ACSO’s members are drawn from across the UK’s wider civil justice/consumer support sectors.
Our members include leading law firms, claims management companies, legal expenses insurers, medical reporting agencies, barristers’ chambers, charities, consumer groups and other membership groups, as well as companies that supply services to these organisations.
The benefits of ACSO membership include:
- Shaping the agenda – by sitting on our core working groups you directly contribute to our approach, priorities and objectives.
- Stakeholder engagement – you have access to and the ability to influence every major industry stakeholder on day-to-day and longer-term thematic matters before policy has been decided.
- Professional lobbying – you help ensure that senior politicians, policymakers and regulators hear the voice of the consumer and of those organisations who support them and shape policy decisions before they are made.
- Pooled resources – we gather your views and then respond on your behalf to all relevant consultations and inquiries, saving you the effort of doing so and producing a more compelling message on behalf of the consumer and the whole industry.
- Media relations – by engaging positively with trade and national media and providing issues management we articulate the benefits of what our members do and inform the broader debate.
- Commercial insights – you have access to industry and bespoke insights, including trend analysis and the latest government and stakeholder data and reports.
- Networking – you are invited to bespoke events including cross-industry discussions, our working group meetings and select social gatherings where we bring senior people together from our members and supports.
- Profile raising – you feature in our communications, on our website and have access to our membership area, which contains a range of reports and information.
- Reputation management – by signing up to the ACSO Code of Ethics, you contribute to defining the behaviours expected of those who support consumers as claimants in the civil justice system.
ACSO membership consists of the following types:
- Commercial full members
Most members fall in this category of commercial firms who typically have a direct interest in ACSO’s core working group activity and in the relevant markets, and who represent consumers in those areas. Full members sit on our working groups, support our industry, stakeholder and political engagement and benefit directly from our pooling of resources on consultation and inquiry responses. - Subsidiary full members
Commercial firms who are subsidiaries or sister companies of a commercial full member. These members are admitted to membership on a case-by-case basis. They typically pay no additional charge as the subscription paid by the parent company should reflect the relevant combined turnover; however, they are members in their own right and enjoy the same branding and other membership opportunities. - Not-for-profit/charity members
Such members are assessed on a case-by-case basis and will either pay no (or a very limited) subscription as a full member or become an associate member, depending upon the nature of the organisation. This could include consumer bodies such as those dedicated to supporting litigants-in-person or vulnerable people. - Associate members
An associate member is typically an organisation that does not have a direct interest in the ACSO core working group activities and/or does not represent consumers relevant to these areas. They do, however, have an indirect interest and wish to support ACSO’s work to improve consumer outcomes and market functionality. They may be a commercial or not-for-profit/charity organisation.