Law And More

Okay, We Can Now Rule Out Returning to Jones Day for Megyn Kelly

Let's cut to the chase.

With 4.06 million tuning into her first interview since parting way with NBC, Megyn Kelly is well on her way to a comeback. Here are more details from Mediaite. 

That interview happened on Fox with Tucker Carlson.

So, those starting to connect the dots on Kelly's Next see a possible return of Kelly to Fox. She can parachute in for the analysis of the dynamics of the 2020 Election.

But Fox is only one option.

The Hollywood Reporter noted that Shari Redstone has also been talking with Kelly. If the merger of Viacom and CBS goes through Redstone could launch a conservative channel to compete with Fox. It would create new kind of value in conservative broadcasting by adding streaming.

These developments put the kibosh on any fantasy that Kelly could bounce back to her original career path. That had been practicing law at BigLaw firm Jones Day. In her book "Settle for More," she recalls the too-long hours. On the way driving to the firm she would daydream about breaking her arm and not having to do "it" (being a law associate) for a few weeks.

America is the nation of many chances. This blog wishes Kelly the best in her third shot at finding a sustainable fit in a job. 

Smart global ghostwriting, with social networking know-know. Emergencies welcome. Complimentary consultation (pressure-free) janegenova374@gmail.com.

Should Mia Farrow Be Worried? What We Know from "Court TV"

Of course, investigative reporters have a bullseye on their back.

Probably what saves them from being offed is their high profile as they publish their disclosures. Immediately, we know from "Court TV," law enforcement would interrogate the subjects of those articles. Were they in the loop, such as hiring a hit man?

But that kind of protection isn't bulletproof, pun intended.

Mom of star reporter Ronan Farrow - Mia Farrow - is appropriately worried what her son Ronan Farrow has been up to, reports New York Post. She texted him that she would have preferred he cover subject matter like Betty White.

For two years Farrow has been tracking down sources for The New Yorker articles on allegations about sexual misconduct by powerful men and those who enabled them. Today, his book on all that "Catch and Kill" is being published. On Amazon, already it ranks 6,981 (at least at 6:00 AM New York Time).

In terms of benefiting the public good through his exposes, Farrow might be creating a more significant legacy than Bob Woodward has in helping uncover abuse of power in the Nixon Administration.

Smart global ghostwriting, with social networking know-know. Emergencies welcome. Complimentary consultation (pressure-free) janegenova374@gmail.com.

 

James Comey - 29 Months After Getting Fired

Not all firings turn out so well. 

Former FBI head James Comey got axed by U.S. president Donald Trump on May 9, 2017 - abruptly.

The legal, political, business, and general media dropped everything and ran with the story. Among the law-abiding public, eyes bugged. 

Now, 29 months later, the media has taken up the story again. 

The coverage essentially is about how Comey himself positions and packages his current earnings and lifestyle. There is little reading between the lines on this. For example, how does it feel to have lost all that power?

In the earnings box, Comey is doing well. He refers to himself as an "unemployed celebrity." But he pulls in six figures for each speaking engagement. His old annual salary used to be $170k. That could be peanuts compared to what Comey's picking up on the speaking circuit.

His book "A Higher Loyalty" is being made into a mini series. Jeff Daniels is portraying him.

Although "A Higher Loyalty" had been published back in April 2018, those of us who stalk Amazon data find that it still ranks high - 4,052. It has received 4,809 customer reviews and nearly an overall 5 rating. Here, the curious can order it from Amazon. Or, swing by the library. Public libraries such as the ones in Toledo, Ohio stock the shelves with multiple copies. 

Comey gushes that he sleeps nine hours a night. In contrast, there is that iconic line from William Shakespeare's "Henry IV, Part 2" - "Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown." 

He also manages about 10 push-ups in a row at age 58.

And, enjoys being a grandfather.

His mission is ensuring that his nemesis Trump doesn't get re-elected. If and when that happens, Comey plans to delete his Twitter account. 

If the enemies of the Trump Administration take back the highest levels of government in the 2020 Election, Comey could experience his unemployed celebrity status as interrupted. He could be on short list for many emerging opportunities. Since he currently bunks in Virginia, it's an easy commute to interview for those jobs.

Smart global ghostwriting, with social networking know-know. Emergencies welcome. Complimentary consultation (pressure-free) janegenova374@gmail.com.

 

From Birthday Cards to Fixing Feuds, Office Housework by Women Probably Won't Wind Up Lawsuits

This isn't ambitious women's first professional rodeo.

They realize how tricky it is to withdraw from traditional expectations about their roles in the workplace. 

As The Wall Street Journal points out, among the expectations is what is known as "office housework."

That covers tasks ranging from having the birthday cards signed to fixing feuds among peers. 

Yes, it's expected. 

And it requires well-thought-out strategy to eliminate such duties from a job description or even the interactions of female business owners. 

For example, too direct a push-back, such as just saying "no" to note-taking at meetings, can generate unneeded controversy. Powerful allies can be alienated. The males in the loop can feel humiliated. Also, the female could be labeled "cold."

However, continuing to carry out that kind of extra work can send the wrong message. That could be: She doesn't have the game know-how or the confidence to stop all that. Her brand can be hurt. 

Because this situation is so delicate, it is unlikely that any of this will harden into a lawsuit.

You bet, smart women are learning the high professional and financial cost of suing. The #MeToo movement created a moment of euphoria about filing lawsuits.

That was then.

Vanity Fair documented how many females regretted their decision to sue for alleged sexual misconduct at work. Unlike former Fox on-air personality Gretchen Carlson they didn't wind up with financial windfall. More importantly they found themselves blackballed in their industry.

How women can navigate out of office housework might require the kinds of executive coaches Henry Cloud is. His book "Necessary Endings" hammers the difficulty for both individuals and organizations to break with the past.

Office housework for females should be in the past. It isn't. 

That issue can derail a career if managed badly. If made public in the media, it can position and package the organization as yesterday. 

Smart global ghostwriting, with social networking know-know. Emergencies welcome. Complimentary consultation (pressure-free) janegenova374@gmail.com.

Boo - The Ghost of Roger Ailes

In this Halloween season of ghosts, the one of Roger Ailes is hovering over Fox.

There is speculation, reports Deadline, that had he still been at Fox, Shep Smith would also still be there.

Ailes would have protected all his employees from a force field of extreme conservatism. In that power structure, of course, is Trumpism.

Although Ailes allegedly had the tragic flaw of exploiting women, he had the kind of Machiavellian instincts that caused others with power not to mess with him. There had been a tidbit floating around the grapevine that even media tycoon Rupert Murdoch had been afraid of him.

Unfortunately, in the end, Ailes did not know how to protect his own power.

That might have begun with threat of publication of Gabriel Sherman's critical biography "The Loudest Voice in the Room."

In response, Ailes' personal public relations representative Bob Dilenschneider placed an ad in The New York Times Review of Books for a vanity biography.

That went very wrong when the media sniffed out that it was Dilenschneider and not a publisher who purchased the promotional outreach.

One reason was this: The bullish-on-Ailes biography - "Roger Ailes: Off Camera" by Zev Chafets - already had been bouncing around for a year.

Brandname media such as AdWeek ran with the story. Ailes came across as looking vulnerable, that is, like he was afraid of what was and could be published about him.

Any sign of vulnerability invites enemies in. The rest is history. 

As U.S. conservatism is in play, both through possible impeachment of a far-right president and the 2020 election, no one can predict if the Fox edifice will weaken. It could even be replaced by a more savvy broadcasting upstart.

Many are noticing that the once right-wing Drudge Report has become more balanced in its curation. The major example of that is that Matt Drudge is covering the current impeachment process with as much detail as he had the liberal one - Bill Clinton's.

In essence, Drudge is a businessman, not an ideologue. Fox isn't embracing that model. That could be the end of a media empire.

Smart global ghostwriting, with social networking know-know. Emergencies welcome. Complimentary consultation (pressure-free) janegenova374@gmail.com.

Matt Lauer - Well, It Looks Like Any Comeback Is On Hold

In this era of extreme public relations, the truth frequently doesn't influence public opinion.

What does is how members of the media and social network heavies position and package whatever.

From the get-go, that positioning and packaging had been against former "Today" bigwig Matt Lauer.

The anti-Lauer narrative just took on new material. 

As The Washington Post reports, Jason Farrow's book "Catch and Kill" alleges that Lauer conducted anal rape on NBC employee Brooke Nevils at the 2014 Winter Olympics.

In response, on "Today," Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb are presenting emotional explanations that such alleged behavior does not align with the network's values.

There is another side to this story. In a letter to Variety, Lauer contends the sex, an extramarital affair, had been consensual. 

But, the side resonating is that told by Nevils. In 2017, she shared information about those allegedly unwanted sexual encounters (yes, they were multiple) with the appropriate department at NBC. Others then shared similar narratives. Soon Lauer was terminated. 

Some watchers of Lauer noted that he might have been in the early stages of attempting a comeback.

For example, he had attended the birthday party of Jeff Zucker in the Hamptons. Birthday parties, neutral events unlike weddings and funerals, are a good way of testing social waters.

More recently, media outlets caught Lauer doing dance moves and singing on Tiktok, with his daughter in the loop.

But, even someone who doesn't understand the nuances of public relations can conclude that Lauer's comeback is doomed, at least for a while. 

Still, in this land of second, third, and fourth chances, it would be naïve to rule out that Lauer could re-surface with another professional identity.

Bill Clinton came back from Monicagate as a global think tank and philanthropist.

Before he died from an accident, disgraced Roger Ailes was hatching a plan, once his Fox non-compete clause was over, to build a conservative cable network which would take on his former employer.

And, no one should count out an amazing future career for U.S. President Donald Trump.

Smart global ghostwriting, with social networking know-know. Emergencies welcome. Complimentary consultation (pressure-free) janegenova374@gmail.com.

 

Legal Marketing: Reward/Risk in Publishing a Book

Legal marketers, at least at the high end, might be recommending to lawyers publishing a book.

After all, it has been observed that it was not Alan Dershowitz's legal mind per se but his genius about publishing the right kinds of books at the right time that earned him his brandname and brought in new business.

In addition, of course, he also has a genius for selecting the right kinds of cases to be involved with. You bet, he was part of the O.J. Simpson criminal murder trial dream team.

That guy's inner marketer had always been on the money. 

This push to publish, of course, permeates all professional services, as well as other industries. However, legal marketers have to factor in both the possible reward and the growing risks. 

Bob Dilenschneider is going the book-publishing route yet again. That has been part of his signature in public affairs. Yesyesyes, a book can be a powerful marketing tool.

But, just like every other marketing strategy in a digital age, that has changed - profoundly. 

There is now risk, not just possible reward, associated with this Manhattan public affair counselor's coming "Decisions: Practical Advice from 23 Men & Women Who Shaped the World."

The publication date is December 31, 2019.

Currently, pre-publication, on Amazon, which can be either the corridor of shame or evidence of crushing it, there are no customer reviews for "Decisions."

The ranking is 6,440,171.

Given all the shifts in publishing a book, pre-publication has evolved into a phase when aggressive promotion should be taking place. Yes, brisk pre-publication orders send the message that this read is hot in certain categories. 

Pre-Digital Mindset

The advice to ambitious professionals from ghostwriters such as myself et al. used to be:

A book is the price of entry. You need one to launch your career.

Then you need to follow that up with another book every several years. It isn't only the academic game that is the "publish or perish" one.

The objective is both branding and developing new business.

Post-Digital Mindset

Currently, the advice to ambitious professionals is:

A book is useful as part of an integrated marketing campaign. 

No, it can't be a stand-along platform for anything. Social media, participation on social networks, podcasts, special events, and more are also mandated.

And book publishing shouldn't be attempted unless there is the budget for a top publicist specializing in the book niche.

Otherwise, an effective and cost-efficient marketing strategy is the free substance-heavy e-book downloadable from a website. 

Since ghostwriting print books is among the specializations for my boutique, I continually analyze this marketing strategy.

Reward

Yes, I continue to be awed by how a book can create an aura.

An example is Peter Thiel's "Zero to One." Published September 16, 2014, it continues to rank amazingly high on Amazon: 1,549 (as of 11:22 AM New York time, 10/6/19). So far, it has received 2052 customer reviews, most positive (book is rated almost 5 out of 5).

Through this macro advice guide for entrepreneurs Thiel had been able to transcend his conservative branding. Instead he is the go-to guy for insight on startups. 

In addition, it provides unique insight on careers in general. With his law degree from Stanford, Thiel applied for clerk positions on the U.S. Supreme Court with two judges.

Both turned him down.

At the time, the rejections were devastating to Thiel. However, had that door not closed the entrepreneurial one wouldn't have opened. He went on to co-found PayPal - and much much more.

Risk

Simultaneously, I am appropriately concerned about the damage low rankings and negative or no reviews can create on Amazon. The risk is palpable. The author's enemies check with great glee how poorly the book is selling, at least through Amazon.

Put bluntly, Amazon has become the analogue of the televised Academy Awards. For the latter as the camera pans, the ambitious will position and package themselves perfectly. There is no margin for error.

Likewise, with Amazon, before putting a book out there, professionals in all fields have to assess how that published content will play out. There is no absolute certainty. But it's possible to calculate the odds of success in a ballpark manner.

As a window into the current book publishing game, it could be enlightening to analyze how "Decisions" does.

For instance, who is leaving book reviews? Do those reflect real thought? How many are posted? What about the intelligent negative reviews? What are the sales? And, what seems to be the integrated promotional campaign, if any?

To paraphrase William Shakespeare's "Henry 4, Part 2: Uneasy lies the head that publishes a book in 2019.

Smart global ghostwriting, with social networking know-know. Emergencies welcome. Complimentary consultation (pressure-free) janegenova374@gmail.com.

 

A Play Out of a Kind of "Forensic Files" - Federal Judge Orders Alan Dershowitz to Turn Over The Tape

Alan Dershowitz has been contending that he has The Tape.

On it, he claims that Virginia Roberts Giuffre's lawyer David Boies stated that he did not believe that Dershowitz had sex with his client (that is, Giuffre).

As yet, no transcript of the tape has been made public.

In court, though, Boies did admit that Dershowitz's travel records do not align with Giuffre's contentions of unwanted sexual activity.

Well, reports the New York Post, federal judge Lorella Preska has ordered Dershowitz to turn over The Tape to a forensic expert for analysis. Stroz Friedberg does such work.

Yes, this is a play out of what viewers observe on the popular television program "Forensic Files." It's amazing what the experts can discover.

If what Dershowitz claims to be on The Tape is confirmed in forensic analysis, then Giuffre's credibility could take a major hit. Boies as her lawyer would have to scramble. 

On the other hand, if Dershowitz turns out to be bluffing about the relevance of the content of The Tape, then his whole legacy could become undone. 

Ever since Dershowitz retired from his professorship at Harvard Law School he seems to be making questionable decisions about how to conduct himself in the court of public opinion. That is surprising because he is an expert at self-promotion.

Did retiring from Harvard Law School throw him off his game?

Some speculate that he got to where he had been not through a brilliant legal mind but by knowing how to position and package himself through publishing popular books on law and taking on controversial cases. He had been part of O.J. Simpson's Dream Team in the criminal murder trial.

Smart global ghostwriting, with social networking know-know. Emergencies welcome. Complimentary consultation (pressure-free) janegenova374@gmail.com.

 

 

Points of Law - Thomas Gilbert Jr. Sentenced to 30 Yrs. to Life for 2nd Degree Murder of Father

Some saw it a play-out of the Ancient Greek "Oedipus" myth, that is, the son fulfills the curse of killing the father.

Others put it down to the extreme tantrum by an indulged offspring of privilege who had his allowance cut by a hundred bucks a month.

And there had the compassionate who interpreted Thomas Gilbert Jr.'s killing of his wealthy father as a symptom of serious mental disease.

Whatever.

Judge Melissa Jackson bypassed possible explanations, along with the plea from his mother. She aligned the sentence with points of law. He received a sentence of 30 years to life. Here are more details from the media.

Jurors determined that, at the time of the killing, Jr. knew exactly what he was doing. He was rational. Actually, he was strategic. He was aware his parents didn't keep soda in the apartment. He sent his mother out of the apartment to purchase a soda for him, plus a sandwich. When she was gone he used a gun to kill his father.

Sure, he might have underlying psychiatric issues. But those were irrelevant in the ways the law defines "sanity" during the process of committing a crime.  

The jury convicted the son of 2nd degree murder and weapons charges.

This is no saga woven from the imagination and resentments of novelist F. Scott Fitzgerald.

In Fitzgerald's signature work of fiction "The Great Gatsby," there is the observation that the rich are careless people. They may be that. But in this real life example of privilege landing in the courtroom, the rich are also punished according the same kinds of interpretations of the law as ordinary folks are.

Smart global ghostwriting, with social networking know-know. Emergencies welcome. Complimentary consultation (pressure-free) janegenova374@gmail.com.

 

U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani Tough in AdmissionsGate - Devin Sloane's Sentence Includes Tongue-Lashing

It was U.S. District Judge in Boston - Indira Talwani - who sentenced Felicity Huffman to actual jail time. That was 14 days. There also had been community service, a fine, and supervised release. In addition, Huffman received a tongue-lashing from the bench.

Now, Judge Talwani imposed an even stiffer sentence in AdmissionsGate on businessman Devin Sloane. He, reports The Wall Street Journal, will serve four months in jail, pay a $95,000 fine, do 500 hours of community service, and have two years supervised release.

In addition, there was also an extensive verbal reprimand. Judge Talwani positioned and packaged the crime as not one of pulling out all stops to take care of a child. Instead it was done to prop up the parent's own status by having the child in an elite school. Among those who were harmed by that were those who hadn't been admitted because that seat was taken unfairly by Sloane's offspring. 

Whether this sends a message to the top tiers of American society that they cannot game the system remains to be seen. What we do know is that those who have been enjoying the current version of The Gilded Age have lost brand equity. Not so much because of what they did. Rather, their brand is tarnished because they weren't clever enough or used enough resources not to get caught.

This mandate about not getting caught was described by legal journalist Dominick Dunne in his fiction. Otherwise, the ethos was that anything goes. 

Unique global ghostwriting with social networking know-know. Emergencies welcome. Complimentary consultation (pressure-free) janegenova374@gmail.com.