Navigating negative media coverage [Gina Rubel and Maria Aronson Published in Business of Law Magazine]
Negative media coverage can create immediate reputational challenges for law firms, lawyers, and their clients. Responding emotionally or ignoring a story and hoping it disappears can make the situation worse.
Gina Rubel and Maria Aronson recently published an article examining how lawyers and communications professionals can work together to navigate negative coverage while protecting legal interests and long-term reputation. Key considerations include:
- Determine what is inaccurate and what lacks context.
- Assess whether a response is necessary.
- Coordinate on the legal and communications strategy.
- Communicate directly with key stakeholders when appropriate.
When an article contains factual errors, firms should gather supporting evidence and promptly request corrections. When important context is missing, clarification may be more effective. In either case, legal and communications teams should align on client privilege, confidentiality, litigation strategy, media dynamics, and reputational risk.
Not every negative story warrants a public response. Firms should consider who is seeing the coverage, if it is gaining traction, and whether responding could amplify it. When an answer is appropriate, a short, disciplined statement can provide another perspective without disclosing privileged information or trying the case in public.
Negative coverage can also outlast the original news cycle. Search engines, generative AI platforms, and online archives can resurface damaging headlines long after publication, making consistent thought leadership and ongoing reputation-building increasingly important.
Ultimately, effective reputation management means knowing when to correct the record, provide context, communicate with stakeholders – and when saying nothing further is the strongest strategic choice.
You can read the full article in the Business of Law Digest (BOLD) at Reputational Management: Navigating Negative Media Coverage.