Merriam retires as Legal Hotline attorney

Mike Merriam, who has served as the Kansas Press Association’s Legal Hotline attorney for more than three decades, announced his retirement this week due to ongoing health struggles.

Merriam was honored last November with the Above and Beyond Award from the Kansas Sunshine Coalition for Open Government, an organization that includes representatives of KPA, the Kansas Association of Broadcasters, the Society of Professional Journalists, the League of Women Voters and media law advocates.

“Our association and its members owe a huge debt of gratitude to Mike for his loyal service as a media attorney and operator of the Legal Hotline,” said Doug Anstaett, KPA executive director. “His professional expertise, coupled with his dry sense of humor, will be missed in our organization and throughout the Kansas media landscape.”

Merriam received his law degree from Washburn University in 1976 after earning a bachelor’s degree from the University of Kansas.

He devoted his legal practice almost entirely to press and First Amendment representation for more than three decades, representing many newspapers, communications companies, broadcasters, media insurance companies and wire services.

He proposed and formed the Kansas Bar Association’s Media Bar Committee in 1988 and teamed up with KU law professor and colleague Mike Kautsch for years presenting the “Mike and Mike Show” on open government issues.

For well over three decades, he has provided invaluable service as the Legal Hotline attorney for KPA, KAB and the Sunshine Coalition.

“When I was an editor and publisher, one thing I really appreciated about Mike was his belief in what we journalists were trying to accomplish,” Anstaett said. “He encouraged us to be unafraid of taking risks in going to press with information the public needed to know.”

Merriam had this to say about his retirement: “Personally, I tell you that the most prestigious clients of my career, the ones that have filled me with pride and accomplishment, have been the Kansas Press Association, the Kansas Association of Broadcasters, the Topeka Capital-Journal, and WIBW.  I miss them terribly already.”

For the time being, legal questions should be directed to Anstaett or Emily Bradbury, director of member services for KPA toll-free at (855) 572-1863.

KPA and KAB will be working together to identify Merriam’s successor.

Merriam is shown with Ron Keefover, president of the Sunshine Coalition, at the award presentation in November 2014.