SNEWS LLC acquires Law Quarterly to expand legal coverage

Posted: 06/07/2004 In Category(s): News Feature, News & Features :: Fitness Headlines, News & Features :: Outdoor Headlines

SNEWS LLC has acquired the assets of the Outdoor Education and Recreation Law Quarterly from The Outdoor Network. The law quarterly had been serving the outdoor education community with a quarterly print newsletter focused on legal issues and liability exposure of outdoor programs. The intent is to expand legal coverage that affects both the outdoor and fitness industries.
 
"It has been an honor to serve the outdoor recreation industry with the Law Quarterly for the last three years," said David Lasky, former publisher of the Law Quarterly. "But we are a very small organization and have been badly hampered by our inability to properly capitalize the newsletter. We have taken the Law Quarterly as far as we can."

Michael Hodgson, co-publisher/co-editor of SNEWS®, called the LQ, done under the guidance of authors and editors Cathy Hansen-Stamp and Charles "Reb" Gregg, a "very strong but very niche publication."

"It is dedicated to keeping lawyers and outdoor company owners and operators abreast of legal cases and liability issues that might affect their business," Hodgson said. "We are going to build on that small but strong foundation to create an information source for the outdoor and fitness community where our subscribers can read about court decisions and legal issues. Those issues will include a broad range, including product liability, trademark infringement, risk management, employment law, trademark law, patent law and more that can and will affect business."

With the acquisition, SNEWS will create a new division that will be akin to a "legal resource center." Jim Moss, a risk management consultant and attorney licensed to practice law in Colorado and Ohio, will manage the division. Moss is also licensed to practice in the Colorado Federal Courts and the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals, and he is an author of four books related to recreation law.

"With Jim coordinating our efforts, our coverage and updates will be edgy, informative and, unlike many publications, provide information about law that is actually readable," added Therese Iknoian, SNEWS® co-publisher/co-editor. "We're also excited to broaden coverage in outdoor as well as add much-needed fitness coverage."

Hodgson said that SNEWS® will add more experts as writers, and hope to continue working with Hansen-Stamp and Gregg. "Like the news and information we publish in SNEWS®," Hodgson said, "we will be seeking to educate and inform, not intimidate and confuse."

SNEWS® expects to debut the legal resource center -- now named the Law Review -- by Aug. 1 at www.snewsnet.com. Individual access to the Law Review may be purchased separately or as part of a SNEWS® subscription package. All past issues of the Outdoor Recreation and Law Quarterly, along with updates and new content, will be available online on the password-protected SNEWS® website. The Law Quarterly URL -- www.lawquarterly.com -- will direct subscribers directly to that section in SNEWS® once it's complete.

Each quarter, SNEWS® will electronically publish a SNEWS® Law Quarterly in a similar PDF format as the current Weekly News Digest. The new quarterly, while electronic in format, will therefore be easily printed, if desired. 

"I am thrilled to be passing the baton to SNEWS® and co-publishers Michael Hodgson and Therese Iknoian," Lasky said. "I am excited by the possibilities of a stronger organization at the helm, with greater reach and capacity, as well as a format change that will make the publication more appealing to a broader audience."


 

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