Holtz Communications + Technology

In the countless battles between communicators and corporate attorneys over what to say in response to reputation-threatening situations, the lawyers’ advice to say nothing (or little) usually prevails.

The result is often disastrous for the organization, but CEOs and senior leaders presume that mitigation of legal risk is of paramount concern. Industry pundits often agree, arguing that corporations are legal entities, requiring…

Content Summary: Communicators are often frustrated in their efforts to protect or restore an organization’s reputation by attorneys who simply block any communication at all, or minimize the response. In today’s FIR Live, attorney Jim Golden and crisis expert Helio Fred Garcia discuss the relationship between attorneys and communicators and how it should change.

Discussion participants were FIR co-hosts Neville Hobson and Shel…

It’s not unusual for communicators to feel stifled by corporate attorneys whose counsel, often viewed as contrary to the organization’s reputational interests, is rubber-stamped by CEOs. IN the next FIR LIveNeville and Shel will look at communicators’ perceptions of lawyers (the myths and the realities), explore ways legal and communications can work together, and discuss whether attorneys’ judgments are always best for the company. Our…

A significant portion of my family is made up of lawyers. My brother, an uncle, several cousins all practice law of one type or another. I’ve also worked closely with corporate attorneys over the course of my career, and I can’t think of one who wasn’t a good, decent person. So I don’t view lawyers through the stereotypical filter that has produced volumes of…

I’ve talked before about the reasons companies resist social media. The Arthur W. Page Society and the Corporate Executive Board are out with a study that puts some numbers behind the top reasons for organizational resistance. The study, which targeted more than 30 chief communications officers who are corporate members of the Page Society, revealed nothing surprising, but still, it’s easier to offer…