In The Court of Public Opinion: Winning Your Case with Public Relations - Hardcover

Haggerty, James F.; Haggerty, James

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0471307424 ISBN 13: 9780471307426

Publisher: Wiley, 2003

Synopsis

A practical guide to winning the public relations war in business

In The Court of Public Opinion is a lively and practical guide for anyone involved in high-stakes litigation. Given the increasingly litigious, media-saturated business environment, companies and high-profile individuals need protection-not just in the courthouses, but in the court of public opinion. Using examples from many of the most famous cases in the past several years, In The Court of Public Opinion contains real-life strategies that CEOs, lawyers, and other executives can use when they find themselves in a high-profile lawsuit. James F. Haggerty, one of the nation's leading attorney/PR pros, offers advice on public relations strategies that will help businesses and individuals save their reputations as well as their livelihood.

James F. Haggerty (New York, NY) is an attorney and CEO of the PR Consulting Group in New York. He has been working with legal and litigation issues for more than fifteen years and has been involved in many high-profile legal disputes, including the Ronald Perelman/Patricia Duff divorce and the Screen Actors' Guild strike against the advertising industry. His writing on communications issues has appeared in The New York Times, the National Law Journal, and PR Week.

About this title

From the Inside Flap

IN the Information Economy, all cases are public–and lawyers, clients, and communicators need to be prepared for the inevitable legal matter that thrusts them into the public spotlight.

With the rise of business media, 24-hour news channels, and the Internet, it’s not just sensational cases that are receiving public attention. Whether you are a business executive, corporation counsel, a litigator at an outside law firm, or a public relations professional, you need skills and systems for managing public opinion during legal matters so that you win this critical battle–and perhaps, in the process, the war.

In the Court of Public Opinion is the first book of its kind. Designed for lawyers and non-lawyers alike, it will introduce you to a proven system for operating in this new environment, where media, public opinion, and legal processes collide.

In a lively and provocative style, attorney and communications consultant James Haggerty shares his insights and experiences to show you how to use media coverage and other public attention to your advantage when litigating your side of the case. Skillfully weaving intriguing case studies, personal stories, and critical analysis, In the Court of Public Opinion examines:

• How companies and individuals succeed in managing legal disputes–and how they fail
• How litigation communication techniques differ from "crisis communication" techniques
• How lawyers, public relations professionals, and business executives can work together to ensure that the public aspects of a case or investigation are properly managed
• How businesses of all sizes can prepare for the day when there is a news crew knocking at the door along with the process server

Throughout this groundbreaking book, Haggerty introduces a variety of tools, techniques, and strategies–the Control, Information, Response (CIR) system; the Litigation-Media Checklist; and the innovative Media Brief–that will allow you to implement a public relations strategy that integrates seamlessly with your overall litigation and business goals. Using examples from diverse cases such as the Microsoft antitrust case, the William Westmoreland libel case against CBS, the Ronald Perelman/Patricia Duff child custody case, and New York State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer’s investigation of Merrill Lynch, In the Court of Public Opinion offers lessons for successfully operating in this new environment–where the world is your courtroom, and public opinion, more often than not, is your judge and jury.

From the Back Cover

"A real eye-opener, not just for lawyers, but for anyone facing legal or regulatory issues. In crisply written, insightful, and often humorous chapters, Jim Haggerty shows how understanding audiences and communicating to them effectively can be as valuable to the outcome of a case as any legal strategy. In the Court of Public Opinion surely ranks among the best books on communication ever written. It should be required reading for anyone who is even thinking about talking with reporters about a legal matter."
–Alan Metrick, Director of Communications, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)

"This is no stodgy legal treatise. Stylishly well-written and expertly argued, In the Court of Public Opinion is a brilliant mix of analysis and anecdote. Every lawyer who reads this book will become a better communicator, and clients and their publicists will gain real insight into areas where legal and public relations concerns meet. In a world of specialists, Jim Haggerty sees the whole playing field. No one has a better feel for lawyers, public opinion, and the press. In the Court of Public Opinion is an instant classic. I expect it will define the field for years to come."
–George P. Sape, Managing Partner, Epstein Becker & Green, PC

"In the Court of Public Opinion is essential to understanding how you can win the battle inside the courtroom, but still lose the war. Every businessperson confronting significant litigation should buy this book. Written in a breezy and challenging style, it should be on the reading list at business schools and law schools alike."
–Michael J. Venditto, Anderson Kill & Olick, PC

Edition details

• Publisher: Wiley
• Publication date: 2003
• ISBN 10: 0471307424
• ISBN 13: 9780471307426
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 288