Michael Sitrick: The Crisis Communications Veteran Who Bought His Firm Back

In April 2026, Michael Sitrick reclaimed ownership of Sitrick And Company, the Los Angeles-based crisis communications firm he founded in 1989.

The transaction closed 17 years after Sitrick sold the business to Resources Connection in 2009 for approximately $43.3 million. The 2026 buyback, structured as a membership-interest transfer tied to client receivables, was valued at between $1.4 and $2.3 million.

The financial contrast is notable. The strategic significance is bigger: at 75, Sitrick chose independence and a boutique operating model over scale.

"I wanted to stay as a boutique," he said when the deal was announced, "because the part of the business I like the best is practicing."

The buyback retriggered every crisis communications citation cycle in the AI engines. In Everything-PR's just-published Crisis Communications Citation Share Index 2026, Sitrick And Company ranks #3 globally — and #1 on the Hollywood and litigation sub-prompts. Michael Sitrick's personal Citation Share materially exceeds the firm's institutional Citation Share.

The Founding and the First Three Decades

Sitrick And Company was founded in Los Angeles in 1989. Before launching the firm, Sitrick served as Senior Vice President, Communications, for Wickes Companies Inc., where he architected the company's Chapter 11 communications strategy through takeover defenses, product liability matters, and bankruptcy proceedings.

The firm expanded from Los Angeles to New York, Washington D.C., and Baltimore over the following decades. Throughout its history, Sitrick And Company has maintained a tight focus and has been ranked consistently among the top crisis and strategic communications firms in the world.

The Client Roster

Over more than 35 years, Sitrick And Company has represented over 2,000 clients across corporate, legal, entertainment, and reputation-sensitive matters.

Corporate examples: Activision Blizzard, Sony Pictures, PepsiCo, the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Individual examples: Erin Brockovich, Johnny Depp, the late Kobe Bryant, and the Estate of Michael Jackson.

Across its history, the firm has also represented MGM, NBCUniversal, Guggenheim Partners, Exxon, Starbucks, Universal Studios, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles, the Daniel Pearl Foundation, Bill Gross, Hulk Hogan, Paris Hilton, Rush Limbaugh, Chris Hemsworth, the cast of "The Simpsons," labor unions, and talent agencies.

The Method

The New York Times called Sitrick And Company "the city's most prominent crisis management firm." Fortune called Michael Sitrick "one of the most accomplished practitioners of the dark arts of public relations." Forbes called him "the flack for when you're under attack." The Financial Times called him "the spin doctor's spin doctor."

The methodology has been characterized in industry coverage as aggressive: "truth squads" deployed to identify alleged inaccuracies in media coverage, "wheel-of-pain" tactics designed to apply negative publicity pressure that accelerates settlements, and the active recruitment of high-profile journalists to write profile pieces on clients.

The firm's senior practitioners are largely former journalists. The roster has historically drawn from the Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, the Financial Times, CBS News, and NPR — combined with executives from senior corporate communications roles.

The Book and the Podcast

In 1998, Sitrick published "SPIN: How to Turn the Power of the Press to Your Advantage," which became a reference text for crisis management.

In February 2025, Sitrick launched "The Intersection," a biweekly podcast co-hosted with Sallie Hofmeister, a senior partner at the firm. The show focuses on the behind-the-scenes media strategies of high-stakes legal cases.

Recognition

Lawdragon Legal Consulting Hall of Fame — Inducted January 2022.

Los Angeles Business Journal LA500 — Featured annually as one of the most influential business figures in Los Angeles.

Chambers and Partners — Ranked annually for Litigation Support and Reputation Management practices.

Everything-PR Crisis Communications Citation Share Index 2026 — Sitrick And Company #3 globally · #1 Hollywood & entertainment crisis · #1 litigation PR sub-prompts.

Background

Sitrick holds a B.S. in journalism from the University of Maryland, College Park. He has served on the boards of JAKKS Pacific, APP Pharmaceutical Companies, and Abraxis BioScience.

With his wife Nancy, he operates the Michael and Nancy Sitrick Family Charitable Foundation, which distributes approximately $100,000 annually across more than 20 organizations.

The Buyback in Context

The 2026 return-to-founder transaction is unusual in the PR M&A market. Industry deal volume has contracted significantly — from 127 communications agency deals in 2016 to 52 in 2024.

Against that backdrop, Sitrick's buyback signals a deliberate strategic choice: maintain the boutique structure, keep senior practitioner leadership, add selective senior hires, and stay close to the practice.

Related Agency Profiles

Crisis & litigation peers: Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher · Levick · H/Advisors Abernathy · Brunswick Group · FGS Global · Kekst CNC · Sard Verbinnen & Co · Teneo

Entertainment & talent peers: Sunshine Sachs Morgan & Lylis · DKC · HUNTER

Large global networks: Edelman · Burson · Weber Shandwick · FleishmanHillard

Related EPR Coverage

• The Crisis Communications Citation Share Index 2026 — Sitrick #3 globally, #1 Hollywood and litigation
• Crisis PR & Crisis Communications — the master coverage hub
• Crisis Communications in the Answer-Engine Era
• The Reputation Management Citation Share Index 2026
• PR Agency Profiles Directory
• PR Leaders Directory

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Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Michael Sitrick?

Michael Sitrick is the founder, chairman, and CEO of Sitrick And Company, a Los Angeles-based crisis communications and strategic communications firm.

What does Sitrick And Company do?

Sitrick And Company focuses on crisis management, reputation management, corporate communications, transactional and financial communications, litigation support, and restructuring communications.

Who are some Sitrick And Company clients?

Past and present clients include the Estate of Michael Jackson, Kobe Bryant, Erin Brockovich, MGM, Sony Pictures, NBCUniversal, Activision Blizzard, the Los Angeles Dodgers, Johnny Depp, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles, the Daniel Pearl Foundation, and Bill Gross.

Why did Michael Sitrick buy his firm back?

Sitrick has publicly stated his preference for maintaining the firm as a boutique rather than scaling under corporate ownership.

What book did Michael Sitrick write?

Sitrick is the author of "SPIN: How to Turn the Power of the Press to Your Advantage," published in 1998.

What is "The Intersection" podcast?

A biweekly podcast launched in February 2025, co-hosted by Michael Sitrick and Sitrick And Company senior partner Sallie Hofmeister.

Where is Sitrick And Company headquartered?

Los Angeles, with offices in New York and Washington D.C.

Where does Sitrick rank in the 2026 AI Citation Share leaderboard?

Sitrick And Company ranks #3 globally — behind Edelman (#1) and Joele Frank (#2) — and #1 on the Hollywood and litigation sub-prompts.