When someone comes to you with a complaint or report of wrongdoing, you’re standing at a critical crossroads. How you respond in those first moments can either help someone heal or cause additional harm that reverberates for years. I’ve overseen the representation of traumatized clients in thousands of cases, and I’ve learned something crucial: the […]
I’ve overseen the representation of clients in thousands of cases, and I’ve learned something that might surprise you: most organizational damage doesn’t come from the initial problem—it comes from how leadership responds when someone tries to report that problem. When I tried to call a hotline to report an assault during my time at Harvard […]
There was a time when the worst that could happen to an organization was a scandal on the nightly news. Picture an attorney alongside a mother claiming the hospital in the background killed their baby; a resident in front of their building accusing the development company of building houses on a toxic landfill; or rejected […]
I’ve spent years helping organizations understand something that might seem counterintuitive: the best way to protect yourself from lawsuits isn’t to build higher walls or hire more lawyers. It’s to recognize that when someone comes to you with a complaint, they’re often already traumatized—and how you respond in those first critical moments can determine whether […]
The road to the whole truth is messy. The only certainty you can count on are competing narratives. I’ve overseen the representation of clients in thousands of cases, and I’ve learned something crucial: when you’re facing conflicting accounts of what happened in situations in the workplace, your response in those first critical moments determines whether […]
No organization wants to deal with conflicts, injuries, and damage. No organization wants to devote untold hours and dollars to investigating and resolving such matters, but all organizations do so at some point. I’ve overseen the representation of traumatized clients in thousands of cases, and what I’ve learned is this: the institutional response often causes […]
I’ve overseen the representation of clients in thousands of cases, and I can tell you this: most of the devastating legal battles I’ve seen could have been prevented. Not through better lawyers or stronger contracts, but through better complaint handling in those crucial first moments when someone comes forward with a problem. Here’s what I’ve […]
I’ve overseen the representation of clients in thousands of cases, and I can tell you this: most of the legal disasters I see could have been prevented. Not through better lawyers or stronger contracts, but through proactive leadership that addresses problems before they explode into courtroom battles. The organizations that end up in my office […]
When someone comes to you with a complaint, you have a choice. You can see it as a threat to your organization, or you can recognize it for what it really is—an opportunity to strengthen your institution before a small problem becomes an expensive nightmare. I’ve overseen the representation of clients in thousands of cases, […]
In recent years, trauma-informed care has become a focal point in healthcare, education, and social services. But trauma doesn’t just affect patients or students—it plays a critical role in workplace dynamics as well. When employees experience trauma, whether from workplace harassment, discrimination, or personal issues outside of work, their ability to report and navigate conflict […]
