James F. Haggerty, PRCG CEO, and his work in litigation communicationsd was recently featured at a legal conference in December 2025, in Seoul, South Korea, at a presentation given by Jacklin Kim of SUITS Communications, a firm that specializes in litigation communications. The presentation — which resulted in an article in Korea Law Times — highlighted the emerging role of strategic communications during legal disputes in one of the world’s largest economies.   

A translation of the article can be found below. The original article, in Korean, can be found here. 

LAW TIMES (Korea)

Kim Tae-yeon, CEO of SUITS Communications, “Public opinion is becoming increasingly important for corporate survival… Strategic communication is essential in litigation.”

By Cho Han-joo

2025-12-05 16:41

Kim Tae-yeon, CEO of SUITS Communications, presented “Strategies for Winning in the Court of Public Opinion” at LES 2025, held in Yangjae-dong, Seoul on December 5th. She emphasized that “the essence of litigation communication is the image war that takes place outside the courtroom.”

She explained that she took the title of her lecture from James Haggerty, a litigation PR expert in the United States and author of the book “In the Court of Public Opinion.” The book’s central point was that litigation is not only a battle of legal principles, but also a simultaneous battle of public opinion and the media.

Citing U.S. Department of Justice Special Counsel Jack Smith’s observation that “what matters is not just legal principles but the public’s sense of justice,” CEO Kim explained, “Social judgments are often formed before the courts, and once solidified, they are difficult to reverse.”

She emphasized, “While lawyers’ language is about persuading judges and prosecutors based on evidence, articles, and precedents, the public’s language is about swaying the emotions and perceptions of citizens, consumers, and investors based on emotional persuasion.” She noted that in practice, attempts to persuade the public using courtroom language often fail, adding, “What’s legally sound often doesn’t translate well in the world of public opinion.”

CEO Kim explained, “The sheer volume of litigation faced by domestic companies reveals that managing public opinion isn’t a temporary response, but rather a continuous risk management process.” With the top 30 conglomerates facing 5,700 lawsuits and a combined value of 13 trillion won in litigation, she noted that public opinion resulting from litigation is an undeniable factor for corporate survival, and its importance is growing.

She proposed “strategic communication” as a key concept in addressing this issue. He emphasized that simple information dissemination is not communication and exerts no influence. She explained that strategic communication is an activity designed to shape perceptions in a company’s desired direction without distorting facts, and this is essentially a matter of “influence.”

She particularly emphasized the importance of framing, saying, “Depending on the perspective and language used to explain the same facts, a crisis can become an opportunity, or a harmless issue can become an explosive controversy.” She explained that frames are not fixed but rather a living structure that must be constantly adjusted according to environmental, situational, and unexpected variables. She argued that because the public is more swayed by emotions and perceptions than facts, the court of public opinion becomes a battle of “facts versus framing.”

She also explained how to manage public opinion before, during, and after a lawsuit. Before a lawsuit, stakeholders should be mapped and issues and frames analyzed. During a lawsuit, the principles of fairness, moderation, and consistency should be adhered to in dealing with the media, carefully balancing legal logic with public logic. She also advised thorough management of how trial-related comments are consumed on social media and in the media. She emphasized the importance of “post-reputation management,” which translates the meaning of the case into social media and restores trust after the verdict.

CEO Kim concluded by emphasizing, “A court ruling concludes a case, but the verdict of public opinion never ends.” While the judge determines victory or defeat, the trust of companies and individuals is determined in the court of public opinion, and its impact lasts much longer. She stated, “Only by facing the reality that litigation occurs within a massive communication environment can companies, organizations, and individuals simultaneously manage both legal and reputational risks.”

CEO Kim majored in corporate crisis management at Yonsei University Graduate School and worked as a reporter at the Chosun Ilbo. He currently leads Hive Worldwide and Suits Communications.

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