Patient Claims Line, a consumer brand of Southport solicitors Fletchers, has become sponsor of ITV daytime show Judge Rinder, in one of the first deals of its kind.

The six-figure sponsorship began yesterday, only a few days after Fletchers with three other specialist medical negligence firms.

Judge Rinder, inspired by the American court-based reality show Judge Judy, sees barrister Robert Rinder preside over hotly-contested small claims in an informal style. Mr Rinder, based at 2 Hare Court, is an international fraud and money-laundering specialist.

Alex Kenny, head of advertising at Fletchers, said he believed Patient Claims Line was the first law firm brand to sponsor a TV show – and was certainly the first in the medical negligence world.

“We decided that we wanted to do programme sponsorship, so it was just a case of waiting for the right programme with the right fit,” Mr Kenny said. “This show has a problem-solving legal angle to it and we have a good relationship with ITV.”

Mr Kenny said most TV advertising by personal injury firms took place during the day, partly because it was cheaper and partly because the audience was “more receptive” and had more time to make a phone call or look at a website.

He said Patient Claims Line was the brand which would provide most the claims for Medical Law Network. “This further investment in the brand should help all the firms in the panel.”

Mr Kenny added that the network was hoping to sign up two more firms next month to join the existing four.

“It’s important that you don’t sit down and rest on your laurels, otherwise you’ll be undertaken as things become more competitive.”

Tags: advertising, Fletchers, law firms, medical negligence