Judy Smith didn’t spend long in the law firm world before she stumbled into an alternative career that served as the inspiration for “Scandal,” the ABC drama about crisis management work in Washington, D.C.

Speaking as the keynote at Legalweek on Thursday, Smith—the founder and CEO of Smith & Co.—shared her entry story into the crisis management world and highlighted the importance of law firms developing these capabilities. She said law firms are increasingly recognizing the value of being able to guide clients on crisis management.