Reputation in Litigation

In today’s increasingly media-driven world, the landscape of litigation has expanded beyond the courtroom, with public perception playing a pivotal role in the outcomes and long-term consequences of legal disputes.

To explore how leading litigators are navigating this evolving dynamic, Infinite Global surveyed the most prominent practitioners in the field of litigation in the UK to understand their approach to Litigation PR—specifically, their understanding and use of media management strategies in legal proceedings.

The survey examined the challenges litigators face in balancing legal strategy with public perception, the key factors that influence their decision-making, and how often they seek specialist advice.

The findings offer insights into the current state of Litigation PR and highlight the growing recognition of its importance in safeguarding reputation, mitigating risks, and shaping the narrative in the court of public opinion.

Key findings include

• 72% of litigators say that media and public scrutiny of courtroom proceedings has increased
• 75% say that clients are concerned about reputational damage resulting from media reporting of a case
• 57% told us that concern about potential reputational damage has seen cases cease to be pursued altogether
• 34% observed that losing control of the narrative is the primary threat to a client’s reputation

“A number of fascinating trends have emerged – not least the value that clients increasingly place on their reputation during litigation and their desire to mitigate the PR damage that might result.

“Reputation has become a decisive factor. Litigators have a clear understanding of the need to balance legal objectives with public perception. Yet, despite concern regarding reputational risk and wide acknowledgement of rising media scrutiny during court proceedings, media expertise and relationships are not common. This can result in not just heightened risk, but also missed opportunities.

“However, instead of viewing PR as an obligation per court directives or open justice requests, there are a full range of tactics that can be employed to proactively shape the narrative, manage public perception and counteract misinformation.”

Ryan McSharry, Head of Crisis and Litigation (UK), Infinite Global

Download the Reputation in Litigation report