Jennifer Connelly Advises the Legal Community on Crisis Preparedness

NEW YORK – May 4, 2016 – Jennifer Connelly, founder and CEO of JConnelly, a leading communications and marketing firm, headlined a crisis preparedness discussion at the 7th annual Law Firm Marketing & Business Development Leadership Forum presented by The American Lawyer.

During the 45-minute fireside chat—billed The Future of Crisis Preparedness: Are You Protected?— event co-chair Despina Kartson, Global Director of Business Development & Communications at Jones Day, spoke with Ms. Connelly about how to get in front of a story and what steps law firms and their clients can take to prepare before a crisis hits.

“We see time and time again that firms don’t think about what could go wrong until it happens,” Ms. Connelly said. “They end up having to play defense when a crisis occurs because they are chasing—rather than controlling—the story.”

Ms. Connelly advised law firms to consider engaging with an external PR firm before a crisis occurs. That gives communications professionals time to understand the business and its positioning, think through potential threats, and enact critical processes and protocols to mitigate potential damage.

“Social media has really changed the equation,” Ms. Connelly said. “What might have been considered a small blip 10 years ago has to be treated more urgently given the power of the citizen journalist. I’m always identifying potential threats within the context of a client’s brand but the reality is that a single tweet, comment or article can set off a firestorm.”

The forum attracted more than 130 attendees, including marketing and communications professionals from top law firms. In addition to the chat on crisis preparedness, other panels included proactive communication, the importance of content marketing and network development and activation for legal
professionals.

For more information about future ALM events, please visit alm.com/events .

About JConnelly
JConnelly—formerly JCPR—is a communications and marketing agency working with brands to help them expand awareness, connect and engage with clients and stakeholders, influence change, amplify online presence, and build community. JConnelly navigates the complex world of communications to effectively design and execute campaigns that are mission driven and deliver business-critical results. For more information, visit www.jconnelly.com.