According to data recently released by law firm marketing consultants Alyn-Weiss & Associates, the number of transactional, corporate, and defense law firms that employ Search Engine Optimization (SEO) to generate new business has nearly tripled over the last two years. For the better part of the last decade, the plaintiffs’ bar remained a full Internet generation ahead of the defense when it came to Web savvy. Now, it seems that the competition – at least ... Read More

In a high-anxiety environment – such as the one created by the current financial crisis – wild rumors all too often carry the weight of fact. When a company’s stakeholders hear troublesome news, they don’t have the luxury of waiting around for confirmation. They’ll opt for the knee-jerk reaction almost every time. Just ask Apple investors whose stock lost ten percent of its value in ten minutes after false reports that CEO Steve Jobs had ... Read More

The Chinese government’s decision to allow foreign news correspondents to interview anyone without prior permission is a major milestone for journalists around the world. But just as significant as the free press implications are the new challenges that this development creates for Chinese companies in crisis. Whether the issue has been melamine in baby formula and pet food or lead paint in toys, Chinese companies used to be able to shade themselves from the spotlight under ... Read More

As more companies and brands fall prey to critical – and in many cases false or misleading – reporting in the blogosphere, understanding the new rules of engagement that govern interaction in the digital space has become increasingly important. Often remembered more for their blogging missteps than their successes in recent years, businesses around the world are just now beginning to comprehend how completely the dynamic has shifted away from the traditional media rules of ... Read More

With Melamine – the toxin at the root of last year’s pet food adulteration – back in the news, the retailers and manufacturers that will be forced to deal with just the latest China-related product safety scare should take a page from a crisis playbook classic. This week marks the 26th anniversary of the Tylenol tampering crisis. To this day, the famous 1982 incident is presented as the successful case study in how corporations should handle ... Read More

While John McCain may think that Andrew Cuomo would be a fine choice for the next SEC Chairman, the fiery and politically-astute Democratic Attorney General of New York State has no intention of waiting on election returns to get involved in one of the most significant financial crises of our lifetime. Last week, the Wall Street Journal reported that Mr. Cuomo has begun a “wide ranging investigation into short selling in the financial market.” In the ... Read More