Litigation Communications for Today’s World

In a political and media climate where legal proceedings can easily take on a very public dimension, public positioning of a legal filing, document, or decision can often have a substantial effect on an organization’s reputation, or even its bottom line.

Just look to one of the biggest legal spectacles in America this year – the Mueller Report. Robert Mueller’s 450-page report on Russian interference in the 2016 election and possible obstruction of justice by President Trump was defined from the moment of its release by the characterizations and implications asserted by others, rather than by its actual content, which was prohibitively time-consuming, dense, and legalistic for much of the public to absorb. Anyone with a political agenda had ample opportunity to cherry-pick phrases and construct a narrative to advance their own take on the report.

Contrast that with Mueller’s succinct press conference, held several weeks after the report’s release, in which he distilled and underscored the key points in the weighty report in 10 minutes. In his remarks before the news media, this highly credible spokesperson offered easily digestible messaging in an accessible format. Mueller’s dramatically different re-telling of the same information was nothing short of a re-setting of both the narrative and the mainstream media’s coverage of the report.

KARV advises clients on how to most effectively present the critical points and key messages contained within long, technical legal documents for consumption by the media and other stakeholders, to convey a client’s legal positions and the rationale behind them in a clear, concise, and compelling manner to their relevant audiences. As part of this process, we develop answers to all likely questions from reporters and other critical internal and external stakeholders, and draft the appropriate communications materials to use with each.

We also help clients and their in-house or external legal advisors see around the corners in planning for key stages in the legal process, during which the client can reiterate its stance and rationale as well as explain the significance of the stage and the next steps to come.

KARV Communications is very proud that our work in this area has been recognized for the second year in a row by the Chambers and Partners 2019 Litigation Support Guide for PR & Communications.

KARV’s “highly experienced practitioners” were cited as “very easy to work with” and “respectful of the lawyers” throughout the litigation process. KARV Founder & President Andrew Frank was singled out by an un-named client for his ability to be “helpful in putting the case into a broader context, and thinking about how that broader context might be communicated to the press or public.”

KARV’s litigation support work was also recognized by Lawdragon’s 100 Leading Legal Consultants and Strategists guide in both 2018 and 2019.

Thank you to all of our clients and partners who have made this recognition possible; we look forward to continuing to help you capture future opportunities and solve the new challenges that may lie ahead.