Lawyers and communicators play important roles in protecting a business from reputational harm and legal liability. They serve an organization best when they work together and often can benefit from knowing more about each other’s role and responsibility. Here are three ways lawyers and communicators can collaborate to deliver coordinated solutions.
Lawyers and communicators should get to know one another, preferably in person. Each side needs to understand the other’s responsibilities and iron out differences of opinions as much as possible. Ideally, teams will conduct tabletop crisis simulations to identify potential hurdles and determine how to handle them.
Tip for Lawyers: Ask communicators about their priorities and challenges and how you can support them. Humble curiosity goes a long way. Collaborate on exercises that simulate how both sides will work together in a crisis.
Tip for Communicators: As you discuss the organization’s priorities and challenges, always remember that you are both stewards of risk and that the organization’s goals should be your North Star. This will make it less personal.
Mutual understanding and respect can go a long way. Remember that each side has important contributions to make.
Tip for Lawyers: Acknowledge that communicators often know a business and its stakeholders better than lawyers. They develop communications that reinforce an organization’s key messages...
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