Group action push

WEB SITE: specialisation and experience to the fore

A Liverpool solicitor has launched a Web site that puts clients in touch with solicitors already working on cases similar to theirs.

GroupActionUK also allows solicitors to find other lawyers who are working on similar cases and to share information.

The site lists solicitors by their past cases, the aim being for the public to be able to look through a firm's past work and find a solicitor with the most relevant experience for their case.

After an initial free trial period, solicitors will have to pay a fee to be registered on the site.

Visitors to the site are directed towards sections such as professional negligence, consumer goods and travel, where they will find details of current, past and pending group actions in those areas.

Despite the site's name, founder Graham Ross claimed that it is not just aimed at solicitors and clients involved in group actions.

'If an individual is considering launching a specialised clinical negligence claim against, say, a laser eye surgeon, then it would be very useful for them to get in contact with any solicitors who are dealing with similar claims,' he said.

The site will also help solicitors to share specialised knowledge with other solicitors.

Mr Ross said: 'By getting in contact with other lawyers working on similar cases, they can share knowledge and expert witnesses, or even pool their resources for a more formal group action.' To this end, there is a dedicated solicitor-to-solicitor area on the site.

It is also allied with a US-based organisation, www.bigclassaction.

com, so users can link up with lawyers across the Atlantic who are involved in relevant class actions.

Mr Ross is also the founder of on-line office www.thesolicitorsroom.

com, and solicitors who sign up to the group action site are provided with virtual case files on this site.

LINK: www.groupactionuk.com

Victoria MacCallum