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Trial Lawyer Esteem Suffers In Chamber Poll

A new Florida Chamber of Commerce poll suggests trial lawyers have an image problem.

The poll by the Florida Chamber of Commerce Political Institute showed 34 percent of likely voters have an unfavorable view of plaintiff’s attorneys. Just 15 percent said they had a favorable view.

But the Florida Justice Association’s Jeff Porter says the poll is just the business lobby trying to influence lawmakers. The chamber wants workers compensation reform after the Florida Supreme Court invalidated limits on attorney fees.

“We’ve seen this type of thing before. This is the beginning of a manufactured crisis of workers comp. What you don’t see the chamber talking about with all of this is real insurance reform.”

Porter says people who like to criticize trial attorneys change their minds when they need a lawyer.

A Miami native, former WFSU reporter Jim Ash is an award-winning journalist with more than 20 years of experience, most of it in print. He has been a member of the Florida Capital Press Corps since 1992.