Youngstown Press Club

“From the front lines of press freedom: The legal threats reshaping the news” will be the topic of a nationally known media and constitutional law attorney who will address the Youngstown Press Club on June 18. Atty. David Marburger will give the presentation at a noon luncheon at the main branch of the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County, 305 Wick Ave.

Marburger, who was the founding general counsel for the Ohio Coalition for Open Government, has been practicing First Amendment law for more than 40 years. A retired partner in the national law firm of BakerHostetler, working primarily from its Cleveland office, Marburger has defended media in more than 110 libel suits. He has also brought lawsuits on behalf of the media to vindicate media rights under the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and under state open records and open meeting laws. He has been representing WFMJ-TV21 for more than two decades. He represented The Vindicator for more than 20 years. For years, Marburger’s clients also included The Plain Dealer, The Pittsburgh Press and other newspapers. In “retirement,” he still represents news organizations. Before becoming a lawyer for journalists, Marburger was a journalist at KQV all-news radio in Pittsburgh in the late 1970s and early 1980s. He is the co-author of a book about freedom of information in Ohio, titled: “Access with Attitude.”

Pre-registration is required to attend this gathering, which is open to the public. To register, visit youngstownpressclub.com. The cost is $30 for Youngstown Press Club members; $40 for non-members. The registration deadline is June 12. The program is sponsored by the library and Denise and John York and the DeBartolo Corp. A portion of proceeds from press club events goes to the club’s college scholarship fund. Founded in 1902, the Youngstown Press Club promotes journalism and related professions in the Mahoning and Shenango valleys.