I had the privilege to attend PRISA's short workshop on PR and the Law, presented by Adams & Adams, this morning. At R400.00 for members (R600.00 for non-members) this workshop was an absolute bargain: Three top legal experts, Don MacRobert, Kelly Thompson and Samantha Copeling, shared their experiences and knowledge on copyright, trademarks and plagiarism with delegates and allowed free discussion and questions to cover any eventuality the attendees could put forward. We all walked away from the intervention with a vastly improved understanding of these critical issues. I could not help but feel sorry for the PR professionals out there who could not make it.
More importantly: No legal practice will share this amount of information with anyone without charging a hefty fee.
I have been following the ongoing debates about PRISA in various forums with some sadness, but also with considerable annoyance. Here PRISA, once again, offers an opportunity of tremendous value to its members and non-members alike, yet very few turn up to reap the benefits. Yet when the forums of poison-letting against PRISA open up, the "contributions" seem to pour in endlessly.
I want to pose an invitation to all serious-minded PR professionals out there: Join this very worthwhile organisation (PRISA)and support it in clear and no uncertain terms. Help us who take the profession seriously to build PRISA into the organisation we all need. The infrastructure is there; the passionate volunteers, part-time facilitators and helpers are keen to get their hands dirty; the industry needs the skills and the knowledge: What still keeps you from getting involved?
