Time was, media skills were highly desirable assets that in-house counsel might or might not bring to the table. In some situations, companies determined, quite shrewdly, that their own inside legal team actually offered ideal spokespersons during crises and lawsuits.
When, for example, the Bhopal disaster occurred, Union Carbide chose Joseph Geoghan, its chief legal officer, as spokesperson. Geoghan provided the best of two worlds. On the one hand, as a lawyer, he could self-monitor his public statements for hidden minefields and potential liabilities. On the other hand, he was not just a legal ‘mouthpiece’, but a key member of corporate management.
