386. What Every Firm Needs Before Their Reputation is at Stake with Judy Smith [Encore Edition]

The Game Changing Attorney Podcast with Michael Mogill

Bad news travels fast, and if you are not prepared, it can ruin your reputation before you have a chance to respond.

In this encore episode of The Game Changing Attorney Podcast, Michael Mogill sits down with crisis management expert and real-life inspiration for Scandal’s Olivia Pope, Judy Smith. With a career that has taken her from the White House to high-profile crises involving celebrities, CEOs, and global brands, Judy shares how law firm owners can protect their reputation, lead with clarity, and respond strategically when the pressure is on.

Here’s what you’ll learn:

• Why managing your reputation today takes speed, strategy, and the right message, not just a legal defense

• How to create a crisis playbook so you are ready long before problems arise

• What law firm leaders need to know about social issues, cancel culture, and public perception

You do not get to choose when a crisis shows up, but you can choose whether or not you are prepared for it.

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Show Notes:

00:00 — Intro & Why old PR tactics no longer work in a world of instant communication

03:34 — The new expectation: Clients want law firms to solve the whole problem

09:10 — How social media transformed crisis response and why speed matters

14:07 — Why every law firm needs a crisis playbook before trouble starts

16:30 — A cautionary tale about failing to plan for preventable risks

18:00 — How to lead with clarity on social issues without defaulting to a Band-Aid response

22:02 — The biggest PR mistake leaders make when under pressure

28:20 — Not everything is fixable: Why some reputations never recover

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Links & Resources:

Judy Smith’s Crisis Management FirmScandal (TV Series)Casey Anthony Trial

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Past guests on The Game Changing Attorney Podcast include David Goggins, John Morgan, Alex Hormozi, Randi McGinn, Kim Scott, Chris Voss, Kevin O’Leary, Laura Wasser, John Maxwell, Mark Lanier, Robert Greene, and many more.

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