Courting attention: Top tips for handling the media

Far from an avuncular reminder to return the calls of our roving reporters, we asked Linda Julian, managing partner of Julian Midwinter & Associates, for some useful tips for law firms wanting to establish a media presence.

• Be prepared for positive attention from the media
• Establish, in advance, which lawyers in the firm are authorised to speak to journalists
• Respect the journalist's deadline
• Always ring journalists back promptly - even if you have no comment
• If you have bad news, deal with it quickly and clearly and don't try to cover it up. Help journalists write an accurate story by talking to them
• Don't ask to see the article before it is published. You cannot control how the article is written - only that you are quoted correctly
• If you receive an interview request, always get back to the journalist as soon as possible, even if you're unable to participate
• If you don't wish to be quoted on a particular issue, clearly indicate to the journalist that you are speaking "off the record". Unless you specify that it is off the record, you will be quoted
• Be aware of what you say on social networking sites such as Twitter or Facebook

Source: Linda Julian, Julian Midwinter & Associates

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