]

Politics in the Workplace
Daniel Prywes
Partner, Litigation Practice
Morris, Manning & Martin LLP
Political discussions in the workplace lead to increased volatility, and can damage productivity and working relationships. This is especially true in an election year as tempestuous as 2016. Employers may want to limit workers' political activities in the workplace. On the other hand, some companies may feel it's imperative to encourage employees to support candidates the company believes will be good for business. Says Prywes (pronounced PREE-vus): "Employers can prohibit employees from discussing politics during working (non-break) hours. Work time is for work, not politicking. But generally, employers cannot lawfully prevent employees from discussing political issues linked to the terms and conditions of employment while they are on meal or other breaks. The U.S. Supreme Court's 2010 ruling in the Citizens United case broadened a corporation's ability to engage in political advocacy. A corporate employer now has the right to communicate its support of a candidate to all its employees (and others), as long as the effort is not coordinated with a specific political campaign." Prywes has written articles published in Bloomberg BNA and other publications. He's been quoted in the New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Law360 and other large publications. Prywes is located in Washington, D.C.
Bio: http://www.mmmlaw.com/people/daniel-prywes
Website: http://www.mmmlaw.com
Contact: Terri Thornton, [email protected]

School Bathroom Transgender Ruling Sets Up Lengthy Legal Battle
Shonn Brown
Attorney
Lynn Pinker Cox & Hurst in Dallas
The preliminary injunction issued by U.S. District Judge Reed O'Connor of Fort Worth that temporarily blocks the Obama Administration's instructions for public schools to accommodate transgender students has intensified the national debate over students' use of bathrooms and other facilities. "The nationwide aspects of the injunction will be interesting to watch because there are limited circumstances where that is appropriate, and this injunction only applies to those states that recognize the directive from the DOJ under their own state laws. The big question is what does 'sex' mean. The differentiation between 'biological' and 'identity' will likely be interpreted differently by other courts, which will ultimately require an opinion of the Supreme Court to resolve. Also, this is a temporary order, which places a lower burden on the plaintiffs to show 'likelihood' of prevailing, whereas at the permanent injunction phase there is the higher standard of a trial on the merits."
Contact: Barry Pound, [email protected]

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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 – WMUR-TV (NH)
• Fox & Friends Freelance Writer – Fox News Channel (NY)
• Senior Editor – U.S. News & World Report (DC)

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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]

• BLOG PROFILES: HIGHER EDUCATION BLOGS. Each week, PR Newswire's Audience Relations group selects an industry or subject and a handful of blogs that do a good job with promoting and contributing to the conversation. This week, we look at blogs covering higher education: http://bit.ly/2bv0Swk
• MEDIA INSIDER: INSTAGRAM MOST ENGAGING, BUZZFEED MULTIPLIES. In Media Insider, we look at the journalism, blogging and freelancing stories from the previous week we think you should know about: http://bit.ly/2c9tSsn
• THE FIVE TYPES OF JOURNALISTS USING SOCIAL MEDIA. While social media may have once been viewed by news media as another way to drive clicks to articles, Cision's latest Global Social Journalism Study reveals that social media use by journalists goes far beyond publishing and promoting content. In fact, more than 58 percent of the journalists surveyed rate social media as very important for interacting with their audience. Read more: http://prn.to/2c0lhWK

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