MARKETING CONSORTIA: ten firms in north-east are fastest to use TV advertisements

A marketing consortium aimed at enhancing the reputation of personal injury firms by donating money to good causes is set to go live this week after the Law Society agreed to relax the rule on fee sharing that posed a bar to its launch.

Community Claims, set up by Cheshire firm Taylor Hollinshead, will channel a portion of the money paid for referrals by the 80 member firms into local causes nominated by the claimant.

Local schools will also benefit, as will a national fund that will make larger payments annually.

There had previously been concerns that the payments would breach the fee-sharing ban, but the Law Society has said it will provide a waiver in this situation.

Taylor Hollinshead partner Glyn Taylor welcomed the Society's move.

'We now want to get started on the process of promoting the company to the public, but by taking a different approach from previous claims management companies' marketing strategies,' he added.

Meanwhile, ten firms based in the north-east have launched a marketing network of their own, focusing on a television advertising campaign to be aired next month.

North East Legal Network (NELN), made up of medium-sized firms, has joined up with Guerrilla Communications to devise two 30-second advertisements in a drive estimated to be the largest Tyne Tees TV advertising campaign of its kind.

The commercials feature children enjoying everyday activities such as playing with building blocks, robots, toy cars, and drawing, while real-life background sound effects represent road traffic, tripping, and industrial accidents.

The message is that contacting the network is child's play.

NELN chief executive David Allan - a partner in Newcastle firm Marrons - said the adverts were aimed at 'rebuilding transparency, honesty and integrity in the accident claims sector'.

The other firms involved are: Teesside firms Archers, Askews, Smith & Graham and Tilly Bailey & Irvine in Teesside; Ben Hoare Bell and Treanors in Sunderland; and Newcastle practices McKeags, Samuel Phillips and Sintons.

Paula Rohan