Throughout the country, plaintiffs' trial lawyers are executing a secret strategy to hide the truth of who they are from the American public. They have launched a coordinated campaign to conceal their identity that began with a name change on the national level last year and is now taking root at the state level as an increasing number of states follow suit.
The secret strategy
In a secret 2006 memo, the Association of Trial Lawyers of America notified its members of its scheme to rename the organization the "American Association for Justice" and planned secret conference calls and meetings to convince them to support the name change. Even now, their website contains an "FAQ on the recent name change" that is hidden behind password-protection.
Following the change at the national level, the plaintiffs' trial lawyers began executing their state-by-state strategy, with Louisiana and Florida first on board. In December 2006, Trial magazine reported, "Currently more than 20 state associations are considering or pursuing a name change similar to ATLA's with the Louisiana Association for Justice leading the charge. ATLA staff and officers continue to travel across the country to assist state TLAs in this process." [emphasis added] This coordinated plot has continued to unfold, with twenty states now having erased the words "trial lawyers" from their names.
When asked in public the reason for their name changes, it's clear that the state organizations are operating from a set of carefully coordinated talking points. Virtually all of them parrot the same lines, declaring that they want a name that describes "what we do," not "who we are."
What's the real reason for the name change?
Although they spin the change as having nothing to do with their own actions, the truth is that even the plaintiffs' trial lawyers themselves recognize that they have irreparably damaged their own image.
FACT: A recent national survey revealed that their favorability rating is down to 31%.1
FACT: 75% of voters say lawyers benefit the most from lawsuits; only 4% say victims do.2
FACT: A recent study showed that the lawsuit system forced small business owners to pay $98 billion in 2005, with $20 billion coming from the assets of the businesses rather than through insurance.3
FACT: A recent survey showed that more than three-quarters of America's small business owners are concerned they might be sued in a frivolous or unfair lawsuit, and many have raised their prices or reduced their hiring as a result.4
FACT: In a national survey using a 100 point favorability scale, the AAJ name tests 13 points higher than the ATLA name.5
FACT: When focus group participants learned who the "American Association for Justice" really is, typical responses included:
"So they're going to improve their image by changing their name and hope nobody notices?"
"Why are they hiding their name? Like, why don't they say trial lawyer?... why would they have to shroud their name?"6
Americans have grown increasingly disgusted as they've watched the plaintiffs' trial lawyers pad their own pockets while small business owners are forced to close up shop and doctors move out of state.
Removing the words "trial" and "lawyers" from their names won't erase the harm they've caused to working families and consumers every day. Frivolous lawsuits eliminate American jobs, destroy small businesses, and add millions each year to the price of everything from medicine and cars to housing -- even groceries!
If the plaintiffs' trial lawyers want to be true advocates of justice, they'll end the injustice of frivolous lawsuits.
