The Board of Governors of the Chattanooga Bar Association (CBA) unanimously passed the following resolution at Wednesday’s annual meeting. The decree changes the name of the CBA’s online lawyer referral service, presently known as “CLIPS,” to “Lawyer Referral Service” (LRS).
This change will be accompanied by a two-month recruitment campaign, to allow time for CBA members to sign up, followed by a campaign to inform the public of the Lawyer Referral Service using public service announcements on TV, radio, and print media beginning in April.
Thanks go out to Executive Director Lynda Hood, Immediate Past President Tim Mickel, and to the CBA Board of Governors for moving so quickly to implement this program. Here is the resolution in full:
“In response to a public need, and in further response to the recent Tennessee Access to Justice Initiative instituted by the Tennessee Supreme Court, we are asking the Board of Governors to approve changing the name of the CBA program CLIPS (Chattanooga Lawyers Information Provider Service) to ‘Lawyer Referral Service’ (herein called ‘LRS’).We are suggesting that this change be approved by the Board as soon as possible and that a recruitment effort be made from now through March to bring as many attorneys as possible on board. During the month of April and beyond, we will use TV, radio, and print media, as applicable, to deliver public service announcements which will inform the public that the CBA has an online Lawyer Referral Service which lists lawyers according to 30-plus areas of practice, is free to the public, and includes an initial 30-minute free consultation.
“We further propose that the basic nature of this service, being online access and paid by an annual $300.00 membership fee per participating attorney, will not change.
“We further propose that a sum be allocated at the next board meeting (preferably from LRS membership fees) for the cost, if any, of production, talent, and air time related to the public service announcements.
“Background and goals: A few years ago, the CBA’s Lawyer Referral Service was changed to an online service and renamed CLIPS, which currently has 22 participating attorneys out of 790 CBA members. We are hopeful that the name change and publicity campaign (1) will provide improved name recognition to both the bar and the public; (2) will provide the public with access to lawyers in specific practice areas; (3) will provide increased income to the CBA through the participating attorneys’ sign-up fees; and (4) will provide a recruitment tool to bring in new members to the CBA.
“Over the next several weeks, you will receive reminders. Please get your name and bio in the system before this train leaves in April. We would like to have attorneys listed in every field of law before we unveil this to the public. If you are an older attorney and you are not interested in taking more calls, sign up your younger associate and capture your firm’s share of this business. Thanks to all of you for helping make this happen, and thanks again to Lynda, Tim, and the Board for moving on this so quickly.”