David Speakman

About: David Speakman

I am law student, paralegal and recovering journalist based in Silicon Valley specializing in such diverse topics as law, entertainment, digital media, venture capital and high tech financial news. During the past 18 years, I have worked for magazine, newspaper, television, radio and online news outlets. I am fluent in both AP and Chicago writing styles.

Historical background

I was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana on February 4, 1968. From age six to 18, I was raised in Churubusco, Indiana, where at age 16 I got my first “paying” job in journalism for taking pictures of high school football games for the local weekly community newspaper, the Tri-County Truth. I would get $25 for each picture published. My first professional job in the mainstream media started in college when I worked at the NPR affiliate in Muncie, Indiana and wrote a weekly column on public radio programming for the Muncie Star. The schools I attended are as follows:

• Ball State University - undergrad studies emphasis on journalism, graphic design, and speech communication.
• DeAnza College - American Bar Association-accredited degree in paralegal studies. Magna cum laude.
• Lincoln Law School - 2006 to present. J.D. Candidate.

NOTABLE WORKPLACES

• KNTV-TV (San Jose, California)
• KRON-TV (San Francisco, California)
• ON24 News (San Francisco-based online streaming financial news) [now defunct]
• Red Herring (Technology financial magazine)
• E*TRADE (Financial news editor)
• WBST-FM (NPR Affiliate, Muncie Indiana)
• WPTA-TV (Fort Wayne, Indiana)
• Silicon Valley Biz INK (San Jose, California) [now defunct]
• Law Offices of Donald Kilmer (San Jose, California)

Volunteer Activities
From 2003 to 2005, I served on the board of directors for the Billy DeFrank LGBT Community Center in San Jose.