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Time and again, we all have seen consumers highlighting the negative side of a client or company. While this can happen with any brand, such thoughts or reviews affect law firms most severely.

If a lawyer is representing a controversial client, the company may experience a PR crisis at some point during the lawsuit. A PR crisis can include anything that negatively impacts the brand image, such as a controversial statement by the company CEO, a social media video, or a negative client comment.

While protecting your client’s interests is always best, shielding a problematic client can be bad for your firm. Hence, a well-planned strategy for handling a PR crisis is essential to ensuring trustworthiness, professionalism, and a good track record.

6 Effective Ways to Protect Your Law Firm From a PR Crisis

It seems safe to say that facts don’t lie to support your claim in a PR crisis. However, when presented correctly, even the wrong thing can seem convincing. If your client utters a small statement about how badly your firm handled the case, the consequences can be severe.

1) Plan in Advance

Planning is the first stage of effectively managing a PR crisis. The law firm has to project a futuristic picture of what can happen. A carefully jotted-down plan should be in place based on the expected consequences if something goes wrong. Here are some key tips from Pines Salomon Personal Injury Lawyers to consider while developing the plan.

  • Get the best media-trained person for the job: Shortlist someone who can confidently and clearly address the audience’s concerns.
  • Ensure you know who to address: Consider your stakeholders, vendors, clients, customers, and the general public. Depending on the crisis, you may need to address one or several audiences.
  • Be fast and consider all the channels: Keep a close eye on them, including news, social media, articles, etc., and the contents they present. It will make it easier to plan your defense. Moreover, be super fast in your preparation and execution.
  • Be ready for uncomfortable questions. Journalists and the public will not avoid awkward questions. List all possible questions and prepare clear and satisfactory answers for each one.

Pro tip: Don’t use the words “No Comments.” That will amplify your uncertainty or your refusal to address the concerns.

2) Consider Timeliness

In the world of super-fast connections and social media, news spreads like wildfire—the solution: Speed and timeliness. Monitor all channels and take relevant actions as soon as possible based on the PR crisis plan developed.

Any delays in taking action can damage your firm’s reputation significantly. An example here is the US law firm Jones Day. The firm handled a data breach by releasing a clear statement acknowledging the issue on its website. They also provided regular updates and resources for affected clients.

3) Prioritize the Facts and Rules Over Emotions

When dealing with a PR crisis, facts stand as an unbreachable wall. But only facts will not win the entire game for you. Besides telling the public how you are right, ensuring that you care about your clients is also crucial.

“Provide empathy to the audience and offer assurance that you understand their point of view. After this, transparently present the facts, rules, and background information related to the primary concerns”, said Ivaylo Georgiev, SEO Manager of VPSBG.

4) Build Your PR Crisis Team and Plan

The things we have planned will initially take action here. Assemble your PR crisis management team of lawyers, managers, etc. This team should include the key spokesperson and people who will analyze the situation and talk to the clients.

“Plan to act early to handle speculations, rumors, and misinformation. Curate clear and satisfactory responses with proof for the public, stakeholders, and media,” said James Eason, the Founder of Pines Salomon Personal Injury Lawyers. “Train your team to respond transparently to comments and queries online. Lastly, promise the clients that this won’t happen again.”

5) Show Empathy and Apology

Adopting an empathetic and accountable public response to any situation is crucial, regardless of the circumstances. Avoid ambiguity and defensiveness; instead, offer a sincere apology. 

Start by providing a concise overview of the issue and outlining the steps you will take to resolve it. Also, reassure your clients and stakeholders that the matter is being investigated and taken seriously.

6) Re-build Your Law Firm’s Reputation and Trust

It’s not over yet. When done with delivering the responses and apologies and resolving the issues, a lot more is left on the plate. Focus on re-establishing your brand image over the next few weeks and months. Here are some things to do:

  • Go live with the clients on SEO, social media and address their concerns.
  • Share recent positive client testimonials and interviews with the audience.
  • Allow your clients to post reviews on authentic review websites.
  • Keep up with your philanthropic efforts as before.
  • Organize events and interact with the clients face to face.
  • Leverage social media listening to assess your client’s feedback and prioritize positive feedback.

“After you handle the immediate crisis, work with PR professionals and your team to highlight the positive aspects of your firm. It’s important not to let past issues continue to harm your reputation,” said Mark Perenich, the Founder of Perenich, Caulfield, Avril & Noyes Personal Injury Lawyers. “Consider conducting a client listening exercise to understand the extent of any damage and to provide a chance to apologize directly.”

Conclusion

Not proactively handling a PR crisis can lead to catastrophic results for a law firm. Therefore, having a proper strategy for a PR crisis is one of the foundational steps for a law firm. Hire the best people with relevant experience in the industry and keep a tab on every little online and offline activity related to your firm. Being informed helps in taking faster action.

 

Irina Weber

Irina Weber

Irina Weber is a content strategist at SE Ranking. She loves helping brands create, publish, repurpose, and distribute content through marketing channels. She regularly contributes to media outlets like SEW, Adweek, SME, SMT, CMI, etc. Follow her on Twitter and LinkedIn.