header-logo header-logo

05 March 2010 / Clare Rodway
Issue: 7407 / Categories: Features , Media , Profession
printer mail-detail

Controlling the beast

Contrary to popular belief, “litigation PR” is not a dark art: it is much better described as conducting PR in a strait-jacket—the key difference with litigation PR being that it operates in an unusual, highly regulated environment because of the various court reporting restrictions and sub judice rules and so forth.

In essence, litigation PR is the art of managing media coverage around cases, either to manage the impact of the litigation on the client’s ongoing reputation, or to encourage early or favourable settlement in the case of civil cases. There is an entirely ethical way to run litigation PR programmes, so there is no need for clients to be deprived of the benefits that good media handling in these situations can offer: the benefit of an additional tool in their litigation armoury; the benefit of protection to reputation; and the benefit of ensuring their side of the story is clearly heard and understood by those audiences most important to them.

For those considering making use of what litigation PR has to offer, or

If you are not a subscriber, subscribe now to read this content
If you are already a subscriber sign in
...or Register for two weeks' free access to subscriber content

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Clarke Willmott—Matthew Roach

Clarke Willmott—Matthew Roach

Partner joins commercial property team in Taunton office

Farrer & Co—Richard Lane

Farrer & Co—Richard Lane

Londstanding London firm appoints new senior partner

Bird & Bird—Sue McLean

Bird & Bird—Sue McLean

Commercial team in London welcomes technology specialist as partner

NEWS
What safeguards apply when trust corporations are appointed as deputy by the Court of Protection? 
Disputing parties are expected to take part in alternative dispute resolution (ADR), where this is suitable for their case. At what point, however, does refusing to participate cross the threshold of ‘unreasonable’ and attract adverse costs consequences?
When it comes to free legal advice, demand massively outweighs supply. 'Millions of people are excluded from access to justice as they don’t have anywhere to turn for free advice—or don’t know that they can ask for help,' Bhavini Bhatt, development director at the Access to Justice Foundation, writes in this week's NLJ
When an ex-couple is deciding who gets what in the divorce or civil partnership dissolution, when is it appropriate for a third party to intervene? David Burrows, NLJ columnist and solicitor advocate, considers this thorny issue in this week’s NLJ
NLJ's latest Charities Appeals Supplement has been published in this week’s issue
back-to-top-scroll