Partnering with Legal. When it comes to issues and crisis management, a seamless relationship between Legal and PR is of the utmost importance. MWW understands the primacy of Legal’s role in steering internal and external clients through regulatory, civil and criminal actions. We have worked in a supporting role with dozens of national and regional law firms to develop messaging and response protocols to product recalls, complex litigation, “acts of God,” shareholder actions, labor and workforce issues, legislative and regulatory proceedings, and human-made error.

1. LEGAL CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS EXPERTISE
© MWW GROUP, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 1
POINT OF VIEW:
MWWapproachesallcrisisengagementswithafoundationoftraditionalreputationmanagementbestpractices,
social media savvy, and a fundamental belief that an agency’s crisis capabilities are only as good as the
counselorsassignedtoyourproject. Thereal-timeinformationlandscaperequiresanewlevelofreadinessanda
newapproach,alongwiththecommitmentofaseniorteamthatispracticed,capableandunderstandshoweach
ofyourcriticalaudiencescanbeimpacted.
60 SECONDS IS THE NEW FIRST HOUR: We are living in a very different world, where seconds make
the difference —not minutes, not hours.
TRADITIONAL MEDIA NO LONGER LEADS THE PACK: Consumers are often ahead of reporters, thanks to
mobile devices, Twitter, Facebook, blogs. . .all can carry messaging, inform opinions (accurate or not) and
spreadrumorsinstantly. Interimplanning/commentaryiscrucial.
IT’SNOTABOUTSPIN:Intoday’s24/7mediaenvironment,andamidincreasingconsumerandshareholder
activism, transparency is paramount. Issues can no longer be “spun” away.
GUILTY UNTIL PROVEN INNOCENT: Mass cynicism fueled by mishandled crises and the deterioration of
public trust in corporate America has eroded the presumption of innocence. It’s no longer acceptable to
refrain from comment. Stakeholders demand answers and companies need to be ready to provide them.
CUSTOMIZE THE STORY: Firms and clients need to remember that a crisis impacts multiple stakeholders.
Different audiences will be impacted differently and want to know what it means to them.
MWW, a full-service public relations, public
affairs and marketing firm, has more than 25 years
experience helping companies to build eminence,
strengthenemployeeengagementandbuild,manage
and protect their reputations.
Our total stakeholder approach ensures that we
are reaching your key influencers with the right
messages across digital, social, and traditional
channels. As an independent agency, we have the
freedomtocustomizeindividualstrategiestoeach
client’s needs and objectives. Because we’re the
largest of the mid-size agencies, we combine the
resources and comprehensive services of a major
nationalagencywiththeentrepreneurialspirit,agility
andsenior-levelengagementofaboutiquefirm.
MWW EXPERTISE
LEGAL CRISIS
COMMUNICATIONS
PartneringwithLegal. When it comes to issues and crisis management, a seamless relationship between
Legal and PR is of the utmost importance. MWW understands the primacy of Legal’s role in steering internal
and external clients through regulatory, civil and criminal actions. We have worked in a supporting role with
dozens of national and regional law firms to develop messaging and response protocols to product recalls,
complex litigation, “acts of God,” shareholder actions, labor and workforce issues, legislative and regulatory
proceedings, and human-made error.

2. LEGAL CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS EXPERTISE
© MWW GROUP, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2
MWW APPROACH -
CRISIS ACTION PROTOCOL
MWW’s proven Crisis Action Protocol methodology
focuses on a proactive, stakeholder-centric
approach that is scalable and emphasizes process
over personnel.
VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT: A thorough
analysis of an organization’s/client’s business
and industry to determine likely problems and
emergency situations, current internal and
external communications protocols, existing
operational response resources, existing systems
for monitoring media/social media and events
that could develop into crises, and appropriate
crisis team members and company spokespeople.
In particular, it is important to evaluate existing
plans for social media readiness and the speed
and nimbleness required for effective response in
today’s environment.
CRISIS PLAN REVIEW AND UPDATE: Rapidly
changing communication and marketplace
dynamics mean that crisis plans need regular
reviewing and updating to ensure that they
address evolving needs, meet the challenges of
social media and stay current with internal and
external resources.
CRISIS PLAN DEVELOPMENT: Development of a
digitally accessible, user-friendly crisis response
protocol plan that:
• Identifies and vigilantly monitors for potential
crisis events
• Creates a core crisis team with protocols for
its activation/team notification and detailed
information on roles and procedures
• Establishes media protocols and news/
social media and industry monitoring
measures to ensure advance warning of
simmering problems
• Pre-assigns spokespeople and those
responsible for reaching out to all audiences
• Contact info for key stakeholders -- customers,
suppliers, investors, regulators, media outside
experts and third party endorsers
• Organizes key health/safety records,
regulatory filings
• Contains template standby statements and
press releases for quick-turn use with
the media
TRAINING: Conducts scenario-based training
sessions to review plan, assess crisis team and
war game crisis scenarios
CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS COUNSEL: Provides
on-site/off-site resources to complement and
supplement crisis communications team
MWW EXPERIENCE
With decades of crisis experience, MWW Group’s
crisis professionals, including the industry’s
foremost digital communication experts, have
assisted a wide variety of organizations across
myriad industries is preparing for and managing
crisis situations. Example include:
ACCIDENTS, INCIDENTS AND “ACTS OF GOD”
triggering business continuity issues, property
damage, systems failures, injuries or loss of life
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE, CEO TRANSITIONS,
SENIOR EXECUTIVE DISMISSALS, site closings,
reductions-in-force and sudden Board actions
OPERATIONAL BREAKDOWNS AND
WIDESPREAD SERVICE OUTAGES
CONSUMER SAFETY CONCERNS, high-profile
product recalls, counterfeit products, tainted
supply chains, food contamination, product
tampering and ‘junk science’
CONSUMER ACTIVISM AND NGO CAMPAIGNS
stemming from organizations’ environmental,
business and employee policies and practices
FEDERAL AND STATE INVESTIGATIONS and
regulatory activity impacting business operations
across numerous industries
IT SECURITY ISSUES and data thefts including
the financial services industry’s largest loss of
customers’ financial and personal information
For more information, please contact:
Josh Zeitz
Deputy Practice Director/Reputation Management
212.704.9727 | jzeitz@mww.com | www.mww.com