With regard to ‘Join a brand, warns Holt’ there is a fundamental difference between providing a service and selling a product.

Tesco and WHSmith sell products.

The legal profession provides legal services.

Some may wish their ‘service’ to be from a brand and will be willing to be treated as a customer and for a price.

Most, owing to the personal nature and importance to them of the matter, will wish to have a service from someone they know and trust.

As a profession we are being criticised (in some instances quite rightly) from many quarters and feel the need to react.

But should our development be driven by what others say we should be doing, or by the people who instruct us and who we deal with on a regular basis?

Those who demand change often believe that change is the way to manage and demonstrate their competence. History suggests the opposite is true, but then when did we ever learn from history?

Richard Tinn, Richard Tinn Solicitors, Boston, Lincolnshire