Phillip Morgan reports on striking a balance between law, tactics & the media
Lawyers and insurers often think with blinkers, unaware of how their actions will be portrayed by the press. A good tactical decision in litigation can be a major public relations disaster. All major concerns should take care over their media profile. The media controls public perceptions, it is a tool used by pressure groups, campaigners, marketers, and politicians alike to exert influence and to weaken their opponents by ensuring that it is their message that dominates. The importance of influence and the media is now a significant consideration in any military campaign. In making litigation decisions, lawyers should consider the media coverage of their course of conduct and its impact on their client. Where possible, they should ensure that their conduct of the case, when reported by the media, is not open to manipulation by opponents, or portrayed in a significantly negative fashion.
A case in point
The media coverage of JGE v The Trustees of the Portsmouth Roman Catholic
