Masterclass in Ethics and legal issues in PR #255014

Upon successful completion of this masterclass, participants will be able to:

• Analyze complex PR scenarios through multiple ethical frameworks (deontological, utilitarian, virtue-based) to guide decision-making.

• Identify and mitigate legal risks across the entire PR function, including defamation, privacy, intellectual property, and regulatory compliance.

• Develop and implement comprehensive organizational policies for ethical social media use, influencer partnerships, and disclosure.

• Navigate the attorney-client relationship and manage the tension between legal counsel’s risk aversion and PR’s imperative for transparency.

• Lead crisis communication efforts that are both ethically sound and legally defensible.

• Design and champion a culture of ethical practice within their organization or agency.

This advanced masterclass is designed for experienced professionals who set strategy and hold leadership responsibilities:

• Chief Communications Officers (CCOs) and VPs of Communications

• Senior PR Directors and Heads of Public Affairs

• Agency Partners and Senior Account Directors

• Corporate Communications Executives

• Legal Counsel specializing in media, marketing, or intellectual property law

• Senior Marketing Leaders with PR oversight

• Government Public Information Officers (PIOs)

• Pre-assessment
• Live group instruction
• Use of real-world examples, case studies and exercises
• Interactive participation and discussion
• Power point presentation, LCD and flip chart
• Group activities and tests
• Each participant receives a binder containing a copy of the presentation
• slides and handouts
• Post-assessment

Day 1: The Ethical Foundation: Frameworks for Modern PR

• Morning Session: Beyond the Code of Ethics

  • Deep Dive into Ethical Philosophies: Deontology, Consequentialism, and Virtue Ethics. How to apply them to PR dilemmas.

  • The PRSA Code of Ethics: A critical analysis of its strengths and limitations in the digital age.

  • Case Study: Dissect a historic PR scandal (e.g., a pharmaceutical case) using different ethical frameworks.

• Afternoon Session: The PR Professional as the Ethical Conscience

  • Managing Up and Across: How to counsel senior executives on ethical issues.

  • Building a Business Case for Ethics: Connecting ethical practice to reputation capital and long-term value.

  • Workshop: Role-play counseling a CEO who wants to pursue an ethically questionable strategy.

Day 2: The Legal Minefield: Core Concepts for Communicators

• Morning Session: Defamation and Reputation Management

  • Libel vs. Slander: Understanding the elements of a claim (publication, identification, falsity, fault, harm).

  • Defenses: Truth, privilege, and opinion. The line between aggressive PR and defamation.

  • The Dangers of “Astroturfing” and Fake Reviews.

• Afternoon Session: Intellectual Property in PR

  • Copyright Law: Fair use of images, music, and text in campaigns. Understanding licenses.

  • Trademark Law: Proper use of brand names, logos, and hashtags. Avoiding genericide and infringement.

  • Practical Exercise: Audit a portfolio of PR assets (a press kit, social content) for potential IP violations.

Day 3: Digital Disclosure, Transparency, and Regulation

• Morning Session: The Rules of Engagement: FTC and Beyond

  • FTC Endorsement Guidelines Deep Dive: #ad, #sponsored, and the requirement for “clear and conspicuous” disclosure.

  • Global Regulations: Navigating GDPR, CCPA, and other privacy laws in PR campaigns (e.g., data collection for media lists).

  • Case Study: Analyze FTC enforcement actions against brands and influencers.

• Afternoon Session: Transparency and Truth

  • The Ethical Management of Data and Privacy.

  • Native Advertising and Sponsored Content: Best practices for labeling and transparency.

  • Simulation: Manage the fallout from a poorly disclosed influencer campaign that has attracted regulatory attention.

Day 4: High-Stakes Scenarios: Crisis, Litigation, and Internal Affairs

• Morning Session: Crisis Communication in a Legal Context

  • The Legal Hold: Preserving evidence when litigation is foreseeable.

  • Balancing Transparency with Liability: What to say (and not say) during an active lawsuit or regulatory investigation.

  • Working in Tandem with Legal Counsel: A collaborative model.

• Afternoon Session: Internal Ethics and Whistleblowing

  • Creating and Enforcing Internal Social Media and Ethics Policies.

  • The PR Professional’s Role in Internal Investigations and Whistleblower Scenarios.

  • Workshop: Develop a protocol for handling an internal crisis with significant legal and ethical dimensions (e.g., executive misconduct).

Day 5: Integration, Governance, and Capstone

• Morning Session: Building an Ethical Infrastructure

  • Implementing Effective Training and Governance Programs for your team and organization.
    *- Auditing and Managing Risk in Agency-Client Relationships.

  • Developing a Personal Ethical Leadership Plan.

• Afternoon Session: Capstone Simulation

  • Final Exercise: A complex, multi-stage crisis simulation unfolds in real-time. Participants must:

    • Identify the ethical and legal issues at play.

    • Work with “legal counsel” (the facilitator) to assess risk.

    • Make strategic decisions on messaging and disclosure.

    • Conduct a press conference.

    • Navigate the social media fallout.

  • Expert Debrief and Feedback: A detailed review of decisions made during the simulation.

  • Masterclass Conclusion: The role of the PR leader as ethical guardian.

  • Certification.