By Levick Strategic Communications

The satire is certainly directed at the bemused lady consulting with her attorney, but her apparent demand for emotional connection should remind both lawyers and communications professionals that “innermost feelings” are precisely what key audiences care about when cases go public.

In courts of law, jurors often ask themselves, “Do I like the defendant?” When the Court of Public Opinion passes judgment, it almost always does so on the basis of emotion, not fact. Is the plaintiff sympathetic? Does the defendant look like Enron or a corporate good citizen eager to address problems and redress grievances?

Corporate clients, with immense dollar amounts at risk in the marketplace, expect attorneys to understand the longer-term goals that may take precedence over shorter-term litigation or transactional outcomes. When those goals hinge around corporate reputations, or durable brands, or investor perceptions, or keeping directors and officers out of jail, the lawyer-client relationship can and should involve a critical emotional component.

“Innermost feelings” are the heart and soul of communications. Legal and communications advisors need to plumb those depths if they are to present a winning case, certainly in the court of public opinion.

view Levick's take on previous cartoons