Solo/Small Firm • November 2024

Crisis Communications Done Right

How to make sure your law firm is prepared for the unexpected.

Written by Mark Annick

In today’s fast-paced world, where news spreads instantly and misinformation can cause Significant damage, having a robust crisis communications plan for your law firm is more critical than ever. Anyone who has ever spent a three-day weekend with extended family knows how quickly something small can turn into something big. This analogy holds true for law firms; minor issues can escalate into major crises if not handled properly and promptly.

Responding to a Crisis
When a crisis strikes, swift and strategic response is essential to mitigate damage and maintain trust with your clients and audiences.

Clear, calm communication is critical; carefully crafted messaging should be disseminated promptly to address the situation transparently without causing undue panic. Assess the situation in real-time, gathering all pertinent facts to inform your response. Regular, transparent updates and a consistent message help to maintain credibility and trust throughout the crisis.

Importance of a Crisis Communications Plan
Crisis communications isn’t just about responding to disasters. It’s also about being prepared before they happen. By having a well-practiced plan in place ahead of time, your law firm can navigate the crisis with confidence, demonstrating resilience and commitment to resolving the issue effectively.

A crisis communications plan can help protect your firm’s reputation and maintain trust among your clients and audiences during unexpected events.

Key Steps to Consider
Identify What Matters
Put together a list of problems your law firm could potentially face. Be imaginative and comprehensive. Think about any possible threat to your firm’s reputation or business and prioritize those issues so you can prepare for the most urgent problems first.

Know Your Audiences
Identify the “who” in each situation. Ask yourself: if we had to talk about this, who would we be speaking to? Employees, vendors, stakeholders, clients, the public, the media—identify who needs to know and who could potentially find out. Then, assemble an internal crisis team.

Preparing Communication
Develop potential responses to the crisis examples by drafting themes, Q&As, checklists, and statements. Decide what information is needed by which audience. Educate staff on how to handle media inquiries and direct requests to designated contacts for handling.

This article, which was originally published on the Androvett blog, has been edited and reprinted with permission.

MARK ANNICK is the senior vice president of news and public relations at Androvett Legal Media, where he leads a team of PR professionals, developing strategies and campaigns for media relations, brand reputation, and crisis management for lawyers and firms across the country.