Michigan Trial Lawyers Association Name Change Will Not Fool Public, Says The Michigan Chamber and The American Justice Partnership

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 7, 2007	Contact: Wendy Block Michigan Chamber of Commerce (517)371-7678
	Dan Pero American Justice Partnership (517)371-7276

LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan Trial Lawyers Association, which has voted to change its name to the “Michigan Association for Justice,” must think the public can be easily fooled into forgetting that the business mission of personal injury lawyers is to sue every one about anything that will gain them big money settlements, says the Michigan Chamber of Commerce and the American Justice Partnership.

Recent opinion polls show that the public sees personal injury lawyers seeking to strike it rich through big settlements as the root cause of today’s abusive lawsuit epidemic. One recent survey of more than 1,000 people shows that 72 percent of the voting public distrust personal injury lawyers.

"The people of Michigan will not be fooled by this slick attempt by pollsters and public relations strategists to recast the trial lawyers' image," said Wendy Block, Director of Health Policy and Human Resources for the Michigan Chamber of Commerce. "Removing the words 'trial' and 'lawyer' from their name is like putting lipstick on a pig."

"The Michigan Trial Lawyers Association now officially recognizes how unpopular personal injury lawyers are with the public," said Dan Pero, President of AJP. "The public is sick and tired of personal injury lawyers suing everyone for everything so they can make money off the settlements.”

“With this name change, they are trying to portray themselves as white knights even though they really act like Darth Vader, attacking everything from summer camps and community playgrounds to mom and pop grocery stores,” said Pero.

“They can change their name, but they will still be personal injury lawyers whose goal is to make Michigan the first and only state to retroactively repeal its legal reform laws and see Lansing, Detroit and Grand Rapids declared judicial hellholes,” said Block.

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The Michigan Chamber is a statewide business organization which represents more than 7,100 employers, trade associations and local chambers of commerce. The Michigan Chamber was established in 1959 to be an advocate for Michigan’s job providers in the legislative, political and legal process.