Know Your Rights: A Legal Training for Reporters

As part of PEN America’s Covering Protests series, this webinar, Know Your Rights: A Legal Training for Reporters, was presented and recorded Thursday, June 11, 1:00 – 2:30pm ET.

About This Webinar

Lawyer and First Amendment expert Nora Benavidez presents a legal training for journalists who want to learn more about their rights while covering the protests, including those with dense law enforcement presence. This training includes a review of your constitutional rights, what to do if you get arrested, how to preserve your legal claims in the event your rights are violated, and other legal issues when dealing with various law enforcement agencies. With Q&A.

Nora Benavidez is PEN America’s director of U.S. free expression programs, where she guides the organization’s national advocacy agenda in defense of free expression and the First Amendment. ​Benavidez is a lawyer by training, and prior to joining PEN America, she worked as a civil and human rights litigator. She has represented victims of unconstitutional police practices, First Amendment infringements, and voting rights violations. 

Take a look at PEN America’s recent report, Arresting Dissent, on legislative efforts to limit the right to protest.

For more information, contact Viktorya Vilk, program director of digital safety and free expression, at [email protected].

About the Covering Protests Series

Amid sustained protests against police brutality in the United States in recent weeks, the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker has recorded over 400 press freedom violations, including over 60 arrests and over 300 physical attacks against reporters. The majority of this intimidation and abuse has been perpetrated by the police. In response, PEN America has partnered with leading press freedom organizations to empower ​journalists to take care of their safety and well being as they ​cover the protests.

Series Cohosts

Series Cosponsors