US College Bribery Scandal Sees One Big Law Firm Score A ‘D’ For Crisis Management

Caplan US college scandal

John Bowie* Willkie Farr & Gallagher has placed its co-chairman, Gordon Caplan on a leave of absence following the US college fraud scheme that has lead to the arrests of dozens of people and embroiled actors Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlan.

The scandal involves bribes used to get the children of wealthy individuals, including CEOs, fashion designers, actors and – it would seem – attorneys, to get their children into colleges, including Yale and Stanford.

said on Wednesday it had placed co-Chairman Gordon Caplan on a leave of absence following charges involving a U.S. college fraud scheme.

Caplan was arrested but the scandal failed to solicit information from the major law firm, which leads to questions as to the way it handles crisis management in such matters.

There had been a statement that referred to an outside PR consultant that suggested the co-chair had been on a ‘leave of absence’ and no longer held management responsibilities.

Then silence.

Law.com reported lawyer and marketer Gina Rubel, who helps in crisis preparation matters, who said “There is no way anyone could have guessed that something like this would happen. It’s out of left field, which is exactly why there’s such public outrage.”

Unexpected or not, the fact is lawyers are also designed to handle crises, including their own. When crises break, then the lawyers get talking, not listening to the Sounds of Silence.

“The firm will continue to be managed by its Chairmen, Steven Gartner and Thomas Cerabino, and its Executive Committee,” the U.S. firm said in a statement.

Federal authorities arrested dozens of people on Tuesday for a $25 million scheme to help wealthy Americans, including actors Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin and some CEOs, cheat their children’s way into elite universities, such as Yale and Stanford.

Caplan’s most prominent client is Canadian department store chain Hudson’s Bay Co, which also owns the Saks Fifth Avenue luxury retailer.

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