Symbiotic needs: Corporate attorneys and PR firms
In-house company lawyers and external PR firms often have different goals, but they have to work together. It helps to start from a place of respect.
Experience: Having a member of the PR team who has worked as a reporter was invaluable in translating the process. What was the reporter looking for? What would he accept from us? Resiliency: Working with a reporter on background takes persistence and a willingness to go back repeatedly on issues, if necessary. They can’t give up and provide the reporter with an excuse to report an inaccurate or unbalanced fact. Responsiveness: A media crisis is a 24/7 grind. Members of the media appreciate getting immediate responses to questions and issues. (It is also a two-way street.) Toughness: Someone you would want with you in a bar fight. Teachability: Work with someone who will get beyond sound bites and who wants to understand the details and background. This will involve a desire to dig in and learn about the company and how it does business.
Qualities a PR firm values in corporate legal counsel:
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