Elevating Reputation and Risk Readiness with a Scalable Crisis Preparedness Plan

Facing growing visibility and reputational risk, Very Law built its first formal crisis preparedness plan—equipping the team to handle client issues, online threats, and safety concerns with confidence. The firm strengthened its public profile, earned industry recognition, and gained a toolkit for managing high-stakes communications more effectively.

 

Customer Situation

Very Law is a fast-growing regional law firm headquartered in Pittsburgh. Known for its entrepreneurial energy and client-first approach, the firm serves a diverse base of individuals and businesses across civil litigation, defamation, and employment law.

As a referral-driven business operating in a highly visible and competitive field, the firm needed a clear, scalable approach to navigating reputational risks, client issues, and safety-related emergencies—without burdening its lean internal team. 

Challenges

As the firm expanded, leadership recognized that success brought new risks—particularly around brand reputation, internal preparedness, and client-facing communication during high-stakes matters.  

Gaps in resilience and preparedness created ongoing risk: 

• Inconsistent online reviews impacting prospective client trust and peer visibility. 

• Lacking formal crisis response protocols or escalation decision-making tools. 

• Physical safety concerns following relocation to a new office building with limited access controls. 

• Limited internal resources to proactively manage complex or sensitive client situations. 

While leadership was motivated to address these gaps, the firm had no prior templates, policies, or structured guidance to build from—and needed a partner to help design a system from scratch. 

Our Solution

Seiso led the development of a scalable, scenario-based crisis management framework tailored to the firm’s operations, risk profile, and team structure. This engagement included four key phases: 

Phase 1: Discovery & Prioritization 

• Conducted a custom risk assessment and developed a likelihood–impact heat map 

• Facilitated working sessions to identify top risks across legal, reputational, employee-related, and operational domains 

Phase 2: Crisis Response Framework 

• Designed a strategic preparedness plan, including a decision tree and incident classification pyramid 

• Established response protocols for routine issues, emergencies, and full-scale crises 

• Clarified roles and escalation steps for leadership and staff 

Phase 3: Safety & Facilities Planning 

• Developed an employee safety plan incorporating DHS and industry best practices 

• Aligned office procedures with building protocols for visitor access, emergency actions, and physical threat response 

• Included training materials for scenarios ranging from unruly clients to active threats 

Phase 4: Reputation & Brand Safeguards 

• Created communications templates and media holding statements for crisis response 

• Developed a tracking and nomination process for 14 peer-reviewed legal awards and directories 

• Provided guidance for responding to negative online reviews and improving public reputation 

Seiso brought together elements of crisis management, communications, and safety planning under a unified, easy-to-follow framework—eliminating guesswork and reducing response time in high-stress moments. 

Results

• Very Law emerged from this engagement with a transformed approach to reputation, communication, and case strategy. While the formal crisis plan provided a critical foundation, the broader impact touched nearly every area of the business. 

With Seiso’s support, the firm translated its legal expertise into a stronger public presence, a more resilient brand, and a more strategic approach to client service. 

Key results included: 

• Significant increase in brand awareness across legal, academic, and client communities. 

• Improved reputational standing, leading to client referrals and growth. 

• Awarded “Lawyer on the Fast Track” by The Legal Intelligencer and received a firmwide ranking from Pittsburgh Business Times.

• Established a specialty in defamation law, securing a growing number of cases in this area, driven in part by Seiso’s PR-informed strategy.

• Strategic communications approach applied to legal casework, helping the firm deliver more thoughtful, high-touch client experiences.

• Adopted a PR mindset in its legal services, using Seiso’s narrative tools to manage both legal arguments and public perception.

Ready to Build Resilience?

Schedule a free consultation with our strategic preparedness team to see how Seiso can help you simplify crisis preparedness, safeguard your reputation, and keep your business running—no matter what comes your way.