March 19, 2021
MISSION STATEMENT:
The Lawyers’ Forum (“Forum”) is a place for lawyers to exchange information, experiences, and strategies to combat smoking and other uses of tobacco and nicotine products at the local, national, and regional levels. A lawyer must be invited by a current Forum member to be part of the Forum. The prospective lawyer must then submit a registration form, declare that they have no (or sufficiently indirect) relations with the tobacco industry, and agree to abide by the Forum’s Terms of Use.
INTRODUCTION:
The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK) provides the Forum as a service to you subject to the following Rules and Etiquette Guidelines.
Your use of the Forum shall be deemed to be your agreement to abide by this Terms of Use and each of the Rules and Etiquette Guidelines listed below. CTFK provides these Rules and Etiquette Guidelines to create an atmosphere for civil and productive dialogue in the Forum.
RULES:
1. Transmitting Material to the Forum:
- Do not upload, download, post, email, or otherwise transmit commercial messages.
- Do not upload, download, post, email, or otherwise transmit any information or other material protected by copyright without the permission of the copyright owner. By posting material, the posting party confirms they own the copyright of the material or have received permission from the copyright owner.
- Do not upload, download, post, email, or otherwise transmit any content that would violate the rights of any party, or that would otherwise create liability or violate any local, state, national or international law.
- Do not upload, download, post, email, or otherwise transmit the same material repeatedly. If you have made a particular point or argument recently, do not make the same point again over the following days or weeks.
- Do upload, download, post, email, or otherwise transmit material that is substantially related to the Forum’s Mission Statement.
2. Use of Forum Materials:
- Do not forward Forum materials (including, but not limited to, messages sent to you privately and any posted documents) to individuals who are not Forum members, or otherwise post Forum materials on websites, blogs, articles, or books or any other media unless you have explicit permission from the author(s).
3. Conduct on the Forum:
- Do not upload, download, post, email, or otherwise transmit defamatory, abusive, profane, threatening, offensive, or illegal materials.
- Be civil and courteous in your dealings with others on the Forum.
- When engaging in constructive criticism, examine facts, ideas, and views without commenting on the individual who has made the contribution.
4. User Account, Password, and Security:
- You will receive a password and user account after completing the Forum registration and approval process.
- Maintain the confidentiality of your password and account as you are responsible for all activities that occur in conjunction with your password or account.
- Always logout from your account at the end of each session.
- Immediately notify the Forum manager at lawyersforum@tfk.org if you notice any unauthorized use of your password or account or any other breach of security.
ETIQUETTE GUIDELINES:
- State the topic of your message concisely and clearly in the subject line. This allows members to respond more appropriately to your posting and makes it easier for members to search the archives by subject.
- Do not send administrative messages, such as requests to close your account, reports about technical problems, or requests for removal from Forum membership to the Forum. Send these types of requests to the Forum manager at lawyersforum@tfk.org
VIOLATIONS OF THE RULES OR ETIQUETTE GUIDELINES:
- CTFK does not actively monitor the Forum for inappropriate materials uploaded, downloaded, posted, emailed, or otherwise transmitted to the Forum and other violations of the Rules or Etiquette Guidelines and does not on its own initiative undertake editorial control of materials on the Forum.
- In the event, however, that CTFK becomes aware of a member’s violation of the Rules or Etiquette Guidelines, CTFK reserves the right to take all appropriate action, including, but not limited to, suspension or termination of Forum membership and/or access to the Forum.
- If you believe a Forum member has violated a Rule or Etiquette Guideline, you may write to the Forum manager at lawyersforum@tfk.org, who will examine the violation and determine if further action is necessary.
DECLARATION REGARDING TOBACCO INDUSTRY RELATIONSHIPS:
- CTFK has a strict policy of not materially supporting or providing services to anyone with direct ties to the tobacco industry and requires that all Forum members declare their relationship(s), direct or indirect, if any, to the industry. Forum members have declared these interests upon registration and have been notified of the process by which CTFK will remove Forum members with direct and, in the majority of cases, indirect relationships to the tobacco industry.
OPINIONS AND INFORMATION ON THE FORUM:
- CTFK is not responsible for the opinions and information uploaded, downloaded, posted, emailed, or otherwise transmitted to the Forum by members.
CHANGES TO THE USER AGREEMENT:
CTFK reserves the right to amend these Terms of Use at any time by posting an updated Terms of Use on this site and by sending registered Forum members an email notifying them of changes. If any modification of the Terms of Use is unacceptable to a member, the member shall cease using the Forum. If the member continues to use the Forum after notice of an amended Terms of Use, the member conclusively will be deemed to have accepted the modified Terms of Use.