Public relations seeks to both inform like journalism and persuade like advertising. It crosses many legal categories such as the First Amendment, contracts, and regulation. Corporate speech rights were not recognized until the 1970s but now corporations have broad protection for political and social issues and moderate protection for commercial speech. The Citizens United Supreme Court case established that corporations can spend on political messages as long as they are not directly associated with a candidate's campaign. Public relations interacts with areas of tort law, contract law, and the media through recording interviews, public actions, types of remarks to the press, and promises of confidentiality.

1. Introduction
 Public Relations is a hybrid of journalism and
advertising
 Seeks to inform (journalism);
 Seeks to persuade (advertising)
 Crosses many legal categories
 First Amendment
 Contracts
 Regulation

2. Corporate Speech Rights
 No First Amendment rights until 1970s
 Now, however, corporate right of expression is
recognized
 In political and social issues, broad protection;
 Commercial speech moderately protected
 First National Bank of Boston v. Bellotti
 Allowed bank to speak on political issue
 Later expanded to include ideological groups and
entities with no attached business pursuits

3. Citizens United
 Post-Bellotti, corporate speech in political arena grew
 2002: Congress seeks to reduce influence of big money
on campaign process
 Later, a court strikes down restrictions on corporate and
labor donations and advertising
 Supreme Court reversed, but in 2007 reversed again in
saying corporate political speech was protected
 Citizens’ United (2010) SCOTUS says corps. Can spend
on political messages as long as not directly associated
with any candidate’s campaign

4. Corporate v. Political Speech
 Nike v. Kasky (2002)
 California SC says company’s defense of corporate
reputation is commercial not political
 Thus, it can be regulated and Nike punished for falsity
 Test used by court might make most corporate speech
commercial, but. . .
 SCOTUS refused to take appeal
 Case was settled out of court

5. Tort Law and PR
 Interference in a business relationship
 Unfair competition
 Duty to Warn/Failure to disclose
 Misrepresentation

6. Contract Law and PR
 Ownership of works
 Hold-harmless clauses
 No-compete clauses
 Confidentiality agreements

7. Interacting with the Media
 Recording interviews
 Careful public actions
 Off-the-record remarks
 On the record
 For background
 For deep background
 Off the record
 Promises of confidentiality