All That Ontario Businesses Need for Christmas is Free Legal Advice

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Nov. 28, 2011) - This holiday season, DAS Canada is giving an early Christmas present to Ontario's small and mid-sized businesses by gifting them with a full week of free legal advice. For the week of December 5, Ontario business owners will be able to get a taste of DAS Canada's Legal Expense Insurance solution when DAS opens up its legal service hotline - usually an exclusive benefit to policy holders - for a week of free qualified legal advice. Callers will be connected with a lawyer to answer their business-related legal questions, free of charge.

Questions to the Legal hotline can be anything from employment disputes to unpaid receivables to health and safety closures or any other potential legal headaches that could arise. With the average cost of a lawyer in Ontario running at over $355 per hour, most Ontario businesses will greatly benefit from a means of having affordable access to the legal system.

"Many smaller businesses don't have the means to keep a lawyer on retainer," said Barbara Haynes, CEO of DAS Canada. "When unexpected legal issues arise, they can be an enormous financial blow for small companies. Our policies enable Canadian businesses to get affordable access to justice."

Haynes cites the high profile case of a Toronto shopkeeper who was acquitted last year of forcibly confining a shoplifter. "No one could ever have predicted the events that unfolded that day, but the incident left the shopkeeper with an enormous legal bill," said Haynes. "Had he been a DASbusiness policy holder, legal assistance would have been available to him at a fraction of the cost incurred throughout his trial."

To assist Ontarians with their legal matters, DAS Canada is opening up its legal support hotline to small business owners throughout the province for a full week, beginning 12:01 am on December 5, 2011 and ending at 11:59 pm on December 11, 2011. Small business owners can call 1-877-88-ADVICE (1-877-882-3842) and use the promo code ONTFREE during that period to have access to qualified advice on their legal issues.

The company is also hosting a "business legal nightmares" contest to hear from small business owners about legal challenges they've had to face. Participants can enter for a chance to win $1,000 Staples gift card by visiting www.das.ca/ontariostories and telling their stories.

DASbusiness is designed to protect businesses against the cost of potential business legal disputes, allowing them to focus on their core business while knowing that their legal counsel and expenses are covered if and when the need arises. The company's call-center provides policyholders with direct access to legal experts to assist them in determining the best course of action in a given situation.

About DAS Canada

DAS Legal Protection Insurance Company Limited (DAS Canada) is a subsidiary of DAS Group, a global leader in the ten billion dollar legal expense insurance market. DAS Group is based in Germany and is a subsidiary of ERGO, Munich Re's primary insurer in Europe and Asia. DAS Canada is committed to bringing a fresh, modern approach to the marketplace, combining a forward-thinking attitude with almost a century of expertise. A full-service specialist in legal expense insurance, DAS Canada offers access to affordable justice for individuals, groups and small and mid-sized businesses. Policies are currently available in all Canadian Provinces and Territories (license pending in Quebec). For more information, please visit www.das.ca.