Worried About your Reputation?

Why lawsuits aren’t the answer (and what we can learn from the ‘It Ends with Us’ mess)

The 2024 movie?It Ends with Us?has sparked a PR firestorm involving lawsuits, allegations, and reputational damage for its stars and their PR teams. As a crisis communication expert, I’ve been watching this saga unfold, and it offers a textbook case of what not to do in the court of public opinion.

Let’s break it down:

The drama began when Blake Lively filed an 80-page sexual harassment lawsuit against co-star Justin Baldoni, accusing him of a preemptive smear campaign. Baldoni was promptly dropped by his agency, nonprofits, and podcast hosts. He retaliated with a lawsuit against?The New York Times?and has promised to countersue Lively. Meanwhile, PR agencies on both sides have entered the fray, with one suing Baldoni and his new crisis team for allegedly documenting their weaponizing communication through texts.

Got whiplash yet? Let’s pause and take a breath:

Lesson 1: When lawsuits fly, everybody loses.

Lawsuits bring high costs—financially, emotionally, and reputationally. Once legal filings hit the public domain, the ugliest accusations go viral. Press coverage thrives on salaciousness, leaving reputations in tatters.

As someone who’s faced legal threats in business, I’ve learned the hard way: Avoid lawsuits whenever possible. Once, a client threatened to ruin my agency publicly unless we forgave a debt. We negotiated payment for work completed and walked away. The client’s business subsequently floundered while others in the industry thrived. The lesson? Energy spent on litigation rarely yields wins.

Even if a lawsuit feels justified—such as when a rogue employee breaches a contract—the harm they cause often exceeds the benefits. I once witnessed a court case where a former employee blatantly attempted to steal a client lead from within our facility and from our own email system. The judge said simply this: “Thank heavens she quit. Problem solved.”

To be clear, any victim of sexual abuse should not hesitate to report the issue They should expect their concerns to be heard, should expect an appropriate resolution, and should never have to fear retaliation for coming forward. However, from a reputational standpoint, it is far better in every case possible for the remedy to happen without the need to get high-profile attorneys involved.

Lesson 2: PR disasters escalate when communication goes rogue

It’s like a law of physics: bad actors can’t resist incriminating themselves with emails and texts. In?It Ends with Us, the New York Times quoted a PR agent gleefully reacting to a tabloid hit piece: “Wow, you really outdid yourself with that piece.” Joking or not, weaponized PR tactics inevitably backfire, making the participants on all sides of the story look bad.

In broader contexts, I’ve seen employees brag in emails and instant messages about the methods they use for stealing company data or skirting client restrictions. The bottom line is this: if you wouldn’t want your boss, future employer, or mother to read it, don’t put it in writing. These records are often enough to resolve disputes without a lawsuit.

Lesson 3: Reputational recovery starts with integrity

The best way to safeguard your reputation? Be the person or business you want to be known as. Write your values. Live them. None of us is perfect, but transparency and consistency build trust.

When crises arise, avoid knee-jerk responses. Let situations de-escalate naturally when possible. Most bad press fades without a reaction, especially in today’s “cancel culture fatigue.” If a response is necessary, keep it brief, factual, and professional.

The takeaway for 2025 and beyond

Lawsuits, smear campaigns, and knee-jerk reactions won’t solve reputational crises. The best defense is simple: good behavior. Self-evaluate daily: What did I do well? What could I improve? Did I do anything that might harm my reputation?

Here’s a good bylaw to follow in 2025: “It ends with us.” Take an assessment. Fix your bad habits now, and your reputation—and business—will outlast any storm.

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