Earning the Call: How Attorneys Can Cultivate Trusted Relationships with Journalists

This session explores the different types of journalists attorneys may encounter and what makes stories compelling to media professionals. Participants will learn how journalists find and vet legal sources, understand deadline pressures, and discover the key qualities that build lasting trust with reporters.

Attorneys will master Simple Storytelling Skills including the headline-first approach, rule of three, and creating comparative analogies that translate complex legal concepts. This session covers proactive outreach strategies and clarifies critical distinctions between on-the-record, off-the-record, and background communications.

A brief intermission allowing participants to refresh and prepare for the remaining sessions. Use this time to reflect on key takeaways from the first half of the program.

Real-world examples illustrate effective attorney-journalist collaboration, including medical malpractice cases, civil rights investigations, and expert legal commentary. Participants will analyze what made these media engagements successful and learn about potential risks such as documentary footage being used in future proceedings.

This session addresses critical ethical considerations including Model Rules 1.6, 3.6, and 5.3, and the distinctions between attorney-client privilege and client confidentiality. Attorneys will learn best practices for obtaining client consent, establishing firm media policies, and providing value to journalists while maintaining professional responsibility.