Marketing & PR

Several well-known law firms have signed up to Oratto, the latest ‘find a lawyer’ website to hit the market, including Manchester firms JMW, Berg and Pannone Corporate, Liverpool’s Jackson Canter, Sheffield-based Simpson Sissons & Brooke, and Peterborough-based Buckles.

A lawyer-matching service to be launched by a Manchester solicitor next month aims to recruit 15,000 to 20,000 clients by the end of the year. Kid Harwood, director of Lawbid, said the service wanted to change the “balance of power” for consumers.

The new not-for-profit personal injury marketing collective that is looking to spend £12m in its first year has gone live under two of its three brands. Created by legal digital marketing agency mmadigital, the collective, National Injury Claimline, also says it has built technology that allows it to adjust its marketing on a real-time basis.

The Advertising Standards Authority has rejected a complaint over the way a Devon law firm marketed its success in representing drivers. Patterson Law said on its website that 3,314 out of its last 3,436 clients at risk of a driving ban avoided disqualification or got a significantly reduced driving ban

The Law Superstore, which claims that it will be the UK’s first true legal comparison website, has hit 150 ‘partner’ firms as it gears up to launch to consumers on 1 August. It said firms across the country have signed up to the site, including Blacks, Hansells, McMillan Williams, FBC Manby Bowdler, Redkite Law and Express Solicitors.

The Advertising Standards Authority has upheld a complaint over an advertisement from a website that claims to help clients recover a “huge amount” of their legal costs, which said that “on average, a solicitor overcharges you by 20%”. The offending advert was headed: “Top 5 ways your solicitor rips you off.”

The crisis engulfing the law firm that sent tweets ‘boasting’ about its success in defending local authorities in special educational needs and disability tribunals has escalated further today, with three council clients cutting their ties to the firm.

A law firm which offended parents of children with special educational needs and disability through comments on Twitter over the weekend is to face an investigation from the Solicitors Regulation Authority. Milton Keynes-based Baker Small has apologised and made a contribution to charity over its conduct.

Only a tiny number of law firms follow up enquiries from potential clients after making initial contact with them, ‘mystery shopper’ research has found. And even that initial contact is often too slow in a world where ever-more rapid responses are expected.

A claims management company that made 17.5m automated calls over just six months, asking people if they had suffered hearing loss at work, has been fined £250,000 by the Information Commissioner’s Office.