Law And More

Shift from Public Relations to Legal - Darkness Fell Fast Post-BBC Interview of Prince Andrew

The fallout from Prince Andrew's BBC interview doesn't only negatively impact the brand - and future - of the British royals. 

In addition, as the Daily Mail reports, the situation has rapidly transformed into a legal one. Public relations expert Jason Stein had warned Andrew not to do the interview. But Andrew did. Now this. Darkness has fallen fast.

The this is that players in the legal sandbox are discussing the vulnerability of Andrew to be extradited to the United States to "cooperate" with officials.

The alleged sexual misconduct occurred in the U.S., not the UK.

Being a royal doesn't confer immunity to Andrew.

And currently prosecutors and plaintiff lawyers have what is being labeled "ammunition" to use in questioning Andrew. That could be under oath. And the content of the BBC interview could be part of cross-examination.

From the get-go in the BBC interview, those of us in the communications industry picked right up on Andrew's absolutely wrong tone and no evidence of sincere regret about whom he chose to be on his international network.

Regarding the latter, more and more of us are aware of the dynamics of mirror neurons. The research about them proved out that we human beings affect each other, cell by cell. Years ago, in the pre-scientific age, mothers and religious organizations warned about "bad companions." The Roman Catholic Church even classified those as "near occasions of sin."

Remorse for behavior is required by most social norms. Also, as lawyers know, they are expected in most courts of law. It is contended that AdmissionsGate miscreant Felicity Huffman got off relatively easy because she was contrite. Former law partner Gordon Caplan also adopted that persona.

Andrew did not.

Singlehandedly, Andrew could bring down the institution of the royals. Those in the UK who pony up the funding for much of that may decide to pull the plug.

Bring in top marketing and public relations firms to create a fresh approach to UK tourism. A former English major, I could advise on beefing up drama performances of the dramas of William Shakespeare. 

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

Beyond the Pizza Defense - Push for Prince Edward to Discuss Epstein Looping under Oath

During a relatively slow news weekend, the BBC interview with Prince Edward about being in the Jeffrey Epstein loop is getting major media coverage. That ranges from tabloid Daily Mail, with multiple articles, to the more staid The Guardian.

Essentially, the Prince provided what will go down in history as The Pizza Defense.

He claimed that he couldn't have been present having sex with Virginia Giuffre in London because he was at the Pizza Express in Woking, then working  quietly at home.

A world made sophisticated about law through pop culture is having none of all that. Following the unsatisfying interview, at least in terms of clarifying facts about the Prince's activities, there is a demand that he has a redo. This time, under oath. 

Telling falsehoods under oath results in legal consequences.

Also, there could be the negative branding effect on The Royals. Should a severe global economic downturn occur, the UK might decide it no longer wants to financially and emotionally support that institution.

Yes, it brings in tourism but so does the staging of the plays of William Shakespeare. As humans weary of tech, there could be a flight back to the artistic. Who knows, a Shakespeare requirement could return to the curriculum of private colleges. 

Meanwhile, experts in public relations might assess doing that BBC interview as a mistake for Prince Andrew. The barbarians are now closer to the gate. No longer unthinkable are what institutions and personalities will be destroyed.

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

 

Echoes of MIT - "Law & Order SVU"

Producer of the "Law & Order" series Dick Wolf established the signature of having plots ripped from the headlines.

That used to be provocative. Viewers enjoyed the parallels to real life.

Now, it seems a force fit, at least on the aging series "Law & Order SVU."

Last night's episode was about the once-brilliant breakthrough leader in the field of psychology. Amanda Rollins, during a bad patch of her life, attended his class and consumed all his published works. He was the real deal.

Then, something happened.

The SVU team suspects he masterminded the abuse of lost young people through drugs and sex. After he is through with them they wind up roaming the streets of Manhattan in a psychotic state.

This could remind viewers of the abuse of students at MIT highlighted by president L. Rafael Reif's letter.

After the Jeffrey Epstein association with MIT was outed at that elite university, there was an investigation. Reif documents everything from reports of sexual misconduct to bullying by star professors. No, encouragement to take drugs which "enlighten" was not part of it. But throughout the university there were (and are) myriad victims of powerful professors and department heads. 

Rollins makes it her mission to find out how the "before" turned into the "after." During that process she plays out an extreme range of character. Her performance is fresh. And, yes, she does trigger his breaking open and breaking down. He could or could not be on his way back to recovery.

Meanwhile the performance of Olivia Benson has become stylized. Her role has become frozen into Earnest St. Olivia. Too often the camera pans of her concerned face.

On the other hand, the reruns on Saturday on ION of the series still capture Wolf at his best and this series when it struggled to out the crime which had been kept secret - sexual abuse.

No surprise, the ratings, as reported by TVSeriesFinale, of "Law & Order SVU" are down. Recently, for the youth demographic they had declined 11.76% and for the general viewership 10.18%.

My hunch is that this will be the last season for this series. It's the longest running one created by Wolf. Currently, his "baby" is the Wednesday three hours of linked "Chicago Med," "Chicago Fire," and "Chicago P.D."

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

"A Million Little Things" - Katherine's Lawyering Deepens Relationship with Eddie

On "A Million Little Things," part of Katherine's amazing 180 takes this path.

It was her tightly wound lawyer self which pushed her husband Eddie into D's arms. In those arms the two created baby Charlie.

Then Katherine turned down partnership to be the mother Theo deserved.

That softening brought Eddie back.

That softening also has opened her to understand Eddie's father pull toward Charlie. D could be sweeping Charlie away to France - and never coming back.

To prevent that, Katherine is leveraging her lawyer skills.

That itself is deepening the relationship with Eddie. As a result of her legal advice, he has started the process to have his name put on the birth certificate. Once it's there, D can't get a passport for Charlie without Eddie's consent. But Katherine's lawyering skills can also fracture the bonds among the friends.

Other major developments in this episode:

•  Rome's mother dies suddenly. As a result of watching old family movies Rome realizes his father was the one who made his sleeping in bunk beds an adventure. Rome lets the chip drop off his shoulder. But there will no more trying to have a relationship with his loser brother.
•  PJ finds the DNA box under the bed, opens it, and finds out what Rome already knows. That's this: PJ is Jon's son.
•  Gary lost his job. His boss wouldn't put up with his taking so much time off. But he hasn't told Maggie yet.
•  Maggie might go to Oxford in England on a fellowship. Gary is supporting her on that. 
•  D finds out that PJ is Barbara Morgan's son. The episode closes before Regina could possibly tell her that PJ is also Jon's son. D would have to re-think her own relationship with Jon.
•  The group is tilting toward Katherine and Eddie and away from D. 

Next Thursday is the fall finale of "A Million Little Things." My hunch is that factions will form and the long term bonds will blow into a million pieces.

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

 

Ronan Farrow's "Catch And Kill" - Familiar Saga of Power's Abuse, Its Details of Interest to Many Lawyers

On Amazon, Ronan Farrow's "Catch And Kill" ranks #105. The author is an awesome investigative reporter and an equally talented writer. 

But the story he tells is a familiar one: the abuse of power.

That saga stretches all the way to "Genesis" in the "Old Testament."

The higher power (and landlord) over-punishes the tenants Eve and Adam.

Had there been landlord-tenant court back then Eve and Adam might have retained their right to stay in Paradise. That kind of injustice in the bible had been described by famous criminal lawyer Alan Dershowitz.

And, lawyers reading the detailed accounts Farrow presents of proven and alleged injustices inflicted on women by entertainment industry power players will have much to analyze. Those of them not directly in the loop of criminal prosecution, criminal defense or civil plaintiff/civil defense likely envy those who are.

Also, there really do still exist men and women who haven't gotten enough insider information on how the business of entertainment really works. They will also find "Catch And Kill" a riveting read. Afterwards, they may warn their loved ones to steer clear of that industry.

However, for others the 414 pages may become tedious.

The story line seems to be as predicable as the 2019 episodes of "Law & Order SVU." There are powerful men and those who protect them (some allegedly even in law enforcement). There are ambitious women who seem to be naive (didn't their mothers/mentors warn them?). There is then a time of exposure including internal investigations by brandname law firms, actual legal action, negative media destroying careers, and backlash. Regarding the latter, women who did speak up or filed lawsuits told Vanity Fair how they have been blackballed in the entertainment business. Here is that article.

Come on, #MeToo is a movement which has peaked. Much of what is in "Catch And Kill" is already known or has been suspected.

The more interesting issue is: Can power be tamed into humane behavior? That is, in supposed civilization is there progress in values?

At the meetings of the Secular Humanists of Western Lake Erie, president Douglas Berger leads discussions of that.

In the group there are optimists who argue that some aspects of society have evolved into enlightened norms.

There are also cynics like myself who envision the dark creatures portrayed in "Catch and Kill" simply mutating into other forms. Their predatory activity will shift from alleged sexual misconduct to whatever they assume they can get away with. 

Realists mouth the old adage: In restaurants in Manhattan, if rats stay in the basement, all is well. Chaos happens when a few make it up the stairs and plop in diners' laps. Perhaps the best we can hope for from #MeToo is that the rats have gotten it, for now, to stay in the basement.

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

 

Fictional Lawyers on the Small Screen - Those We Loved

Alicia Florrick's evolution from dutiful wife to player kept us tuned in.

But she was hard to relate to. We never got to know who she really was.

So, no, she wasn't among the fictional lawyers on television we loved.

And, way back when, Perry Mason was too buttoned-down, goody two shoe. Of course, we didn't love him.

Those we did come to love were the lawyers with gigantic flaws. They ranged from womanizer Arnie Becker on "LA Law" to narcissist Denny Crane from "Boston Legal." Unlike Florrick, they were real and they let us into their darkness. 

The current question is: Can we come to love law associate Katherine Kim on "A Million Little Pieces."

Like Florrick she did a 180 in personality. But her transformation was from a hyper-ambitious tightly wound careerist to a woman who put her child Theo first. She turned down partnership.

However, the transformation is continuing. Although Katherine went soft, she is hardening in relation to D who had stolen her husband Eddie. As Katherine allows the claws to get into action we might have a very special experience entering those dark places of her personality with her. Some of the greatest love affairs have been with creatures of darkness.

In terms of the real lawyers on television, like lawyers in life, they are too focused to be lovable. 

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

Snail Mail, Alleged Financial Fraud, Whistleblowing, Fired General Counsel, Excommunicado Saint - Three Lawsuits, Including "McKellar v. Mithril Capital"

The three lawsuits have all the bizarre twists and dramatic turns of a James Patterson mystery.

The most recent is "McKellar v. Mithril Capital."

Filed by the venture capital firm's former general counsel Crystal McKellar it is a response to two earlier lawsuits against her filed by Mithril. 

Essentially, the former employer is alleging McKellar conducted whisper outreach contending financial fraud by the firm's leadership. The company had been co-founded by the Peter Thiel.

Among the contentions was that the value of the portfolio companies was overstated to investors. That campaign included handwritten letters sent snail mail.

McKellar was fingered by Mithril leadership as the chief suspect for the letter-writing.

The fact is that she did file a whistleblower complaint with the FBI and the SEC.

Mithril's two lawsuits also claim McKellar breached confidentiality and was in the process of setting up a competing firm.

Mithril invests in late stage enterprises such as Reddit.

McKellar was fired. According to her employer it was for cause.

In response she filed what would be the third lawsuit in this saga that could be reducing the equity in Thiel's powerful brand.

She contends her termination was a result of the whistleblowing. She is asking $30 million in lost compensation and $30 million in damages.

These bits of litigation drama have gone high profile not only because Thiel is in the loop. It is also because of McKellar's background.

She had been a child star on "The Wonder Years." Then, instead of imploding like too many child stars who reach adulthood, she got herself an elite education. Undergraduate she did Yale. It was there she met Ajay Royar who still heads Mithril. Next stop was Harvard Law School. She had practiced law for more than a decade before being hired at Mithril.

Meanwhile, Saint Peter (Thiel) whose litigation funding helped save the world from mean-spirited digital tabloid Gawker could be excommunicado (term from film "John Wick 3"). That would be from his top perch in venture capital heaven. Also, his best-selling guide for entrepreneurs "Zero to One" could be attacked. 

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

Antisemitism in City Television Made Cool

From the balcony of the law firm in "Boston Legal," the city seems just the right setting for that bunch of flawed but likable geniuses. 

It's easy to feel right at the Bruins game with Jon's friends on "A Million Little Things."

You bet, popular television programming has made Boston seem totally cool. 

So, it can come as a surprise that the quarter of a million Jews in Boston have become potential targets for hate crimes. As Michael Damiano reports in Boston Magazine, in 2018, there had been 144 of those kinds of incidents. In recent years, the number of them has increased more than 130%. 

Among the victims might have been Rabbi Avi Bukiet and his family. Twice his home, which also provides space for the congregation to worship, had been set on fire. Both times his three children were inside. Of course, the Bukiets have their guard up for future antisemitic activities.

This is occurring at a period in the history of Boston when institutional barriers against Jews essentially have disappeared. No longer do they need their own designated facilities, ranging from hospitals to country clubs. 

The uptick in antisemitism could be resulting from a confluence of factors.

Those include:

•  The divided politics of America
•  Social network's ability to build mass support for an ideology which then can be motivated to take action.
•  Copycatting. The attack on Pittsburgh Jews was fatal and high profile. So, why not go for even bigger kinds of hate-filled drama. Or, at least get in on the action in a more minor way. For instance, leave Nazi graffiti in the Jewish neighborhood.

With my heavy New York accent, Eastern European body type (my mother's maiden name was "Miksza"), and dark skin, I often have been taken for Jewish. Mostly folks were curious about my background.

But, in southwestern Arizona in 2014, the interest turned hostile. Call it antisemitism lite. Neighbors interrogated me about bizarre topics such as how my family reared me, why do I and all Jews work all the time, and since I was smart why wasn't I a medical doctor. Weary of the undertow of abuse, I left within 27 months. 

My experience only involved disrespect. 

That was then.

Currently, I wonder if there would be property damage and more.

Full Disclosure: Dark-skinned, I was bullied by the light-skilled Irish kids in the New York Metro area in the 1950s. As with my hair, aging has lightened my skin. 

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

Rajat Gupta's "Mind Without Fear" - So, If Telling His Story Had Been So Important, Why Didn't He Testify?

Like one-time on-air cable star Megyn Kelly, former head of McKinsey Rajat Gupta is attempting to accomplish a comeback. That's the game in America where success usually is fleeting. 

The difference between the two is this: Kelly fell from grace because she was a very bad fit in softball formats on network television. Gupta was convicted of insider trading, had spent about two years in prison, and his appeals had been denied. 

Kelly's comeback is going nicely, especially after scoring an interview with Amy Robach. 

In his homeland India, Gupta is back.

In America, he might have impeded comeback dynamics through his memoir "Mind Without Fear."

Published in late March of 2019, it does have a bit of thought leadership material. 

But essentially, it presents his side of the story about his conviction and his disappointment that institutions such as McKinsey shunned him. Regarding the latter, McKinsey purged his name from its alumni directory.

Gupta felt the need for this memoir because at his trial he states the judge and jury didn't get to hear his full story. He perceives that as very important. Those reading this book then might scratch their heads and say out loud: Then why didn't he testify?

Sure, his lawyers might have advised against that. After all, it's a risk. Or maybe they didn't. But come on, this is a guy used to power and asserting his authority. He could have demanded to be put on the stand.

In the court of public opinion, where Gupta is now filtering the legalities, the memoir might not be succeeding either. For a new memoir, authored by a brandname such as Gupta, the Amazon ranking is relatively low: 103,265.

Yes, the 30 readers who evaluated the book and posted reviews give it high marks and praise.

But, those of us in the book publishing/promotion loop know that well=connected players can turn to their networks and request positive reviews. In fact, most of us have been pulled into participating in that version of the favor bank. Also, the number of reviews is significantly less than those for Kelly's "Settle for More": 2071. (She published that before her career crash.)

The bottom line is the issue if putting this book out there was another instance of myopia by Gupta? 

Actually, the tone and rehash of the legalities businesspeople and lawyers followed closely years ago might call to mind King Lear on the heath. In that Shakespeare tragedy, the king whose major flaw is myopia still doesn't get it. He perceives himself as more sinned against than sinning.

As a communications strategist and ghostwriter, it's my responsibility to alert clients about the possible fallout from publishing a memoir such as this one. You bet, I would have recommended that Gupta wait several more years before telling his side of the story in memoir format. Let the wounds heal. Let his track record build up in America. Let others in the U.S. begin to forgive him.

Time can set in play miracles. Gupta should have put his trust in it. 

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

 

"A Million Little Things" - Katherine Begins Unleashing Her Inner Lawyer on the Happy-Clappy Group

Tonight's episode of "A Million Little Things" sets in play The Great Unraveling.

Katherine and Eddie are emotionally and spiritually back. But Katherine is unleashing her inner lawyer. She wants everyone in the loop, including D's children, to know that Eddie is Charlie's father. D refuses. So much for the supposedly unity of this group of friends.

The DNA test results come in. It turns out that PJ, whose mother is Barbara Morgan, is Jon's son. So, how will this information be absorbed? D's emotional plate is already overloaded. Meanwhile, D's daughter Sophie has a crush on PJ. 

Given all the pressure Katherine is putting on Eddie, his sobriety could be on the line. He celebrated 10 years off the booze. However, he confesses that he almost took a drink when Jon committed suicide. What saved him was that Theo had entered the room. The force field was reset.

Finally, the stylized positioning and packaging of friendship among Millennials has been derailed. This series could evolve into a significant drama.

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