Author: Justin Penrose

A PR crisis might go on for a few days or sometimes even few weeks. But with the Royal, formerly known as Prince Andrew, his own personal PR crisis has been destroying his standing and personal brand for an incredible 15 years.

In my former life as a Fleet Street hack I would often bemoan PRs who cluttered my inbox with anodyne drab comments reacting to the latest Supreme Court judgment. Now firmly ensconced on the other side of the fence as poacher turned gamekeeper, I can see why so many quotes that are sent to journalists will never be used. Some lawyers and legal PRs simply don’t know what reporters want or how to get their comments used during a media bun fight.

As Donald Trump seeks to rip up the rule book on matters such as international diplomacy, trade tariffs and foreign aid, it’s easy to think that the legal sector in the UK is largely unaffected by the former The Apprentice host’s bid to change the world. However, one area of Trump’s sledgehammer approach that has sparked an interesting debate which could affect the legal sector is his the abandonment of ‘woke’ diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.

Former journalist and published author Justin Penrose spent 10 years as crime correspondent at the Sunday Mirror before moving into legal PR, joining Black Letter in 2019. Here he talks about his passion for breaking the news, giving victims a voice, and the importance of being able to spot a story.

Covid 19 Bereaved Families for Justice UK campaigned and lobbied tirelessly for a public inquiry into the failings that saw more than 200,000 people die in the UK during the pandemic. At the heart of their successful campaign, and others that have come to the fore recently, is communication and an adept use of the media to create a body of pressure that becomes so great that the government or corporate bodies eventually cave in.

When it comes to good communications timing, tone, and getting the messaging right for your audience are key. While PR professionals know this all too well, it doesn’t prevent countless high profile PR disasters from happening every year. So, it was with a sense of awe – and extreme sadness as I am a lifelong Liverpool fan – that I saw Jurgen Klopp’s resignation video and subsequent outpouring of love towards the Liverpool manager.

Anyone who works in legal PR will be able to tell you the importance of successful judgments for their clients. Such opportunities for positive PR and bountiful coverage do not come along every day, so it is crucial to maximise publicity and get the message out. Historically legal PRs tended to be told the result of the embargoed judgment which allowed them to prepare a press release or statement ready to be sent out the moment the judgment was handed down.

Circus owner Phineas T Barnum is credited as saying the immortal phrase ‘there’s no such thing as bad publicity’, but he didn’t consider the car crash that is Matt Hancock appearing on I’m a Celebrity. To be fair to Phineas he was speaking in the 19th century and nobody could have ever predicted a reality TV show appearance that was so misjudged and ill thought out. Whilst watching Matt ‘Westminster’s very own Alan Partridge’ Hancock eat the nether regions of a marsupial may on the surface be amusing for most, there is a serious side that makes his appearance not just a PR disaster, but unbelievably cruel.

As PR disasters go, Rebekah Vardy suing Colleen Rooney for libel will take some beating. In terms of damaging your own reputation through vanity litigation Vardy has set a new gold standard.

There’s nothing that gets the press excited more than a good litigation battle. From tabloid heaven like the Wagatha Christie libel trial, to legal and financial press delights like ENRC v Dechert, high-profile litigation nearly always makes the headlines. As a result, the need to have litigation support in place, both for law firms and clients alike, cannot be overstated and could have long-lasting impact in the court of public perception.