Press Releases and Announcements - 26 July 2011
CHOICE expands benefits to members with 'CHOICE Help - Legal'
Pilot program begins with Maurice Blackburn Lawyers
To give its members access to a greater range of services
CHOICE, the people's watchdog, is joining with Maurice Blackburn
Lawyers to provide CHOICE Help - Legal.
Under the plan CHOICE Plus* members will be able to access legal
advice on a range of consumer and financial issues. These may
include faulty products or services, warranties and phone
contracts, as well as questions about financial planners, brokers,
insurers and superannuation.
This is the first of what CHOICE hopes will be a range of 'Help'
services.
"There's a lot of consumer confusion and mistrust out there,
especially in the services area. CHOICE's role has always been to
cut through the complexity and help consumers get information they
can trust," says CHOICE Commercial Director, George Perry.
"CHOICE Help - Legal combines the CHOICE reputation for
independence and trust with the legal expertise of Maurice
Blackburn Lawyers, a respected law firm with a strong reputation as
a defender of consumers' rights."
Maurice Blackburn Lawyers believes that the partnership with
CHOICE is a natural fit: a relationship that improves the ability
of both organisations to provide much needed services to Australian
consumers.
"Maurice Blackburn is delighted to partner with CHOICE in this
innovative program. We have a proud history of fighting for
consumers. We are standing up for Australians in a number of class
actions including those to recover exhorbitant bank fees and a
number of actions for victims of faulty products such as Bonsoy
Milk, prosthetic hips and defective artificial knees," says Maurice
Blackburn Principal, Ben Slade.
The pilot project, initially offered to 250 CHOICE Plus members
for $85 per annum or $21.25 per quarter, began on 26 July 2011 and
will be trialled for 12 months.
CHOICE Help - Legal is intended to provide CHOICE Plus members
with secure, private and cost effective legal advice on consumer
issues.
For more information about CHOICE Help - Legal go to: www.choice.com.au/choicehelp
*CHOICE Plus members have access to all of CHOICE's online
content at www.choice.com.au. They also
receive the CHOICE Magazine.
Media enquiries
Ingrid Just, Head of Choice Media: 0430 172 669
Stephen Moynihan, Maurice Blackburn Media: 0419 112 711