Bar Association Plans Ad Campaign

After two years of beatings by corporate America and their allies, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the non-partisan Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA) is planning an ad campaign to try to reform their profession's image.

The ISBA membership includes both trial attorneys and defense attorneys for doctors, hospitals and insurance companies. The ISBA officially opposed limits on compensation for pain and suffering passed by the Illinois General Assembly last year, and according to the Post-Dispatch, has recognized the negative impact that corporate-backed ad campaigns have had on their profession and the judicial system:

Anderson said that while the marketing proposal is not directly designed to combat criticisms of trial lawyers in Madison County, the attacks cannot be ignored.

"Certainly that has to be in our minds because of the onslaught of advertising that does reflect negatively on lawyers and judges and the judicial process," he said.

Supporters of limits on legal rights hope to use their momentum from the med mal battle to pass further restrictions on civil rights, including limitations on compensation for asbestos victims, giving corporations control over where suits are filed against them, and limiting the right of consumers and families to file class action lawsuits against polluters, frauds, and the manufacturers of dangerous products.

Question: What message should the ISBA send to the public to help restore the image of attorneys, and what impact do you think it will have on public perceptions of our judicial system?

More on this topic on Yellow Dog Blog this week.