Bruce Sewell, Apple's Former General Counsel

TL;DR

Patience and preparation are key when dealing with government investigations; coordination between the legal department, CEO, and PR team is crucial.

Transcript

what are some of the most important things that you learned through going through several of these large government investigations that you wish you would have known at the beginning it's a great question and I should say these were expensive we talked about expensive both in terms of the amount of money spent defending the cases but also in a coup... Read More

Key Insights

• 🤝 Patience and preparation are essential when dealing with government investigations to develop strong defenses.
• 😊 Coordination between the legal department, CEO, and PR team is crucial for effective communication and defense strategy.
• 🙃 Transparency, sincerity, and overcompensation can help de-escalate public concerns during investigations.
• 😊 Asserting privilege over internal PR conversations can protect sensitive communications and strategy development.

Questions & Answers

Q: How important is patience when dealing with government investigations?

Patience is crucial as it allows time to develop defenses, gather evidence, and create a watertight narrative to present to investigators.

Q: What stakeholders are critical in the process of preparing a company for a government investigation?

The legal department, CEO, and PR team are equally important stakeholders who need to work together and be in sync during the investigation process.

Q: How does the personality of the CEO impact the company's response to investigations?

The CEO's personality plays a significant role as they are the best spokesperson, provide access to high-level decision-makers, and set the cultural tone at the top of the company.

Q: How do you choose the language and tone of statements during investigations?

The language and tone of statements should strike a balance between clarity, passion, and restraint. Timely responses and avoiding mischaracterizations are key.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Patience is important when developing defenses and ensuring all evidence is gathered before disclosing them to investigators.

• Being prepared and understanding the investigators' goals helps to shape the narrative and advocate in the company's favor.

• Coordination between the legal department, CEO, and PR team is crucial to effectively manage communications and develop a strong defense strategy.