This month in his regular ‘PR Perspectives’ column for Law360, Partner Steve Rudaini considers how to manage crisis communications.
Steve looks at why managing a crisis matters, how to prepare, and provides a list of top tips for dealing with a crisis when it strikes.
“Reputations — many of which will have withstood the test of time — can be severely damaged, possibly beyond repair, by a crisis that builds momentum in the media and across social media,” writes Steve.
Discussing crisis comms plans, Steve notes that they should include defining when to deploy the plan, a main point of contact, appointing decision makers, scenario planning, and establishing good media contacts.
To manage a crisis, firms and Chambers need to:
- Recognise when it is a crisis
- Gather information
- Be truthful
- Decide whether to attack or defend
- Make real changes
Steve concludes with a thought for the Bar, as Chambers, by their self-employed nature, tend to be less ready to deal with crises than law firms.
“Today, high-profile individuals and large corporations are under the spotlight more than ever before. The legal world is not immune from such microscopic analysis and needs to be prepared for a crisis,” he says.
