"That was a perfect answer. Can you say the exact same thing to the reporter?"

Like clockwork, the lawyer pauses a beat, then dutifully explains why they can't actually phrase it so simply in an interview.

It is a roadblock in nearly every media training session. Both attorneys and the clients they represent are full of insight when they're preparing for an interview, only to abandon their candor when they go on the record. Particularly in legal matters, attorneys speaking to the press believe they are acting in the best interest of their client by mitigating the risk of negative coverage when they pivot to garden-variety banalities in lieu of direct, interesting commentary. The truth however, is that this impulse to "do no harm" frequently undercuts the value of media relations, quite often making things worse. Adhering too closely to the Hippocratic Oath may seem risk-free, but if it makes your client look weak, vacillating, mealy-mouthed or unsure, it will do more harm than good.