D. John McKay

John McKay to Receive Alaska Press Club's First Amendment Award
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"I am honored and humbled by this recognition," said McKay, 56. "I think it's important that people be free to speak out on issues, and the First Amendment is what allows people to be engaged in everything that's important to us in every other realm-religion, politics, . . . everything really."

The Alaska Press Club's First Amendment Award recognizes Alaskans and others who have advanced, in some significant way, the First Amendment freedoms of speech, press, religion, petition and/or assembly. Journalists and non-journalists alike are eligible to receive the award.

McKay arrived in Alaska in the fall of 1977 with a desire to practice First Amendment law. Thirty years later, he has compiled an extensive record of preserving and extending freedom of speech and of the press. Over three decades, McDay has defended average citizens who speak their minds as well as big media organizations who challenge public institutions wanting to keep public information from the people or make public policy behind closed doors.

"John McKay has advanced free speech and helped all levels of government become more transparent in Alaska," said John Creed, University of Alaska professor of humanities/journalism, Alaska Press Club board member, and award initiator.
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Larry Campbell, Associated Press bureau chief for Alaska and a former Alaska Press Club president, will introduce McKay at the awards banquet and present him with his award.
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John McKay has two sons, Martin, 19, and Cameron, 16.
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John McKay, Attorney-At-Law, 274-3154; ()
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D. John McKay has practiced law in Anchorage, Alaska, since 1978. After graduating from the University of Michigan Law School 1975, he clerked for a federal judge in Michigan for two years before moving to Alaska. His law practice has focused on defamation, privacy, copyright, access to government meetings and records and other press law issues, as well as general civil litigation. Currently in solo private practice, he has represented the Anchorage Daily News, KTUU-TV, and most of the other news media in the state, as well as a number of national media organizations including the Associated Press, Wall Street Journal, and Los Angeles Times, and writers, filmmakers, photographers and artists.

McKay has a master's degree in journalism, and was an invited participant at the International Mass Communications seminar in Sali, Yugoslavia, in 1972. He has taught Communication Law as an adjunct professor at the University of Alaska Anchorage since 1984, covering a range of topics including First Amendment issues, libel and privacy law, copyright, broadcast regulation, access to information, free press/fair trial, and obscenity and indecency.

He is a member and past co-chair of the Intellectual Property Section of the Alaska Bar Association, past co-chair of the Employment Law Section of the Alaska Bar Association, past member of the Defense Counsel Section of the American Bar Association, Communication Law Forum, and of the Libel Defense Resource Center.

He has done extensive pro bono work for those involved in journalism, writing, photography and other creative activities in Alaska, and is a frequent lecturer and presenter at CLE's, workshops and seminars on libel and privacy, copyright and other issues affecting print, broadcast, and electronic media, to groups including the Alaska Press Club, Alaska Broadcasters Association, Alaska Press Women, Alaska Native Artists' Summit, Alaska Judges/Journalists Workshop sponsored by the Donald W. Reynolds National Center for Courts and Media (keynote speaker, 2006), national convention of the National Federation of Press Women, Society for Technical Communication/Alaska Chapter, Public Relations Society of America/Alaska Chapter, Society of Professional Journalists (Fairbanks), Alaska Public Radio Network, Association of Independent Commercial Producers/AICP-AK, and the University of Alaska Anchorage, University of Alaska Fairbanks and Anchorage School District and others.

As a member of the UAA Telecommunications Group, he traveled to the Russian Far East in the 1990's to meet and work with Russian journalists, and helped devise and implement a curriculum for education and training of visiting Russian journalists at UAA.
...
John McKay has written plays and poetry that have been read in a number of Alaska venues, and hopes to get back to learning the fiddle one of these days.

John McKay to Receive Alaska Press Club's First Amendment Award
...
John McKay to Receive Alaska Press Club's First Amendment Award
...
"I am honored and humbled by this recognition," said McKay, 56. "I think it's important that people be free to speak out on issues, and the First Amendment is what allows people to be engaged in everything that's important to us in every other realm-religion, politics, . . . everything really."

The Alaska Press Club's First Amendment Award recognizes Alaskans and others who have advanced, in some significant way, the First Amendment freedoms of speech, press, religion, petition and/or assembly. Journalists and non-journalists alike are eligible to receive the award.

McKay arrived in Alaska in the fall of 1977 with a desire to practice First Amendment law. Thirty years later, he has compiled an extensive record of preserving and extending freedom of speech and of the press. Over three decades, McDay has defended average citizens who speak their minds as well as big media organizations who challenge public institutions wanting to keep public information from the people or make public policy behind closed doors.

"John McKay has advanced free speech and helped all levels of government become more transparent in Alaska," said John Creed, University of Alaska professor of humanities/journalism, Alaska Press Club board member, and award initiator.
...
Larry Campbell, Associated Press bureau chief for Alaska and a former Alaska Press Club president, will introduce McKay at the awards banquet and present him with his award.
...
John McKay has two sons, Martin, 19, and Cameron, 16.
...
John McKay, Attorney-At-Law, 274-3154; ()
...
D. John McKay has practiced law in Anchorage, Alaska, since 1978. After graduating from the University of Michigan Law School 1975, he clerked for a federal judge in Michigan for two years before moving to Alaska. His law practice has focused on defamation, privacy, copyright, access to government meetings and records and other press law issues, as well as general civil litigation. Currently in solo private practice, he has represented the Anchorage Daily News, KTUU-TV, and most of the other news media in the state, as well as a number of national media organizations including the Associated Press, Wall Street Journal, and Los Angeles Times, and writers, filmmakers, photographers and artists.

McKay has a master's degree in journalism, and was an invited participant at the International Mass Communications seminar in Sali, Yugoslavia, in 1972. He has taught Communication Law as an adjunct professor at the University of Alaska Anchorage since 1984, covering a range of topics including First Amendment issues, libel and privacy law, copyright, broadcast regulation, access to information, free press/fair trial, and obscenity and indecency.

He is a member and past co-chair of the Intellectual Property Section of the Alaska Bar Association, past co-chair of the Employment Law Section of the Alaska Bar Association, past member of the Defense Counsel Section of the American Bar Association, Communication Law Forum, and of the Libel Defense Resource Center.

He has done extensive pro bono work for those involved in journalism, writing, photography and other creative activities in Alaska, and is a frequent lecturer and presenter at CLE's, workshops and seminars on libel and privacy, copyright and other issues affecting print, broadcast, and electronic media, to groups including the Alaska Press Club, Alaska Broadcasters Association, Alaska Press Women, Alaska Native Artists' Summit, Alaska Judges/Journalists Workshop sponsored by the Donald W. Reynolds National Center for Courts and Media (keynote speaker, 2006), national convention of the National Federation of Press Women, Society for Technical Communication/Alaska Chapter, Public Relations Society of America/Alaska Chapter, Society of Professional Journalists (Fairbanks), Alaska Public Radio Network, Association of Independent Commercial Producers/AICP-AK, and the University of Alaska Anchorage, University of Alaska Fairbanks and Anchorage School District and others.

As a member of the UAA Telecommunications Group, he traveled to the Russian Far East in the 1990's to meet and work with Russian journalists, and helped devise and implement a curriculum for education and training of visiting Russian journalists at UAA.
...
John McKay has written plays and poetry that have been read in a number of Alaska venues, and hopes to get back to learning the fiddle one of these days. Email This

John McKay to Receive Alaska Press Club's First Amendment Award
...
"I am honored and humbled by this recognition," said McKay, 56. "I think it's important that people be free to speak out on issues, and the First Amendment is what allows people to be engaged in everything that's important to us in every other realm-religion, politics, . . . everything really."

The Alaska Press Club's First Amendment Award recognizes Alaskans and others who have advanced, in some significant way, the First Amendment freedoms of speech, press, religion, petition and/or assembly. Journalists and non-journalists alike are eligible to receive the award.

McKay arrived in Alaska in the fall of 1977 with a desire to practice First Amendment law. Thirty years later, he has compiled an extensive record of preserving and extending freedom of speech and of the press. Over three decades, McDay has defended average citizens who speak their minds as well as big media organizations who challenge public institutions wanting to keep public information from the people or make public policy behind closed doors.

"John McKay has advanced free speech and helped all levels of government become more transparent in Alaska," said John Creed, University of Alaska professor of humanities/journalism, Alaska Press Club board member, and award initiator.
...
Larry Campbell, Associated Press bureau chief for Alaska and a former Alaska Press Club president, will introduce McKay at the awards banquet and present him with his award.
...
John McKay has two sons, Martin, 19, and Cameron, 16.
...
John McKay, Attorney-At-Law, 274-3154; ()
...
D. John McKay has practiced law in Anchorage, Alaska, since 1978. After graduating from the University of Michigan Law School 1975, he clerked for a federal judge in Michigan for two years before moving to Alaska. His law practice has focused on defamation, privacy, copyright, access to government meetings and records and other press law issues, as well as general civil litigation. Currently in solo private practice, he has represented the Anchorage Daily News, KTUU-TV, and most of the other news media in the state, as well as a number of national media organizations including the Associated Press, Wall Street Journal, and Los Angeles Times, and writers, filmmakers, photographers and artists.

McKay has a master's degree in journalism, and was an invited participant at the International Mass Communications seminar in Sali, Yugoslavia, in 1972. He has taught Communication Law as an adjunct professor at the University of Alaska Anchorage since 1984, covering a range of topics including First Amendment issues, libel and privacy law, copyright, broadcast regulation, access to information, free press/fair trial, and obscenity and indecency.

He is a member and past co-chair of the Intellectual Property Section of the Alaska Bar Association, past co-chair of the Employment Law Section of the Alaska Bar Association, past member of the Defense Counsel Section of the American Bar Association, Communication Law Forum, and of the Libel Defense Resource Center.

He has done extensive pro bono work for those involved in journalism, writing, photography and other creative activities in Alaska, and is a frequent lecturer and presenter at CLE's, workshops and seminars on libel and privacy, copyright and other issues affecting print, broadcast, and electronic media, to groups including the Alaska Press Club, Alaska Broadcasters Association, Alaska Press Women, Alaska Native Artists' Summit, Alaska Judges/Journalists Workshop sponsored by the Donald W. Reynolds National Center for Courts and Media (keynote speaker, 2006), national convention of the National Federation of Press Women, Society for Technical Communication/Alaska Chapter, Public Relations Society of America/Alaska Chapter, Society of Professional Journalists (Fairbanks), Alaska Public Radio Network, Association of Independent Commercial Producers/AICP-AK, and the University of Alaska Anchorage, University of Alaska Fairbanks and Anchorage School District and others.

As a member of the UAA Telecommunications Group, he traveled to the Russian Far East in the 1990's to meet and work with Russian journalists, and helped devise and implement a curriculum for education and training of visiting Russian journalists at UAA.
...
John McKay has written plays and poetry that have been read in a number of Alaska venues, and hopes to get back to learning the fiddle one of these days.

ANCHORAGEâ€"Attorney D. John McKay, long-time champion of free expression in Alaska, received the Alaska Press Club's First Amendment Award at the statewide group's annual awards banquet at the Anchorage Hilton Hotel on Saturday, April 21.

"I am honored and humbled by this recognition," said McKay, 56."I think it's important that people be free to speak out on issues, and the First Amendment is what allows people to be engaged in everything that's important to us in every other realmâ€"religion, politics, . . . everything really."

The Alaska Press Club's First Amendment Award recognizes Alaskans and others who have advanced, in a significant way, the First Amendment freedoms of speech, press, religion, petition and/or assembly.Journalists and non-journalists alike are eligible to receive the award.

McKay arrived in Alaska in the fall of 1977 with a desire to practice First Amendment law.Thirty years later, he has compiled an extensive record of preserving and extending freedom of speech and of the press.Over three decades, McKay has defended average citizens who speak their minds as well as media organizations big and small that challenge public institutions that try to keep public information from the people or make public policy behind closed doors.

"John McKay has advanced free speech and helped all levels of government become more transparent in Alaska," said John Creed, University of Alaska professor of humanities/journalism and Alaska Press Club board member.
...
John McKay has two sons, Martin, 19, and Cameron, 16.
...
D. John McKay has practiced law in Anchorage, Alaska, since 1978.After graduating from the University of Michigan Law School 1975, he clerked for a federal judge in Michigan for two years before moving to Alaska.His law practice has focused on defamation, privacy, copyright, access to government meetings and records and other press law issues, as well as general civil litigation.Currently in solo private practice, he has represented the Anchorage Daily News, KTUU-TV, and most of the other news media in the state, as well as a number of national media organizations including the Associated Press, Wall Street Journal, and Los Angeles Times, and writers, filmmakers, photographers and artists.

McKay has a master's degree in journalism, and was an invited participant at the International Mass Communications seminar in Sali, Yugoslavia, in 1972.He has taught Communication Law as an adjunct professor at the University of Alaska Anchorage since 1984, covering a range of topics including First Amendment issues, libel and privacy law, copyright, broadcast regulation, access to information, free press/fair trial, and obscenity and indecency.

He is a member and past co-chair of the Intellectual Property Section of the Alaska Bar Association, past co-chair of the Employment Law Section of the Alaska Bar Association, past member of the Defense Counsel Section of the American Bar Association, Communication Law Forum, and of the Libel Defense Resource Center.

He has done extensive pro bono work for those involved in journalism, writing, photography and other creative activities in Alaska, and is a frequent lecturer and presenter at CLE's, workshops and seminars on libel and privacy, copyright and other issues affecting print, broadcast, and electronic media, to groups including the Alaska Press Club, Alaska Broadcasters Association, Alaska Press Women, Alaska Native Artists' Summit, Alaska Judges/Journalists Workshop sponsored by the Donald W. Reynolds National Center for Courts and Media (keynote speaker, 2006), national convention of the National Federation of Press Women, Society for Technical Communication/Alaska Chapter, Public Relations Society of America/Alaska Chapter, Society of Professional Journalists (Fairbanks), Alaska Public Radio Network, Association of Independent Commercial Producers/AICP-AK, and the University of Alaska Anchorage, University of Alaska Fairbanks and Anchorage School District and others.

As a member of the UAA Telecommunications Group, he traveled to the Russian Far East in the 1990's to meet and work with Russian journalists, and helped devise and implement a curriculum for education and training of visiting Russian journalists at UAA.

His publications include the Alaska Reporters Legal Handbook; The Open Government Guide published by the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press (formerly titled Tapping Official Secrets: The Door to Open Government in Alaska); Survey of Alaska Law on Privacy and Related Claims Against the Media, published by the Media Law Resource Center; State Trademark and Unfair Competition published by the United States Trademark Association.

He has represented individuals and organizations in a number of cases involving free speech and press issues, including cases asserting journalists' privilege against compelled testimony, open meetings suits against various government agencies including the Alaska Legislature, suits challenging secret settlements by public agencies and other public records suits, libel cases, defending educators punished for exercising free speech rights, asserting the rights of broadcasters to use cameras in courtrooms, access to court proceedings and records in the Exxon Valdez case and numerous other criminal and civil cases, defending the rights of nonprofit charitable organizations excluded from participating in public giving campaigns for political reasons, and others.

He has written plays and poetry that have been read in a number of Alaska venues, and hopes to get back to learning the fiddle one of these days.

He has two sons, Martin, 19, and Cameron, 16.