Genealogists, societies, and libraries collect, copy, publish, digitize, teach, and share materials of all kinds, created and contributed by many sources. Every one of those actions can raise copyright concerns. Knowing how we can use others' work, protect our own, understand fair use, and meet the requirements of the law is essential to responsible genealogy.
Join the NYG&B and guest speaker, Judy G. Russell, The Legal Genealogist,® for a look at the key essentials for beginning your genealogy journey; resources and tips specific to intellectual property issue connected to family history research; and how you can preserve your own New York family stories.
Participants can join us in person at the NYG&B New York City office or virtually. This is a free program, but registration is required. It is part of the NYG&B’s Preserving Your New York Story series, which offers free sessions for people to digitally preserve their own family history records as well as programming for tracing their family history and connecting with their past.
This series is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.
Speaker Bio
Judy G. Russell, The Legal Genealogist®, is a genealogist with a law degree. She writes, teaches and lectures on a wide variety of genealogical topics, providing expert guidance through the murky territory where law and family history intersect. A Colorado native with roots deep in the American south on her mother’s side and entirely in Germany on her father’s side, she holds a bachelor’s degree from George Washington University in Washington, D.C. and a law degree from Rutgers School of Law-Newark. Before she retired, she worked as a newspaper reporter, trade association writer, legal investigator, defense attorney, federal prosecutor, law editor and, for more than 20 years, as an adjunct member of the faculty at Rutgers Law School.
She is a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists, the National Genealogical Society and numerous state and regional genealogical societies. Named a Fellow of the Utah Genealogical Association in 2025, she received the 2015 UGA Silver Tray Award and the 2017 Award of Excellence from the National Genealogical Society Quarterly, where she now serves as a member of the NGSQ editorial board.
An internationally-known lecturer and course coordinator and faculty member at numerous genealogical institutes, she holds credentials as a Certified Genealogist® and Certified Genealogical Lecturer® from the Board for Certification of Genealogists®. Her award-winning blog appears at The Legal Genealogist® website (https://www.legalgenealogist.com).
This series is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.
