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The fact that media reports of fat cat lawyers is discouraging people from using solicitors is like saying that fire is hot. Of course it is! The media and the insurance industry are very aware of this, as are politicians I'm sure. They use it to their advantage and their ability to do so far outweighs our ability to fight back. Most people who use solicitors become aware of their value and would do so again, but if they've never been involved in the court process and are faced with scare stories of people losing their homes to pay the 'fat cat lawyers' no doubt being a LiP is attractive. It is only afterwards that they may reflect that better advice may have brought about a better outcome, and by that time it is probably too late. Therefore a bitter taste is left by the whole court process and they may think again before entering the court room a second time.

We, as a profession, do not seem to know how to use the media. We are generally understated individually in 'putting ourselves forward' and our representatives, while well meaning no doubt, tend to be seen as pompous and upper-class, speaking with a cut-glass accent and therefore in the eyes of the public being lumped in with the 'haves' as opposed to the 'have nots'. So, anything our representatives may say is taken as being part of the conspiracy to do reasonable, ordinary people out of their hard earned cash.

It is sad that the general public have that perception of us. We all know that we are fighting ourselves against the system.

Do I have an answer, do I know how to fix that false perception? No, sadly I do not. But perhaps together as a profession we can work to change it.

Answers on a postcard...

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