At least 11 states involved in coordinated ‘campaign of concealment’
WASHINGTON, Aug. 2 LAWFUEL – The Legal Newswire — The U.S. Chamber
Institute for Legal Reform (ILR) has launched a new public awareness
campaign highlighting the recent name change by Minnesota’s trial lawyer
organization and the motives behind the coordinated effort now happening in at least 11 states. The SameLeopardNewSpots.com Web site criticizes the Minnesota Trial Lawyers Association, now calling itself the Minnesota
Association for Justice, for trying to conceal its identity from the public by changing its name.
“Minnesota’s trial lawyers have apparently signed onto a national
campaign of concealment conducted by the Association of Trial Lawyers of
America, who renamed themselves the American Association for Justice last
year,” said ILR President Lisa A. Rickard. “Because decades of abusing the civil justice system has driven their popularity into the ground, they are resorting to the oldest PR trick in the book: when your brand is tarnished, change your name.”
To highlight the name change, ILR is running a public awareness
campaign in Minnesota, as well as in other states where the state trial
lawyer associations have recently voted to change their names. As more
states follow suit, ILR is expected to expand its public awareness
campaign.
“We doubt the people of Minnesota will be fooled by a misleading name
change — a leopard with new spots is still a leopard, and trial lawyers’
reputations will remain tarnished until they stop abusing the system,” said Rickard.
The mission of the ILR is to make America’s legal system simpler,
fairer, and faster for everyone. It seeks to promote civil justice reform
through legislative, political, judicial, and educational activities at the national, state, and local levels. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the
world’s largest business federation representing more than 3 million
businesses and organizations of every size, sector, and region.
