How Legal PR Can Help Lawyers Better Represent Clients In A Time Of Crisis

In a world fueled by social media, small missteps by a client can spread like wildfire. An errant tweet, an old quote pulled from the archives can all come back to haunt a client and derail a case. Attorneys need to plan and be prepared for client crises that stem from online attacks and other social media-fueled missteps. Savvy lawyers can proactively protect their clients by enlisting the help of professional crisis PR experts so when trouble begins to brew, they can quickly get expert advice and get ahead of the crisis.

An attorneys job is to focus on the law and the legal complexities that affect a case. Knowing how to respond when a client becomes the focus of an online attack is something that a busy legal team may not be familiar with or simply may not have time to address. Crisis PR experts like those at Red Banyan have the experience and training to spring into action fast, take charge of the problem and reduce the threat quickly. Most importantly, the power of social media should never be underestimated. Small problems or conflicts can grow into staggering problems that can wreak havoc on a client’s reputation or livelihood if they are not addressed with speed and efficiency online.

A talented crisis communications and PR firm can highlight aspects of your client’s case that are being overlooked or ignored and create a narrative that tells your client’s story the way they want it told instead of simply accepting accounts that are publicized by the media. Used properly, strategic communications can position your client in the most favorable light possible.

Media Support

Does your law firm have experience dealing with reporters? Knowing when to seek media coverage and when to steer clear can be a tricky balance. Saying the wrong thing at the wrong time can have a profound effect on your client’s case. Crisis PR experts with a background in media outreach can finesse media relationships for your law firm and help ensure that any coverage that occurs portrays your client in the way you want them viewed by the public.

Legal PR agencies like Red Banyan know that just because you are not seeking media attention does not mean the media will not be chasing after your client. Fending off unwanted media queries or calls can take precious time away from your legal research. Legal PR experts can serve as the media contact for you and handle emails and phone calls from reporters seeking comment. A legal PR firm serves as an intermediary between the media, you and your client. They can answer the questions and keep your client out of the limelight. Legal PR professionals can also make sure that the narratives that are being reported are correct and on point.

Red Banyan is uniquely positioned to help attorneys prepare and plan for the way in which clients’ crisis play out in the press because it has relationships with hundreds of reporters in every industry. More importantly, Red Banyan’s experienced legal PR professionals know how to rapidly establish relationships and influence coverage of events and stories on a range of topics.

Legal PR is Proactive

The best time to engage a legal PR firm is before your client experiences a crisis. Even the most dynamic and fast-moving law firm will require some ramp-up time to develop a multi-faceted strategy and begin to execute against it. Strategic communications efforts involving law firms and their clients leave little room for error, so it is important to give your legal PR time to get acclimated. A legal PR team will need time to familiarize themselves with the specifics of the engagement before taking any action. Do your homework on legal PR agencies before you need to hire one: find a firm that has extensive experience working with attorneys and make sure you thoroughly understand how a legal firm can help you best represent your client’s interests.

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