Your reputation is your most valuable asset

"No comment"

During the "Dealing With The Media For Lawyers" seminars we conduct and in other circumstance I have had lawyers tell me, "I never call reporters back." Others will brag, "I just tell all reporters, 'no comment.'"

That stance reflects not only a missed opportunity, but a serious mistake.

Not calling someone back --anyone-- is rude. Being rude to a journalist is especially stupid. Journalists are the gatekeepers of public information and it is foolish in the extreme to anger someone with open access to the media.

Why avoid journalists? Don't fool yourself into thinking if you hide from them the story won't run. As I used to tell hesitant interviewees when I was a reporter, "I'm going to run this story with you or without you. This is your chance to tell your side."

Sometimes I'd leave that message on their voice mail.

This was not a threat. My stories would run. I'd include the other side's comments and the tag: "the attorney for the plaintiff [or defendant, or accused] was contacted but did not respond by deadline."

Establishing a good, long-term relationship with journalists that cover legal stories is a critical part of your overall public relations plan. Why miss the opportunity to create such a relationship? Why anger someone you should be making friends with?

As for the phrase "no comment" --forget it. That is TV and movie fiction nonsense. On par with calling the local paper and yelling, "Stop the presses!" into the phone. If you say "no comment" to a reporter you are not only being rude, you sound like a fool.

What should you do? Get prepared as you would for any other business call. Call the journalist back. Make a contact. Be professional. If being a part of the story is not in your best interest, then politely get off the phone with the promise that you will do all you can to help the journalist next time. Begin a relationship.

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