Every board has to be ready to deal with an existential crisis, but many boards have revealed themselves unprepared when facing the challenge. Whether the crisis is similar to the ones faced at Wells Fargo, Wynn Resorts, General Electric, or Uber—or involves matters that are entirely different—boards have to be prepared to rise to challenge quickly and effectively. This session reviews best practices for identifying crisis-level risk exposures and for implementing effective, practical responses. The panel will focus in particular on patterns common to board-level crisis situations, communications and the delegation of responsibility, the potential value of table top exercises as a means of preparation, and the need to balance legal concerns with the required responses to public, consumer, and regulatory demands for information.