Crisis Leadership for Lawyers (7865): Lawyers occupy a unique position in crises that goes well beyond their legal knowledge. Lawyers are trained to be analytical problem solvers in complex circumstances that mix law, regulation, business and policy, and to engage with the diverse expertise and perspectives of others. When lawyers move into leadership roles, they must assume responsibility beyond providing legal advice and round out their expertise with complementary capabilities: management skills, strategic decision-making when the facts are incomplete, effective communication with multiple constituencies and audiences (such as boards, regulators, employees, investors, and the press), and the coalition-building needed to move an organization under stress. Crises put these capabilities under exceptional pressure because the stakes are high, information is incomplete, events are moving quickly, and the consequences of action--or inaction--can be profound. This course introduces the foundations with which legally-trained leaders can apply their analytical and advocacy skills to the full scope of crisis management, from early detection and internal investigation to response, decision-making, communication and recovery. This course combines selected readings on crisis leadership, simulation exercises and case studies, often with guest speakers who played key leadership roles. They include product failures, health pandemics, environmental disasters, and reputational hazards. Topics include crisis governance and the allocation of leadership authority; stakeholder and media communication strategy; the tension between transparency and legal caution; managing regulatory, market and political pressure simultaneously; and rebuilding organizational trust after failure. Students will also explore how skills central to legal practice translate into leadership advantages in high-stakes, fast-moving situations. Students will leave this course with a framework for understanding how crises unfold and also practiced judgment in applying it -- the ability to assess a situation quickly, identify what leadership a moment requires, and act decisively when the stakes are high and the path is not obvious. These are capabilities relevant to general counsel, executives, public-sector leaders, and any lawyer whose career will, sooner or later, intersect with a crisis. Elements used in grading: Class Participation 33%; in-class table top exercise 33%; final reflection paper 33%.