All law firms aspire to be on the front page of a national newspaper, but not, as happened with Norton Rose on Friday 15 December last year, when the headline over a story in the Daily Telegraph was: 'Lawyer faces rap over e-mail that crossed the world.' Five lawyers at the firm faced disciplinary action after a colourful e-mail became Internet gossip for the world, and a recently qualified assistant solicitor and his girlfriend became the subject of paparazzi and their own Web site.Other firms may have found the incident and its aftermath - and dissection in the media - embarrassing, especially those named as having received the e-mail; it did not improve the image of lawyers generally.If a week is a long time in politics, it can be even longer when you are at the centre of a runaway story, and as all journalists know, sex can sell a story to the nationals, both tabloid and broadsheet.One in-house media relations director at a leading City firm comments: 'I'm not sure that you could have stopped all the follow-up coverage, especially when such e-mails are probably going into every City office every day.'Jon McLeod, head of legal affairs at Shandwick which advises the Bar Council, advised on the launch of Matrix Chambers and also works with City firm Simmons & Simm ons, comments: 'The first point to make is that historically lawyers have been reticent in dealing with the media, and are cautious to the point of being hermetic.'He argues that this is now changing because of the level of competition for legal services: 'All law firms are trying to position themselves in terms of doing the best deals, or the best practice in a particular area, or the strongest network.

But the media outreach on the positive stories is a double-edged sword, you can't have either/or - if you are getting positive coverage, you also have to deal with the difficult issues.'And even keeping what can be seen as positive stories from being leaked can be problematic.

The news of the merger between national firm Pinsent Curtis and London firm Biddle was kept out of the press until the partners had voted, and was not reported until the same day - last week - that the merger was confirmed to the firms' clients.Andrew Davis is a partner at Fishburn Morgan Cole, which was at the centre of legal press attention and speculation in the series of mergers and link-ups which formed the current firm in June 1999.He points out: 'Any kind of merger is sensitive, but because mergers can be used to get publicity firms have tended to be more forthcoming in giving information to the press.

Lawyers have had to become more proactive in seeking media opportunities, and if you do merge, then you will want everyone to know.' In his own case, Mr Davis has had media training because he comments on financial services issues on television and radio.He recommends this for others, whether they have to comment on the court steps after the case, field inquiries about merger rumours, or comment on pensions mis-selling.

His says: 'You can't go into commenting to the mass media blind; you have to know how it ticks.

You only have a few seconds to put your point across on TV or radio, and you have to break complex issues down to one or two sentences - and lawyers prefer to develop arguments.'So, how do you tackle a media storm? Experts say you should start by listing the people who are dealing with the situation, a number that should be limited to those who are necessary.It is also important to assemble all the facts - if you are confronted with a leak of a deal, find out how it was leaked.If it is a personal issue, speak to the human resources manager; if it involves an external party, such as a client, get a representative from the client.Lawyers should also respond in the manner of their choosing.

They should resist being forced into a live telephone or television interview, but the response should be substantive, and could be in a controlled statement.

Ignoring journalists' requests does not make them go away; it may make matters worse.Most importantly, keep cool.

No situation benefits from panic responses, so carry out a calm appraisal of the facts and update it as the situation progresses.In fact, 'don't panic' seems to be primary advice from external PR advisers.

Conor Pickering, head of professional services at GCI, which is retained by CMS Cameron McKenna, has recently been involved in advising the firm on discrimination claims against one of the solicitors in its Tashkent office.The claims were rejected by an employment tribunal in November last year.

He could not comment on that case, but says that such situations are not unique to the legal profession: 'When BSE was at its height, we were involved with advising the International Meat Trade Association.

Generally, in problem situations, the advice is to make sure that you hav e the most senior person available, and you have to be seen to be clear and honest, and get the facts straight - every profession has its own approach.'Opinions are divided on the use of external PR advisers.

Some feel using them as spokespeople can be seen as trying to spin; also journalists want to talk to the key people in the firm, not outsiders.And Sandra Hewett, a consultant at SHMR which advises Kennedys, Thomas Eggar Church Adams and Tarlo Lyons among others, says that one problem in media relations is that a company, in whatever business, can get an external adviser in at the last minute, when there is little time to get to know the firm and the people involved.

Generally, though, her view is that, in a crisis, 'lawyers tend to be good thinkers and can do the scenario planning'.A spokesperson at Freshfields says the firm has a series of different crisis management scenarios to limit press damage in circumstances where the firm is under threat; these differ depending on the story and where the leak may come from.But clearly in a firm the size of Freshfields the most important issue is to inform and organise the staff response.This is done at Freshfields by a series of manoeuvres designed to cascade information through the firm.

Key staff members co-ordinate a response.

These were on stand-by during the demonstrations on May Day last year.

It was feared that rioting anarchists would repeat their 1999 actions, when some City firms were targeted.This internal planning culminates at Freshfields with a 'disaster contingency plan', which makes provision for all staff to be contacted even in non-work hours.

This came partly in response to the Bishopsgate IRA bomb, which caused significant damage to City firm Norton Rose.GCI's Mr Pickering concludes that although firms can have good media relations advisers in-house, one of the advantages of using external agencies is the existing relationships they may already have with the media.'But it is not a quick fix,' he concedes.

'PR is not a dark art, or a matter of having a little black book of contacts, but a matter of building up mutual respect.'