The headline ‘Firms "over the worst" of recession’ (see [2009] Gazette, 24 September, 1) may have been intended to be encouraging, but readers will have been struck by the extraordinary insensitivity of the wording of the report, which said that firms were ‘finally reaping the rewards of staff cuts’.

At our four fee-earner sole practitioner firm in north Wales (no redundancies, but some borrowing from the bank), we are glad to know that equity partners in the large firms, having been rewarded for reducing payroll expenses, are doing so well again.

Too bad about those who made money for them in the good years and have now lost their jobs. And too bad also about those who have spent large sums on their law studies and were expecting to begin their careers in the profession, but can now find no vacancies.

Barry Macloskey, Barry Macloskey Solicitors, Wrexham