I work 60 hours a week, and for this am paid in the region of 30,000 a year.

What do I do?

I am a solicitor who qualified 15 years ago.

Like 98% of the profession, I do not work in the handful of City law firms earning huge salaries.

We work in private practice taking care of the problems that face the public at large and guide them through the minefield that is the law, most of which is laid down by those in Whitehall - many of whom have little or no experience of the real world outside.

Why do we do this job? Well, it certainly is not for the money or for a stress-free life.

The profession is one of the most regulated around so when I arrived home to see the headline in the Gazette reporting the arrival of 'Tesco law' and yet more regulation, (see [2003] Gazette, 31 July, 1), I have to ask why I bothered to qualify as a solicitor.

Morale in the profession is at an all-time low.

The continuing attacks on the profession by the government in terms of legal aid, regulation and other areas at every opportunity make me wonder if this is a profession and job I can continue with.

No other profession would put up with it.

It is a sad reality that my views are shared by many of my colleagues who work in the high street and if the Law Society and the powers that be are not careful there will be a sharp decline in those of us who work on the front line, and not in the top city firms, and that can only be detrimental to the public.

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