PI marketing groups unite to create national service

Personal injury marketing consortium Kent Accident Link (KAL) is joining up with a fledgling network with the aim of rolling out across England and Wales, it has emerged.

KAL, established by Medway firm Stephens & Son earlier this year, will continue to oversee operations in the south of England while Your Accident Lawyer (YAL), set up by Wakefield firm Lister Croft, will take control of the north.

The first 18-strong YAL grouping covers south and west Yorkshire, but it also plans to develop future groups of around 20 to 25 firms, based around local law society areas.

KAL announced plans last month to increase its membership up to more than 100 through similar groupings in the south, and will be holding meetings in Sussex and Essex this month.

It is likely that the individual groupings will be allowed to choose either the YAL or Accident Link brand name.

Lister Croft partner Alan Benstock said the structure was ideal as it enabled firms to have local control while tapping into a national brand.

Stephens & Son partner Jacqueline Shicluna said: 'By establishing groups of solicitors throughout the country, there should always be one local to the client'.

Meanwhile, seven Midlands firms have launched a marketing network, named Midlands Accident Lawyers.

The firms involved are Shakespeares, Challinors Lyon Clark, Sydney Mitchell, Cartwright & Lewis, Merricks, GMH and Bradshaws.

Cartwright & Lewis partner Paul Debney said the network aimed to 'help restore the personal injury industry's tarnished reputation by offering a straightforward and transparent service delivered by some of the region's most respected personal injury specialists'.

Paula Rohan