Order in the Court of Public Opinion

As high-stakes litigation is on the rise, it’s not enough to win the legal argument. You also need to win in the court of public opinion with reputation on the line. 

Lawdragon has recognized 25 of our FGS Global colleagues experienced in litigation communications as part of their list of Global 100 Leaders in Legal Strategy & Consulting. Here’s how we approach court battles: 

1. In a news and social media environment that is increasingly loud, short and ugly – and especially against aggressive adversaries – it is not sufficient to curl up and no-comment. 

2. Defendant or plaintiff, this requires a thoughtful communications plan built alongside the legal team and tightly integrated into the legal strategy. 

3. The plan’s strategic goals must unwaveringly support your litigation goals.

4. We recommend milestone-based communications tactics that anticipate and leverage developments in the case. The media and others need a hook, like the complaint, a significant motion, an order, a trial or a settlement. 

5. Legal filings are press releases and should include succinct arguments for your position in plain English that reporters can quote. 

6. The docket is voluminous and reporters are busy. Even if you aren’t commenting on the record, prepare to point busy journalists to the most important passages in your filings. Work with the legal team in advance to ensure significant filings have intelligible, compelling language that reporters can pick up. 

7. Don’t forget a plan for communicating to internal audiences and other stakeholders along with the media and public.

Just over 100 days into President Trump’s second term, his priorities and policies are already reshaping America’s food and agriculture landscape. Our colleagues at the What We’re Watching in Food & Agriculture newsletter outline the administration’s decisive shift toward deregulation, trade recalibration and consumer-facing nutrition policy:

• In the agriculture industry, the Trump administration has signaled a deregulatory approach:

  • The U.S. Department of Agriculture has started releasing previously frozen funds from the Biden era, with an emphasis on refocusing grant programs and reducing reporting requirements.

  • The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced more than 30 deregulatory actions, including steps to roll back rules that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and farm pollution, reports Civil Eats.

• Trade policy remains a flashpoint. Following Trump's trade policy shifts, U.S. farmers are facing the consequences of escalating trade wars while still grappling with the lingering effects of past trade conflicts and the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic.

• China, which accounts for 60% of the U.S. soybean export market, has reportedly reduced its U.S. soybean purchases and scaled back plans to import American pork in 2025. As the administration prepares its first budget and outlines farm policy priorities for the coming year, rural voters—many of whom backed Trump—are looking for concrete action on commodity prices and foreign market access.

• In the first 100 days, the MAHA agenda has made waves. Since U.S. Health & Human Services Secretary Robert. F. Kennedy, Jr. was sworn in, the administration has prioritized food ingredient reform and nutrition programs. As POLITICO reported recently, Kennedy has emerged as a leading figure in the Trump administration's domestic agenda, with the White House viewing MAHA initiatives as key pillars for the midterm elections.

To subscribe to FGS Global’s What We’re Doing in Food and Agriculture newsletter, email wwwfood@fgsglobal.com.

After five years of legal maneuvering, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission’s antitrust case against Meta has finally reached trial. Opening arguments began on April 14th, marking a pivotal moment in the broader reckoning with big tech’s market power – an effort that gained momentum during Trump’s first term and continues to shape the regulatory landscape.

At the heart of the case, the FTC alleges Meta illegally monopolized the market by acquiring Instagram and WhatsApp to neutralize emerging competition. If the court rules against Meta, the company could be forced to divest both platforms.

This could set a precedent for structural remedies in antitrust enforcement, potentially curbing the dominance of platform giants and reopening the field to smaller innovators. The trial comes on the heels of Google’s long battle with the DOJ, which accused Google of illegally monopolizing the online search market.

Meanwhile, as scrutiny intensifies, major tech players (including Meta) have taken steps to align themselves with the Trump administration. With Mark Zuckerberg and other executives reportedly seeking favor to stave off further regulatory pressure, all eyes are now on whether the White House will attempt to influence the outcome of the case.

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