Law And More

Legal Marketers - Tell How Your Law Firm Is Pivoting

The term "pivot" will peak.

And then another word will replace it.

Those still putting out there "pivots" will sound like yesterday.

But, currently, everything, such as careers, must be positioned and packaged as "pivots." Not doing so dooms the speaker, texter, emailer, journalist, thought leader or politico as out of the loop. That also applies to those playing in that very special sandbox: legal marketing. 

As legal marketers and the lawyers they promote know: We are our language.

It had been Donald Trump's use of workingman's language that catapulted him onto the global radar. Immediately he differentiated himself from the typical potential presidential candidate. And the media, which served him so well back then, moved in to take a closer look. 

 Next week I'll be pivoting to the next in my communications career. That's because this week I had two articles published, for my own byline, in third-party media. This is the one on how COVID-19 is reshaping marketing. 

Takeaway for legal marketers: Boost attention. Tell the world about your law firm's pivot. It doesn't have to be major. Just some new wrinkle on WFH. 

The Message Glut. You need bold strategy/ghostwriting. Let’s talk about what will work. Please contact janegenova374@gmail.com.

Legal Marketers & The Message Glut: Learning from Boston University Student-Run AdLab/PRLab

Legal marketers are working 12 to 14 hours a day.

After all, the partners can't go out there and wine and dine prospects or rent a booth at a beauty show.

So, the law firm is depending on you. And because they are, you have more status. 

But what kinds of results are you getting amid The Message Glut? 

In Odwyerpr.com today, I tell how the brass at Boston University realized that the only way to send a marketing message was boldly. Otherwise, well, don't bother sending it. 

Those powers that be allowed the student-run AdLab and PRLab to launch the @fckitwontcutit (F*ckitwontcutit) campaign.

See, the stakes are high. Those returning to campus had to have the Ah-Ha Moment that COVID-19 is real and not just for old people. Otherwise they could die. And take lots of members of Gen Z, along with professors and administrators, with them. 

Well, you legal types will want to at least know this: Boston University trademarked @fckitwontcutit. Yes, the administration knows that there is value (bigtime) in innovation.

And messaging at Boston University will never be the same. History might chronicle this campaign as the Communications Boston Tea Party.

The Message Glut. You need bold strategy/ghostwriting. Let’s talk about what will work. Please contact janegenova374@gmail.com.

NBC "Dateline" Documentary Featuring Lawyer Norm Pattis Nominated for Emmy Award

The disappearance of Connecticut Gold Coast wife, mother and writer Jennifer Dulos transfixed the world.

It had all the usual suspects in news grabbers: wealth, pedigree, beauty, divorce, a custody battle, a suicide and even a celebrity lawyer.

Jennifer was never found. The divorced husband, Fotis Dulos, was arrested and later committed suicide. Had Dominick Dunne still been alive he would have done a series on it for Vanity Fair. 

Instead, NBC's iconic "Dateline" parachuted in with an analysis of that piece of CT legal history. Of course, major questions still hover. Therefore, the "Dateline" documentary likely will be followed by othere deconstructions over the next centuries.

But that particular "Dateline" documentary - well, the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences has nominated for the 41st Annual News & Documentary Emmy Awards. Here are the details.

When NBC received the good news of the nominations it notified that celebrity lawyer who had been in the loop - Norm Pattis. Since he had been the criminal defense attorney for Fotis, Pattis had been prominently featured in the documentary.

As is usual with Pattis' approach to how he represents his clients, the defense was no ordinary one.

In fact, Pattis proposed conducting a trial post the suicide to have Fotis acquitted and his name cleared for his family. In addition, in the days Fotis remained alive after the attempt, Pattis was on the scene, ministering to his needs.

Pattis' role in the documentary confirms that in the current era of fascination with legalities, the lawyer often becomes the story. That can overshadow the alleged crime, the defendant and the supposed victim.

No fools, those in the soup have it in their self-interest to hire a celebrity lawyer to represent them. That practically guarantees having their contentions covered in great detail and on a sustained basis in the court of public opinion. 

Pattis has extended his thought leadership beyond legal issues and causes.

For example, LinkedIn Updates has become one of his platforms for political and cultural analysis. His provocative observations have attracted a steady following. Their interest is so fierce that they will argue among themselves in the comment section of LinkedIn.

Frequently Pattis is on talk shows. His supporters are pushing him to get his own talk show and start podcasting. 

So, who does the judging for the Emmy Awards? The process consists of a review by a pool of 875 peer professionals. They are from the niches of television and streaming/digital in the News & Documentary Industry.

The actual Emmy Awards for documentaries will be presented on Tuesday, September 22nd, at 8 P.M. EDT. That will be streamed, including on mobile. 

Place your paid sponsored content on this blog. Here are 6 tips for search engine optimization (SEO) in 2020. Contact janegenova374@gmail.com.

McDonald's & The Amazing Mr. Easterbrook - Lawsuit Introduces New Era in Managing Corporate Crisis

Brit Steve Easterbrook was perceived as a corporate magician. After a long career at global McDonald's he was catapulted up to the role of chief executive officer. That was to get the fast food empire out from being stuck in lackluster performance.

Along the way the new usual happened: Easterbrook became romantically involved with an employee. It was consensual. Later, reports The New York Times, the number was calculated to three more. Such conduct violated McDonald's policies on relationships among employees. And that was that.

It's the current drill to fire those, especially high profile executives, who break the rules on sexual behavior, forced or welcomed by the both internal parties.

Usually that is done. The bad publicity endures through a few news cycles. The organization introduces a comprehensive code of behavior. And that's that. There is the crisis of disclosure, then the organization moves on. Frequently there is gush coverage about what it learned from the ordeal.

McDonald's is veering from that standard MO.

The New York Times explains how the corporation has filed a lawsuit in Delaware state court, months after the November 2019 termination. It is accusing Easterbrook of lying, tampering with evidence and fraud. It is seeking a clawback of the $40 million severance package, as well as the stock grant allegedly provided for one of his internal romantic partners. 

So, it is re-opening the past to present scrutiny - and, you bet, a whole bunch of media attention.

This had been triggered by an anonymous employee whistleblower. The sharing of data occurred after the firing. What had been disclosed included the allegation about numerous relationships and the transmission of nude photos among which had been those of an employee. Regarding the latter, the corporation hadn't reviewed Easterbrook's digital communications.

In terms of corporate values, McDonald's will likely be saluted for its willingness to impact negatively its own self-interest to make wrongs known and punished.

Crisis management experts have case studies to create.  McDonald's is BigBrand. So those kinds of deconstructions can bring professional fame and influence.

Meanwhile, the legal world, especially employment-law attorneys, will follow the lawsuit closely.

Bottom line: Will this deter executive sexual misconduct? Probably not. Power can and does trigger delusional mindsets. Those with it might assume they can get away with anything. 

Place your paid sponsored content on this blog. Here are 6 tips for search engine optimization (SEO) in 2020. Contact janegenova374@gmail.com.

 

The Anthony Levandowski Sideshow in "Waymo v. Uber" - Pile Up of Ironies

During the sentencing of former Silicon Valley engineer Anthony Levandowski, U.S. District Judge William Alsup praised his brilliance, reports Bloomberg Law. Echoes of the Ted Bundy sentencing.

That high intelligence, as with serial killer Bundy, had been misdirected. Levandowski had pilfered trade secrets from Google's Waymo and brought them along to his next employer Uber. But his plea had been to one count of downloading confidential files from Google. The criminal case was "U.S.A. v. Levandowski."

And, that was the tragedy of this expert on driverless cars, whom Google had paid a $120 million bonus, who wound up with a sentence of 18 months (delayed until after the pandemic is over). In addition he has to pay a $95 fine and restitution of $758,499.22 to Waymo. The prosecution wanted 27 months. It sought to leverage the sentence as a warning to other engineers thinking about stealing trade secrets to not try it. 

Actually, though, this gigantic fall from grace was a sideshow for the main drama of "Waymo v. Uber," which was settled during trial.

Allegedly, Uber used the data Levandowski secretly transported from Waymo. Fortune pointed out the civil lawsuit was a symbol of the fierce war for talent in tech. In that particular situation it was to get an edge in the emerging autonomous niche, projected to be a $7 trillion industry.

Like most legal spectaculars, this one is filled with irony.

For one, the guy is bankrupt. 

For another the driverless car sector has stalled, documents a study by Deloitte. Waymo has only one paid project in the works. That's in Phoenix, Arizona. And Uber's unit has yet to schedule a date for the commercial launch of its autonomouse vehicle. Meanwhile, what is taking off are other forms of alternatives to the car. They range from traditional bicycles (try to find one to buy) to electric scooters. 

Yet another is the value system in tech. Levandowski launched entrepreneurial company Pronto. It creates safety systems for trucks without relying on Waymo lidar technology. If that venture generates high market value, then Levandowski can enjoy a roaring comeback. The sins of the past will be in the past. Although the Puritans nurtured their unique form of capitalism when they came to America, the rigid morality of that system is not part of the Silicon Valley ethos. 

Place your paid sponsored content on this blog. Here are 6 tips for search engine optimization (SEO) in 2020. Contact janegenova374@gmail.com.

 

MA U.S. Senate Race - Beyond that Bright Sunny Day in Dallas

John F. Kennedy who?

From the unlikely win of a young Catholic man as U.S. President to the current U.S. Senate race in Massachusetts, the Kennedy family has dominated American politics.

The members of that clan have had a good run. The issue is: Is it the end of the line?

Very young Joe Kennedy III has taken on aging incumbent Ed Markey.

Boston Magazine, of course, has been closely following the race. In the latest coverage there is a calculation of power and influence in the endorsements. Right now, Markey is piling up the big guns such as Elizabeth Warren and Woke leader AOC. Also, the digitals in Markey's campaign were able to shut down Kennedy's broadway-style virtual fundraiser. 

On the other hand, Kennedy is a bit ahead in the polls.

Both are doing well in fundraising.

The primary is September 1st. 

Meanwhile, a sign of changing times, so many of us (even Ok, Boomers) are tired of the meme of that bright sunny day in Dallas ... And, conspiracy mongers have moved on from who killed Kennedy to who did in Jeffrey Epstein. 

In marketing timing is everything. Complimentary consultation on your marketing communications in COVID-19 time. janegenova374@gmail.com.

 

Lawyers Who Had Been English Majors Will Recall "King Lear" - #Nobodylikesme

At one time it was okay for a student planning to apply to law school to major in English.

That was then.

But many of those former English majors are now partners. They will recall that a meme of William Shakespeare's tragic drama "King Lear" is self pity. Amid the suffering he brought on himself, the king cries out that he is more sinned against than sinning.

That mindset seems to be that of U.S. president Donald Trump.

He laments #Nobody Likes Me.

The context does not seem to an invitation for people to submit feedback. Like, the embedded content isn't a question: Why don't people like me?

Instead it reaches out for reinforcement of the speaker's perception of himself as, well, a wonderful man of the people.

Takeaway: A liberal arts education continues to have value.

In marketing timing is everything. Complimentary consultation on your marketing communications in COVID-19 time. janegenova374@gmail.com.

 

Wachtell, Lipton Represents Rodriguez/Lopez in Fight to Own Mets

Wachtell, Lipton previously had represented hedge fund player Steve Cohen in his attempt to own the Mets sports team. That possible deal fell through. It was assumed that Cohen lost interest in that.

Not so. He's at it again.

But this time Watchell Lipton no longer is in his legal corner. Currently the law firm represents the investors with celebrities Alex Rodriguez and Jennifer Lopez as the front lines, reports Bloomberg Law. Right now, Cohen is searching for new representation. 

There's a media benefit for the Mets to have Rodriguez and Lopez as a symbol for its business. 

Coaching, lecturing, and writing/ghostwriting thought leadership content on human resources and careers.  

For individual coaching – sliding scale fees. Complimentary initial consultation. The special area of expertise is the displaced over-50 professional. Please contact Jane Genova janegenova374@gmail.com.

New Lawyers - Your Performance Will Probably Be Lousy, Don't Cringe Years Later (but meanwhile you'll probably be let go)

The start (of anything) usually involves lousy performance.

Yet, American-style capitalism creates the ethos of shame for those whose beginnings were predictably lousy.

Break out of that looping, recommends marketing/sales communications expert Jim Edwards. In his best-seller "Copywriting Secrets" he admits how "bad" his copy had been when he settled into that niche after bouncing around after his formal education. 

According to Edwards, bad is the platform for developing expertise which does generate results and builds great personal branding.  That is, if the player dissects that performance as well as what the competition is doing doing.

Bad could be a necessary step into genius. His initial bad management triggered Steve Jobs' later ability to save Apple and have it positioned and packaged as the go-to for digital technology. Incidentally, Jobs never seemed to be consumed with any regrets about past performance. 

Attend trials in which inexperienced lawyers are representing clients. Even non-lawyers  -educated by "Court TV" and the old-line "Law and Order" -roll their eyes.

But return in a few years and those same lawyers not only have gotten up to speed on sophisticated skills. They have presence. 

Essentially, the game is about: Professionals have to start somewhere. 

Unfortunately, amid the harshness of capitalism and the up or out system of most law firms a bad start could end not with the bang of congratulations: Look at how much you have improved. Instead it usually winds up as a whimper of extreme self-doubt by those ousted. In my coaching we walk through that corridor of shame. 

Instead, along the way newbies can bypass shame. They adopt the joyful mindset: Wow, I learned so much. And careers are about continual learning. 

Reflection: Elite institutions, whether it be a New York City law firm or a university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, are unforgiving. 

Place your paid sponsored content on this blog. Here are 6 tips for search engine optimization (SEO) in 2020. Contact janegenova374@gmail.com.

Replay of Profumo 1963 Scandal? - Judge Making Public Documents in Virginia Giuffre Defamation Case in a Week

Call it the Ghost of Jeffrey Epstein Past.

Judge Loretta Preska in Manhattan will make public in a week about 80 documents related to the Virginia Giuffre defamation case against Ghislaine Maxwell. The litigation was settled confidentially but the documents have looped back in.There is probably panic in high places. That case is separate from the current criminal one against Maxwell, which will go to trial next year.

As Daily Mail reports, the documents include:

Logs from Epstein's jets. Who was on at the same time as who else was on? How often were they on? 

A 2016 deposition.

Police report from Palm Beach, Florida.

Conversation between Epstein and Maxwell in 2015.

Allegations made in court papers.

And much more.

The material runs hundreds of pages.

As a result of the unsealing, will institutions and individual careers collapse, as had in the Profumo scandal in England in 1963?

That involved sex (Christine Keeler), a Russian spy, and, yes, a secretary of state for war.

By the time it had run its course, the Conservative Government had toppled.

Careers such as that of John Profumo, the secretary of state for war, ended.

And there was even a suicide.

The fallout from the Ghost of Epstein contained in the documents to be released could trigger the same kind of unraveling. Meanwhile, for the media, the documents could be continually revisited - that is, the gift that keeps giving.

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