Media and the Law: An Interview with Jodi Cole

By Andrea Genevieve Michnik

This month AWC Austin takes a inside look at a critical topic: Media and the Law. The field of communication changes so rapidly, as we’re all aware, and as communicators its our responsibility to make sure we practice what we preach. Whether its for our clients, on behalf of our employers or ourselves, the law must be followed. Questions regarding private domain, social sharing, intellectual property and basic legal practice will be considered throughout our July 20th afternoon luncheon where we’ll tackle these “new-tech vs. old-law” issues with Attorneys Jodi Cole & Hannah Walker. We invite you to sign up today!

To give you a little bit of background on one of our panelists, AWC sat down with Jodi Cole, criminal defense attorney, to learn about her career path and how communication and the law intersect.

AWC: How did you start your career in law?
JC: I enjoyed my undergraduate studies very much. My undergraduate major was cross-cultural communications. As I studied potential careers, I realized that law was a natural fit for the skills that I acquired. Communications is indispensable in legal practices. Law is a field where you are required to communicate in written and verbal form, translating legalese to normal layperson language and facilitating communication between people of different socioeconomic and regional backgrounds. It was a natural fit for my interest in communication.

AWC: What do you think is one of the biggest misconceptions about media law today?
JC: Some people may think that media law involves only print and televised mediums. With changing technology, media law often touches upon aspects of issues of new impression regarding social networks such as Facebook and Twitter. Media issues often overlap with specialized legal areas such as Criminal and Intellectual Property, as well.

AWC: Why is media law an important topic for communicators?
JC: Communicators need to understand certain responsibilities regarding both civil and criminal liability. Preventative measures can decrease exposure to costly civil litigation and unfortunate criminal prosecutions. Media law knowledge can also help communicators use the newer social networks in innovative and creative ways.

AWC: How can communicators learn more about the law for their professional and personal lives?
JC: Communicators should take advantage of information on the internet, using critical thinking, of course. There are informal and community classes addressing all sorts of legal issues that may be of interest to communicators. I also recommend that communicators call the state bar and ask about sitting in on some continuing legal education seminars or reading materials used in these classes. Although many concepts and the vocabulary may be unfamiliar, there may be information gleaned that can be very useful in both a professional and personal context.

Secure your spot to the July 20th lunch, which runs from 11:30 am – 1:00 pm at the UT Club. Reserve your seat by July 13th for the early bird rate and be sure to spread the word, we welcome guests and non-members to all of our lunches.