The Volokh Conspiracy
[Jonathan Adler, July 19, 2006 at 8:22am] Trackbacks
ATLA No More:

The W$J reports that the Association of Trial Lawyers of America (ATLA) may change its name to the "American Association for Justice." Why? Well, according to ATLA president Ken Suggs, ""Our research shows that if our message is about helping lawyers, we lose. On the other hand, if we're about getting justice and holding wrongdoers accountable, we win."

JohnAnnArbor:

On the other hand, if we're about getting justice and holding wrongdoers accountable, we win.

He should add: "And don't forget that check for 33% of your "justice" if we find the right jury."
7.19.2006 4:05pm
Tom D:
Seems like a logical response to the recent Republican strategy of demonizing "trial lawyers." When your name acquires negative connotations, you've got to either aggressively reclaim it or else change the name. The lawyers went with the latter. I think I'd have made the same decision.

See JohnAnnArbor's comment above for an example of the aforementioned Republican strategy.
7.19.2006 5:33pm
JohnAnnArbor:

See JohnAnnArbor's comment above for an example of the aforementioned Republican strategy.


Watching your dad get up at 5am in a snowstorm to personally salt the parking lots of real estate properties he managed tends to change your attitude. You see, if 99.9% of the lot is ice-free after the professional cleaning, someone will find the one ice patch, slip on it, and sue for millions. Never mind looking out for ice in cold weather; that's WAY too much to ask of a human being. And in Wayne County, Michigan, they'll likely get those millions, because of lawyers like you.
7.19.2006 5:41pm
PGofHSM (mail) (www):
Just what we needed, another vaguely named group using words like "justice," "liberty," "freedom," "American way," etc. I much prefer organizations like Americans United for the Separation of Church and State -- you know who they are and what they're for, which is something that their opponents *aren't* for.

I have no problem with trial lawyers, but this is pathetic. Even a name change like "Association of the People's Lawyers" would be better. (Though it might get confused with the public interest "International Association of People's Lawyers.")
7.19.2006 5:44pm
bob montgomery:
On the other hand, if we're about getting justice and holding wrongdoers accountable, we win.

Now if they actually were about getting justice it'd be a twofer!
7.20.2006 4:38pm
Steven Jens (mail) (www):
If the term "trial lawyer" is tainted, couldn't they just choose a different term for "trial lawyer", but still use a name that sounds like a professional association rather than a political advocacy group?
7.23.2006 8:44pm

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