Brian K. Lee (brian.k.lee@gartner.com) is a Managing Vice President and Dian Zhang (dian.zhang@gartner.com) is a Research Specialist at Gartner in Arlington, Virginia, USA.

Corporate crises are on the rise. More worrisome, however, than the growing volume of crises is the increasing percentage that involves emerging risks. Almost two-thirds of legal executives report providing more frequent guidance in unfamiliar risk areas, which can lead to a lack of preparedness. What’s worse, social media can accelerate the breadth and impact of even minor issues, pressing organizations to react before they have a chance to think everything through.