No legal journalist has been more respected in Texas during the past thirty years than Mary Flood. A former reporter with The Wall Street Journal and The Houston Chronicle, Flood covered some of the most important legal matters of this generation, including the trials involving the Enron scandal.
In 2010, Flood retired from The Chronicle and joined Androvett Legal Media — a move Androvett said was “one of my smartest moves ever.”
“Hiring someone of Mary’s stature in the Houston legal community was a dream come true for me,” he said.
In this Q&A with The Texas Lawbook, Flood discusses working with Androvett when she was a reporter and for the past 16 years as an advisor and consultant.
Texas Lawbook: How was Mike and his team different in dealing with reporters than other lawyer and law firm PR folks?
Mary Flood: Mike always understood the assignment. When I dealt with Mike when I was a reporter, he and his team sent me much appreciated useful, targeted opportunities and news tips. This was a bigger breath of fresh air than you might think.
Other PR folks often set me up for excruciating lunches with taciturn non-trial lawyers. Worst ever was a PR type who told me he “loved my stuff in the Wall Street Journal” and asked if I wanted to cover the meeting of a scuba diving club in Galveston. No connection to Texas legal world at all.
In wild contrast, Mike was a pro whose calls I welcomed.
Lawbook: What did Mike do that got him such a prestigious list of clients?
Flood: It’s not just Mike’s journalism and legal background that make him stand out in this arena. It’s his style. He approaches this job and just about everything in life with wisdom and honesty. Those who hire him may call because of what they’ve seen him do for others. But they stay because of his approachable excellence in dealing with people and with business and even crisis.
He and the team are also fabulous at tailoring the work to the client. I work with AZA, a firm that is willing to be witty and entertaining while touting what they do. That work has been so successful that other firms call referencing it though they need something far different to meet their own capabilities and inclinations. Mike provides a spectrum of tailored ideas for clients.
Lawbook: What was it like to work with Mike?
Flood: Working with Mike has been a gift. I’ve learned so much more than I expected. And I’ve been so much more successful at this gig than I dreamed. Mike saw it was going to work. I was closer to clueless.
He is infinitely fair, astute and compassionate as a boss. The Thursday night of my very first week at Androvett, a beloved pet died. Mike cemented my love for him the next morning when he said he understood what that meant and gave me my very first Friday at his company off to handle it.
Lawbook: What am I not asking that I should be asking?
Flood: I often think about what a mammoth accomplishment it is that Mike built this business. He had the vision, the experience and the temperament. He had the good judgment in hiring and the ease in dealing with clients. Most lawyers come to PR consultants remarkably clueless about the process. Mike’s vision provides them with a successful process implemented by a talented team he helps educate. I’m very thankful he took the plunge 30 years ago and turned a good idea into a great business.
When I was a reporter and lawyers asked me who they should call for PR and advertising, I always sent them to Mike. I suggested Rusty Hardin go to Mike and was very happy that when I joined Mike I got to work with Rusty myself.
To read The Lawbook‘s profile of Mike Androvett, click here.