Mr Digby-Bell is entitled to his opinions, which he is rarely slow to publicise. In doing so in his letter without a word in advance or participation in the council’s debates, he belittles the considerable efforts of the Law Society and its president in fighting for access to justice and against the government’s threatening legal aid cuts.

I doubt that many of the Gazette’s readers or those who voted for him are aware that, of the last 20 council meetings he has been eligible to attend, he has only turned up to seven. Had he paid more attention or enquired, his observations would have been better informed.

The views he expressed are not shared by the national or City of London law societies; something I am qualified to make clear because of my roles in both, and my regular attendances at their meetings.

David McIntosh QC, council member and past-president, the Law Society; chair, City of London Law Society; senior consultant, Rodney Warren & Co