The hot news this morning is that Merck has agreed to a Vioxx settlement. The total cost of the settlement for Merck is $4.85 Billion.

Although all the details of the deal are not yet known, the terms apparently require that at least 85% of the plaintiffs must agree to the deal or it won't happen.

The deal also establishes some kind of matrix by which each claim will be judged - although the specifics of the matrix have not yet been reported. Presumably the factors that will determine the value of each claim include the length of time that the victim had taken Vioxx as well as the severity of the injury (or death) and the impact on the victim's life. Presumably the details will become public in the very near future.

The question for plaintiffs and their lawyers is whether or not to accept this settlement. I am sure that some attorneys will still want to try their most dramatic cases, but victims who have waited so long may be tempted to take the money and run.

Merck on the other hand seems to have escaped what could have been an even bigger liability with over 40,000 plaintiffs already having filed suit, the defense attorneys' fees alone would have run into the billions of dollars if they had all been tried.

Many of our clients actively advertised for Vioxx and other mass tort claims and our clients have generated thousands of cases with our TV advertising. One of the advantages that we offer is that our clients were on TV advertising for Vioxx cases just days after the news broke giving them a huge advantage over their competition.

Harlan Schillinger

Hispanic Marketing
The Hispanic population in the U.S. has grown at a rate much faster than any other ethnic group and now sits at 44 million. Hispanics are a fast-growing, diverse ethnicity in the United States. With growth surging nearly 58% from 1990 to 2000 (more than four times the growth rate of the U.S. population) and almost another 13% from 2000 to 2003, Hispanics now comprise 14.7% of the total population. More significantly, the community is expected to keep growing at a strong and steady pace. By 2010 it is estimated that there will be 56 million Hispanics; by 2050, 30% of the entire U.S. population will be Hispanic. This is demographic growth that would be foolish to ignore!

The simple basics of marketing teach us that business growth is directly related to increased market share. In today's competitive legal arena, that isn't easy to do. Each year more firms enter the advertising arena and strive to take away your share of market to grow theirs! Businesses look to accomplish growth by either introducing a new product or by introducing their product to a new market.

The emerging Hispanic market represents potential for significant growth in your practice. Members of the Hispanic community are among the most loyal and strongly convicted referral based demographic groups in this country. Assuming you provide them a good service, extend to them a warm welcome, embrace their families and respect their cultural differences, you can reap the benefits of a client (which translates to community) for life. They will tell everyone they know in their close-knit, strongly connected community about you and your services if you treat them well and connect with them.

There are many sub-markets within the comprehensive Hispanic market out there and a "one size fits all" approach will probably fail. In today's competitive market, it is not good enough just to say: "we are going to target the Hispanic market". A more analytical approach is needed.

Whether it's television or radio, grass root events or interview style talk shows, crafting the messages to appeal to the specific heterogeneous, multicultural-multiethnic Hispanic communities within your market is of paramount importance. A Mexican doesn't dance Tango and an Argentinean doesn't sing Rancheras. An effective Hispanic marketing strategy is so much more than translation. It's interpreting and transcreating messages and concepts and branding elements that are relevant and impactful and meaningful to the specific Hispanic audience you want to target.

In addition, don't just rely on an ad campaign. You will have to make a commitment to implement strategies to help your practice establish the internal infrastructure to address the needs of your new Hispanic clientele.

The Hispanic community, if targeted appropriately through carefully considered marketing messages and cultural competency, is one that can provide your practice with significant growth potential.

Looking to grow your business in 2007? Interested in learning if Hispanic opportunities exist in your market? Give us a call at 1-800-525-3332 or email for your individual market analysis.

Put us to the test right now.
Stop what you're doing right now and take 10 minutes to call me at 1-800-525-3332. I'll give you two new ideas on how you can strengthen your Internet strategy today. You've got absolutely nothing to lose and a powerful practice marketing tool to gain.

On behalf of our entire legal division, thank you for taking the time to read this issue of Inside the Network. We'll be back next month with another topic of vital importance to your practice.

Sincerely,


Harlan Schillinger
Vice President
Legal Marketing Division