I haven't been able to keep up with all of the aspects of the Scruggs implosion. That is why we have David Rossmiller. However, I went to the Scruggs Katrina Group Website and found this on the main page....
(my highlight).
Other than the withdrawal letter sent to clients, there is nothing on the website about anything going on with the Scruggs Katrina Group.
Most crisis managers might suggest that if you think one can weather a calamity one should be up front "disclosing the living daylights" about what is going on. Now, not everyone does this. Hence Exxon's continuing legal troubles twenty some odd years after the Exxon-Valdez ran into the state of Alaska and spilled its black gooey cargo over every seagull and fish in in Prince William Sound. However, a sign of a well managed firm is one that is on top of the situation. In fact, no member of the Scruggs firm appears to have signed the client letter announcing the withdrawal. There is a statement in the letter from the other partners in the Scruggs Katrina Group (a joint venture with other firms) that the Scruggs firm has assured them that the Scruggs firm engaged in no wrongdoing and that Scruggs will be cleared. This statement sounds exactly like all other indictees' statements and does not engender warm fuzzies about the eventual success of the Scruggs firm.
Perhaps the practice of law is different from the Exxon-Valdez and other corporate disaster situations as it really comes down to the reputation of the individual at the top of the company rather than crisis management. It just doesn't seem that there is much crisis management going on.
Recent Comments