Crisis Leadership Team

In an instant, a crisis can hit your organization. What you do in the first 72 hours can make or break your situation.

No matter the cause, crises arise without warning, putting it all on the line – your reputation, valuation, or even your entire business. As a leader, you are faced with a series of decisions that could have profound impacts.

Getting ahead of the crisis is key. We can prepare you to lead your organization through adversity, rather than just react. We’ll work with you to develop a customized plan, assemble an experienced and agile team that you can access 24/7, 365 days a year anywhere in the world. We’ve helped countless clients through every crisis imaginable – from environmental disasters, data breaches, and #metoo issues, to transportation incidents, foodborne illnesses, and bribery and corruption scandals.

Already in crisis with no time to plan? No worries – we’ve got you covered. We’ve tread a well-worn path in protecting our clients’ interests, making for a simple, streamlined, and prioritized approach that provides you with the clarity and confidence you need to steer your business in the face of the unthinkable.

The Crisis Leadership Team comprises a dynamic and interconnected set of legal and strategic communications capabilities that we deploy quickly to address your particular situation and goals, in your specific industry and market. Our dedicated staff has put into place proven playbooks, infrastructure, and resources to streamline your response, and we offer innovative packages to expedite the intake and engagement aspects of lining up support.

Key contacts

Lillian S. Hardy

Partner

Lillian S. Hardy

Partner

Washington, D.C.

Peter S. Spivack

Partner

Peter S. Spivack

Partner

Washington, D.C.

Meet the Crisis Leadership Team team

Representative experience

Advising a security provider for U.S., Iraq, and Afghan embassies on receipt of a congressional subpoena in the midst of its merger discussions. Within a week, we prepared the CEO for testimony before Congress helping keep the company’s plans on track.

Advising and managing a major energy company through the congressional and administrative agency investigations following a major oil spill.

Advising one of Latin America's largest electric utilities when delisted from the New York Stock Exchange, conducting an internal investigation on the financial impact of alleged bribery and corruption, and getting the company’s stock relisted.

Advising a leading business information company on a bribery and data compliance whistleblower complaint in China. Our Shanghai lawyers began onsite investigations the next day, ultimately securing voluntary disclosure to the U.S. DoJ and SEC.

Assisting a health care company CEO through a series of congressional hearings and investigations following allegations of price discrepancies.

Assisting a publicly traded medical device company, following a raid by the FBI. Onsite within 24 hours, we prepared the company’s media strategy, assisted the company through the criminal investigation, and negotiated a civil only disposition.

Coordinating defense of a company in the shipping sector in an international cartel investigation involving the EU, United States, Japan, Canada, and other jurisdictions.

Defending a pharma company on a substantial U.S. federal criminal investigation in connection with the promotion, marketing, and sale of one of its drugs.

Helping a growing pharmaceutical company interpret the severity of stories and events shaping the perception of their brand, and designed appropriate responses.

Providing advice to a multinational automotive company about a multimillion-Euro supply chain dispute, following a component failure in almost 100,000 vehicles.

Providing crisis response, regulatory enforcement, and data governance advice arising from one of the largest and most high-profile data breaches in U.S. history, affecting more than 100 million consumers.

Representing a U.S. university in a public-facing crisis involving student protests, negative national press attention, and inquiries from Congress and the Department of Justice.

Representing a popular food franchiser and its CEO in a federal securities class action stemming from racially insensitive comments and a “toxic” work environment of harassment alleged against its founder and widely reported by national media.

Representing several auto manufacturers involved in the Takata airbag safety crisis, filing required reports, providing regulatory counsel, consulting with NHTSA officials, and negotiating recall parameters.

Serving as coordinating and regulatory counsel for a major consumer business responding to a breach affecting 53 million cards and 56 million email addresses.

Supporting a publicly traded telecoms manufacturer following a hotline report about commercial bribery at its Philippines subsidiary, with our Singapore lawyers flying in to Manila within 24 hours to conduct interviews and collect data.