FIR Live #14, May 26, 2009: PR and lawyers

Content Summary: Communicators are often frustrated in their efforts to protect or restore an organization’s reputation by attorneys who simply block any communication at all, or minimize the response.

In today’s FIR Live, attorney Jim Golden and crisis expert Helio Fred Garcia discuss the relationship between attorneys and communicators and how it should change.

Discussion participants were FIR co-hosts Neville Hobson and Shel Holtz.

In addition, we were joined by the following guests:

Jim Golden negotiates early reasonable settlements in complex accident and commercial disputes, avoiding or shortening litigation and significantly reducing client costs. Adapting theory learned at the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School to the practical needs of firm clients, he provides leadership in an area of legal practice he describes as “negotiation counsel.”

He has spoken in venues including the Harvard Law School, Harvard Business School, International Institute of Conflict Prevention and Resolution, Corporate Counsel Summit, Association of Corporate Counsel and the ABA Transportation Megaconference.

Helio Fred Garcia is the president and founder of the crisis management firm LOGOS Consulting Group, and is the executive director of the LOGOS INSTITUTE for Crisis Management & Executive Leadership. He is widely regarded as a leading expert in crisis management and crisis communication.

He has 29 years of experience counselling securities firms, banks, insurance companies, specialized financial and professional service firms, corporations, not-for-profits, and governments. He has particular expertise in crisis management, corporate litigation support, struggles for corporate control, international financial transactions, securities offerings, corporate governance, and business ethics.

(Our third guest, UK-based law academic and commentator Mike Semple Piggot, was unfortunately unable to join us for the discussion.)

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This FIR Live Call-In episode is brought to you with Lawrence Ragan Communications, serving communicators worldwide for 35 years. Information: www.ragan.com.

(Cross-posted from For Immediate Release, Shel’s and my podcast blog.)