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@anonymous -03.32 am:
Gosh, what are you doing writing on readers comments at that ungodly hour !

In any event, I think you will find that most solicitors would find it incredibly distasteful to hand out leaflets on the steps of the court or where ever even if we have a ready pool of poor mortals who would beg for our services at that time; quite aside from the fact that it is a breach of the rules as far as I am aware.

In any event, believe you me, we fully understand that we are businesses - we have been at the harsh end of that prodding stick for some time now. However, as PROFESSIONALS, we choose to manage our businesses in a professional manner - if that puts us at a disadvantage to the cut throat commercial competitors then so be it.

I for one, will not lower myself to compete with such ugliness that I sell my soul to the nasty side of commercialisation, thank you very much. That does not mean I am unwilling to change or haven't done so already. Nor does it mean that I am not willing to continue to strive to improve the way in which we work and become more client focussed. I am sure that the vast majority of my professional brethren are doing the same.

The reality is that the public is being politically brain washed into believing that the legal profession is bad and that DIY law and mediation is good. Couple that with our leaders who are not self promoting or extolling the advantages of using Solicitors and barristers when necessary in an effective way, leads to a warped view of us as a profession.

That is the true problem in our professional community.

Let me put another way, if I may; it is not that we are not commercial, or that we are dinosaurs of a bygone era - it is that we choose not to indulge in engaging in today's fashion of mindless profiteering because we believe in and respect our profession.

Back on topic, having attended the PRFD (sorry Central Family Court) yesterday, the first day of the new changes, not even on the List for reasons unknown, my 10 am, 30 minute hearing was finally heard at nearer to 5.00 pm due only to the willingness/kindness of the DJ to hear us then.

The several contested matters before us were slow to move on because of the LiP's - and now my client is facing a hefty bill for all the time we wasted in court through no fault of his or mine.

The victims in the absurd changes are not just the poor LiP's but the paying clients too.

....and somewhere there is a politician who thinks that mediation is a panacea, that is of course until they need to use the Courts themselves...