CRISIS AND LITIGATION COMMUNICATIONS
Steady, Experienced Hands
In Moments of Peril
Behan Communications is the public relations crisis management and communications and litigation communications firm of choice for many major law firms representing clients in high-risk situations, including civil litigation, data breaches, criminal matters, government investigations, regulatory proceedings, organizational crisis and leadership transitions.
Our experienced crisis managers and former journalists provide confidential communications advice and strategy to clients’ legal teams, management and Boards of Directors as they strive to protect their reputation, brands and legal position.
- Investigations by U.S. Attorneys
- Investigations by state Attorneys General
- Environmental Protection Agency proceedings
- State Environmental Agency proceedings
- Equal Employment Opportunity Commission matters
- Contract negotiations and strikes
- National Labor Relations Board matters
- Internal and independent investigations
- Executive outplacement
- Ethics investigations
- Local District Attorneys and law enforcement agency investigations
- Toxic Tort litigation
- Complex civil litigation
- Pension fund litigation
Among the law firms that have engaged Behan Communications are:
Couch White; Covington and Burling; Debevoise & Plimpton; FitzGerald, Morris, Baker, Firth; Nixon Peabody; Ropes & Gray; Proskauer Rose; Sidley Austin; Tobin and Dempf; Williams and Connolly; Whiteman, Osterman & Hanna and Young Sommer.
CyberSecurity and privacy issues
A cybersecurity attack exposing the private personal information of your clients or customers is among the most serious threats to businesses – and one of the hardest to defend against.
The hours and days immediately after a data breach is discovered are critical. A company’s thoughtful, well-considered response can limit its legal and regulatory exposure and the adverse reputational impacts.
Behan Communications is experienced in working closely with clients in financial services, health care, higher eduction and other sectors to develop cyber security communications plans and to respond when they have experienced a breach. We customarily work as part of a team, including experienced outside counsel, internet security experts and others, to guide clients through the minefield of crisis management and helping them avoiding the common pitfalls that can make a bad situation worse.
We hope your firm is never the victim of a cybersecurity attack. If you are, we are ready to help. Read more.
Relevant experience
Community Evacuations
In the dark of night a rail car began leaking toxic anhydrous ammonia. On a summer's day, construction workers unearthed a large cache of buried dynamite on a project site. In both cases, police and fire officials scrambled to evacuate vulnerable communities. Behan worked hand-in-hand with its clients and emergency services and elected officials to coordinate communications with the news media, local governments, the community and affected residents.
Misconduct Allegations
When explosive misconduct allegations were leveled against the chief executive of a leading not-for-profit, Behan coordinated an immediate response, helped arrange for a high-profile independent investigation, and managed months of daily national and regional media coverage, culminating in the conclusion that the allegations were unfounded.
CEO Dismissals
When they decided abruptly to part ways with their high-profile chief executive officers, a college and a major non-profit each turned to Behan for help in managing the likely political, community and news media reaction. Behan worked with senior leaders of both institutions and the departing executives' representatives, successfully steering the institutions through the events.
Contamination Scare
A major storm unleashed flooding across a region, and questions were raised about whether pollutants in waterways could have been washed onshore and onto residential properties. Behan went to work immediately, reaching out to potentially affected property owners, offering environmental sampling and providing results, and communicating with the news media and local elected officials.
Shareholder Unrest
When dissident shareholders leveled allegations of impropriety against a senior company executive and his family, Behan helped the organization resolve the issues by arranging for an independent examination and recommendations for clarifying and improving internal policies.
Animal Rights Activism
When national animal rights activists set a goal of eliminating a popular animal attraction, Behan responded immediately to the growing media firestorm with the facts and commissioned independent experts in veterinary medicine to investigate the activists' claims, ultimately recognized as unfounded.
Investment Investigation
When a major investment firm was targeted by New York's Attorney General, its law firm turned to Behan for assistance in crafting a media and public strategy to complement the legal defense.
Workplace Fatalities
Even in the safest workplaces, despite stringent precautions and advanced training, tragic accidents occur. Behan is experienced in handling internal and external communications related to workplace accidents and fatalities, including employee and media communications immediately following the incident and during the subsequent investigation.
White Powder
When a small amount of mysterious white power was discovered on the counter of a bank branch not long after the national anthrax scare, the financial institution's management team turned to Behan to work with the state Health Department to ensure there was no danger to customers or employees so the bank could resume normal operations in a timely manner.