Improving fortunes for loners

It will have been easy over the last few years for sole practitioners to sink into mire of depression.Narrowing profit margins, a shrinking legal aid budget, a changing conveyancing market, the constant struggle with new technology, and the rapid moves towards specialism have combined to make general practice increasingly difficult for the one-solicitor band.But as last weeks Sole Practitioner Group (SPG) conference well illustrates, those flying solo are a sturdy and tenacious breed.

And there are welcome signs of improving health for sole practice.

Two weeks ago, a Mid-Glamorgan-based sole practitioner, Andrew Hopper, became only the fifth solicitor QC.

Other success stories include the media law specialist David Price, the footballers solicitor/agent Nick Trainer, the prominent exponent of solicitor chambers, Neil Davidson (who won the Society of Computers and Law IT prize last year) and Brussels-based Michael Renouf.Official support also seems to be increasing.

Recently, the Law Society warned lenders that refuse to instruct sole principals in conveyancing transactions that their actions could be referred to the Office of Fair Trading as anti-competitive.Sole practice may face a difficult future, but it is not dead yet.