Public, press, and pressure: Managing high-profile disputes
Speakers
- Dominic Hennessy (Head of Governance & Legal, London Metal Exchange)
- Gemma Foale Robinson (Associate General Counsel Global Litigation, Unilever)
The top three questions explored in this session were…
- How do in-house legal teams stay effective under the intense pressure of high-profile disputes?
- How can legal build trust-based, functional partnerships across PR, IR, and law firms?
- How can legal teams become more predictive, prepared, and proactive during disputes?
These are the top three things that attendees should take away from the session:
- Your external counsel is like a core team member - don’t just share the legal facts, share the context too. External counsel need to understand internal politics, personalities, and pressures to give advice that works in the real world. Give them access, build trust, and set expectations around the format and tone of what you need - not just long memos, but executive-ready summaries.
2. Disputes are rarely linear - stay two steps ahead and use your influence to shape outcomes. Being successful means knowing when key moments are coming, like audits, board reviews, or public statements, and prepping the right narrative in advance. Use your unique position to coordinate across teams and drive alignment before things escalate.
3. Don’t be afraid to challenge internally or externally - you’re not just a conduit for legal advice. Own your seat at the table. If a strategy doesn’t feel right, pause it and ask questions. Push back when needed and advocate for what will work best in your business. Confidence and candour are your superpowers under pressure.