Disclaimer

Not professional advice

This website and the book it describes are educational. Nothing here is legal advice, financial advice, public relations advice, or a substitute for retained professional counsel on a specific situation. Decisions about public statements, employment matters, regulatory exposure, and crisis response carry consequences that depend on facts this site cannot know. Consult a qualified professional before acting.

No political position

The Unofficial Ballot takes no political side and endorses no party, candidate, campaign, or cause. It examines how audiences respond to public positions, not whether any given position is correct. Cases are chosen because they are instructive, not because they are endorsed or condemned.

About the case studies

Companies, brands, and individuals named on this site and in the book are discussed based on publicly reported events. Naming an organization is not an allegation of wrongdoing and does not imply any relationship with, endorsement by, or affiliation with that organization. Trademarks referenced belong to their respective owners and are used for identification and commentary.

No guaranteed outcomes

The frameworks in this book are designed to make decisions more deliberate. They do not guarantee any commercial, reputational, or legal result. Outcomes depend on execution, context, and circumstances outside anyone’s control.

Separate from consulting work

This website promotes a book. It is not a solicitation for consulting services, and reading the book does not create a client relationship. Bill Hartzer’s consulting and expert witness work is conducted separately through Hartzer Consulting.

Currency of information

Events described here occurred before publication and circumstances may have changed since. No undertaking is given to update the site as cases develop.