How to Manage a Remote Law Firm and Legal Team Effectively During COVID-19
From Dave Poston, writing in the North Carolina Lawyers Weekly: While attorneys have made great strides in recent years expanding remote worker policies and capabilities, as well as having a newfound commitment toward wellness, COVID-19 forced immediate implementation upon the legal industry. Timelines vary, but we could be in this situation for a few months […]
Crisis Prep 101 for Attorneys
From Sterling Miller: As in-house counsel, you can sum up your priorities in two categories: “Maximize Value Creation” (e.g., M&A) and “Minimize Value Destruction” (e.g., defending “bet the company” litigation). Pretty much all legal work you or the department do will fall under the above. A “crisis” situation falls under potential value destruction and can […]
When Court Moves Online, Do Dress Codes Still Matter?
From The New York Times: Justice is supposed to be blind. But in courtrooms, decorum matters. Judges typically dress in somber black robes. Lawyers, plaintiffs and defendants are encouraged to dress modestly to signify credibility. Does that change when court hearings are moved online to enable social distancing during the spread of the new coronavirus? Absolutely not, according […]
Now is the Time – Media Training for Attorneys & Their Clients
Whether it’s a staff meeting on Teams, a webinar on Zoom, a private conversation on FaceTime or a short training video you record on WebEx, it’s not just what you say, but how you say it. And if it’s an interview with a seasoned reporter, the stakes are even higher. You must be prepared to answer […]
Coronavirus/COVID-19: Implications for Commercial and Financial Contracts
The experts at Skadden weigh in on whether the epidemic constitutes force majuere as a legal basis for nonperformance under financial and commercial contracts. The outbreak of coronavirus (also known as COVID-19) is reportedly impacting global manufacturing, transportation and cross-border supply chains underpinning many aspects of international trade and commerce. Some companies are asserting that […]
Why Should a Local School System (K-12) Reach Out To a Crisis Communications Firm?
By Stephanie York, JD, Vice President, Hennes Communications Q: Why should a local school system (K-12) reach out to a crisis communications firm? A: Quick – What’s the single highest priority for a public, private, independent or parochial school? It’s not education. It’s safety. And just one part of that safety net is making sure the […]
Schools Face Five Areas of Technological Risk
This article is written by attorney David Wolowitz, co-chair of the Education Law Group of McLane Middleton, P.A., with offices in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. While written for Wolowitz’ independent schools, it’s equally applicable to public, parochial and charter schools. Strong digital use policies, trainings and behavioral standards can protect schools from these emerging […]
From the Annals of Litigation Communications: Wile E. Coyote, Plaintiff v. Acme Company, Defendant
One of the services offered by Hennes Communications is litigation communications. According to Wikipedia, “litigation public relations” is the management of the communication process during the course of any legal dispute or adjudicatory processing so as to affect the outcome or its impact on the client’s overall reputation. The aims of litigation PR differ from […]
9 Corporate Communications Changes to Anticipate for 2020
When it comes to corporate risk and resilience, one of the gurus in the industry is our friend and colleague, Richard Levick, who recently gazed into his risk-ridden crystal ball. Richard believes that 2020 will bring precedent-shattering cyber breaches, radical revisions to enterprise risk management, a public relations backlash to the #MeToo movement, litigation funding […]
Lots of PR Firms Sell Their Crisis Work – Let The Buyer Beware
By Bruce Hennes/Hennes Communications With no barriers to entry, every public relations firm in the U.S. now appears to offer “crisis communications.” They don’t. At least, all of those who claim to don’t. Crisis work requires a different – and often counterintuitive – skill set from the traditional practice of public relations. It’s also an art […]