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"The first element of a business model was the question of delivering value, he said. Not all case outcomes, such as securing a person’s liberty or preserving someone’s nationality, had a monetary value. But Mayson asked solicitors how they were ‘best positioned’ to create that value".

They're not, because under the LA scheme they get paid a fixed sum which bears no relationship to the non-monetary benefit of having a legal system which is recognised as delivering just results.

‘When you can answer that, you’re in a better position to say what resource do you need to deliver that. ‘Can you use non-lawyers instead of lawyers? Can you use technology instead of human beings? Do you have to do everything in real time… or can you do it virtually?’

Yes, for some things. But so far we don't have robots that can write letters, use the telephone, and decide what to argue at CMHs. Human judgement remains an essential part of this process. Delivering non-routine legal services means one on one contact. As I used to say to clients complaining about hourly rates, I can only deal with one person's case at a time, and if we could only make one screw per hour they'd cost £100 each as well.

The implication of course is that there is no future in doing legal aid work, unless you accept you should earn the same or less than a bus driver. Which may of course be the value that society should place upon lawyers. And is of course the direction we have been heading in under governments of all descriptions since about five years after I qualified.

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