Seriously, how often have you complained in the last few years that there’s never enough time for training, or that training is too costly, or that we can’t get to those important stories?
When was the last time you FOIA’d something, or asked yourself if you were doing it effectively?
Well, there’s an opportunity coming up fast for a first-rate seminar for you, your colleagues and your staff — and it’s free, and the speakers will be awesome, and you’ll come away a better journalist, dammit.
NINA, the NIU Department of Communication, and the Better Government Association are co-sponsoring a must-see Sept. 21 seminar at NIU on becoming a better watchdog of government, with an emphasis on FOIA.
The relevance of the topic speaks for itself.
NINA’s goal is to fill the 350-seat auditorium. You can best help by attending, sharing this message with your co-workers and friends and posting on your favorite platform that this thing is happening.
“Steal This News Release,” to paraphrase Abbie Hoffman.
Don’t wait an minute longer: click here to sign up now.
How to be a Better Watchdog
When: 7-9 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 21, 2017- Where: Cole 100 (auditorium), NIU main campus in DeKalb
- Sponsors: NIU Dept. of Communication, Northern Illinois Newspaper Association, Better Government Association
- Cost: FREE and open to the public. No reservations/tickets are necessary, but it is a first-come, first-seated event. The auditorium has a capacity of 350 people.
- Presenters: Annum Haider and Matt Topic.
About the Presenters
Matt Topic
Matt Topic is an attorney at Loevy & Loevy in Chicago and the Outside General Counsel of the Better Government Association. He has extensive experience representing journalists, activists, and the general public in obtaining records under the Freedom of Information Act, enforcing the Open Meetings Act, and protecting First Amendment rights.
Among many other successes, Matt is responsible for the release of the Laquan McDonald shooting video; the release of thousands of pages of emails on the so-called “private” email account of Mayor Rahm Emanuel; and the release of FBI records about corrupt Chicago Police Officer Ronald Watts, which helped lead to the exoneration of an innocent man. Matt also litigates intellectual property, False Claims Act, and other cases.
Before joining Loevy & Loevy, Matt was a partner at Kirkland & Ellis LLP and previously clerked for Hon. Morton Denlow in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Matt graduated from Chicago-Kent College of Law as valedictorian in 2006.
Annum Haider
Annum Haider serves as the civic engagement and research analyst at the Better Government Association. She is responsible for coordinating the BGA’s advocacy efforts, such as Citizen Watchdog Trainings on the Freedom of Information Act and Idea Forums on the Illinois School Funding Formula. She also writes content specific articles on legal and policy matters and handles a number of special projects with an end to promoting good governance.
Annum has more than six years of experience representing those who have suffered as a result of the negligence or unlawful conduct of others, both as a human rights attorney and a judicial clerk. She formerly clerked for the Chief Justice in the Supreme Court of Pakistan, and currently externs for Judge William J. Bauer in the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.
In addition to this, she has handled claims on behalf of plaintiffs against large corporations and has helped prosecute corrupt governmental entities, pharmaceutical companies, and politicians—including a Head of State—for embezzlement, fraud, and corruption.
Annum holds a Master’s degree (LL.M. Honors) in International Human Rights Law from Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law, and a Bachelors in Law (LL.B. Honors) from the University of London, United Kingdom.
