Alan Hilburg
Alan Hilburg, president and CEO of Hilburg Associates, is one of the world’s leading senior advisors to law firms, corporate general counsels and boards of directors for his expertise in crisis mitigation, litigation communications and related institutional and personal brand issues. He has been recognized by the New York Times as the “Red Adair of corporate crisis management," and in 1984, pioneered litigation communications having experience in more than 106 trials. He has been one of the most sought after strategic counselors in the most complex, high-risk civil and criminal legal contacts had helped legal teams achieve success in what is often perceived as impossible situations.
| Alan Hilburg
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Hilburg brings clients a deep understanding of the need to and the strategies to protect a client’s reputational considerations. His
experience has armed him with a working knowledge of the legal system
and process and broad media contacts and the ability to deliver clients’
messages very effectively Additionally, his ability to
work with legal teams in crafting non-conventional, creative and
powerfully successful language that resulted in effectively delivering
the legal teams’ objectives both in the court of law and court of public
opinion. |
Known for his senior perspectives and judgment, The Los Angeles Times wrote that Hilburg is “a first call for those who find themselves in difficult high-risk crises.” The Wall Street Journal called him the "earliest practitioner of reputation management in litigation contexts." He
has also established himself as one of the world's leading authorities
on the alignment of institutional brands, organizational engagement and
deployment and reputation management as a management and organizational
asset. He was identified by the London Times as a "leading corporate brand architect."
Hilburg has worked with 56 law firms internationally. In addition to being the longest standing crisis/litigation communications advisor to the tobacco industry, he has represented clients including Oliver North, Leona Helmsley, Clark Clifford, Bill Aramony, Al Sharpton, Imus and a number of other high profile defendants in a range of criminal contexts. Hilburg has successfully led a number of teams in sensitive public affairs and complex environmental, issues including: leading the national MTBE strategic defense (extending the profit stream of America’s leading gasoline additive for four years and $2.4 billion is revenue); managing the DBCP defense (defeating regulatory changes saving clients $750mm); orchestrating the DDT strategy (resulting in two court victories saving client $500mm); steering a resolution of a difficult perchlorate issue (allowing client to realize $1.2 billion sale); successfully defended clients in TCE, DBTE, PBDE, Chromium 6, Arsenic litigation.
He also represented Alyseka (Trans-Alaska Pipeline) in all Exxon Valdez related environmental litigation including architect of strategy that resulted in resolution of key environmental and litigation issues saving client $1.4bb. His creation and strategic management of communications strategy of the Love Canal litigation – “most important environmental case of the 20th century” New York Times, was credited by the client as being one of the major factors resulting in favorable Federal Court decision… fundamentally rewriting history and saving his client $1 billion in potential damages.
Additionally, he has successfully created strategies that contributed to 24 state and seven federal environmental tort case victories. His environmental clients have included Chlorine Council, ACS, CMA, Occidental Petroleum and Occidental Chemical, Shell, Exxon, Mobil, Philips, Chevron, ARCO, BP, Dow Chemical, Lyondell Chemical, Lockheed-Martin, Merck, Aerojet, Raytheon, Johnson Wax, Gillette, Nokia, HP and more than 36 other Fortune 500 clients.
As a speaker, Hilburg has been invited to deliver more than 100 speeches in the past seven years on winning litigation communication strategies and has written two New York Times best sellers on leadership and currently working on his third book, “Environmental Fear Mongers…Managing the Reality When Science and Pop Culture Hysteria Collide."
In the non-environmental management issues he was the co-leader in Tylenol’s case book 1982 response and recovery strategy; and has represented AT&T; Bell Atlantic; Texas Savings and Loan Association; chemicals industry; oil and gas industry; pharmaceuticals industry (Merck, Medco, Novartis, Pfizer); healthcare industry (including hospitals, hospital centers, physicians, managed care companies); airline and maritime industries.
In collaboration with Fortune magazine, Hilburg created the Business Hall of Fame and co-developed the America’s Most Admired Companies program.
As a filmmaker and producer, his team received an Academy Award nomination for the second-ever IMAX movie, “Living Planet”, three awards (including an Emmy nomination) for his HBO special, “My Life, My Way” and four international awards for the PBS Special, “New Sweden."
Hilburg has extensive marketing credentials including the creation of Wendy’s “Where’s the Beef?” campaign; a major contributor to GE’s “Bring Good Things to Life” and AT&T’s “Olympic Torch Run.” He has won five Silver Anvils (the highest international communications award) and three Clios (for his advertising campaigns).
Over Hilburg's career, his commitment to sharing knowledge has guided him in mentoring many young professionals. He currently serves as a marketing communications consultant to the National Mentoring Partnership and Big Brothers/Big Sisters. He is also a past board member of the Dallas Zoo, Washington Chamber Symphony and a number of other local organizations. He is chairman of California’s largest minority-supported environmental education organization, bridging communities with education-based, moderate solutions to environmental issues.