The chairman of the Law Society's civil litigation committee is canvassing practitioners about legal expense claimants being required to use insurers' panel solicitors up until legal proceedings are issued.


Stephen Mason, principal at Leeds firm Stephen Mason, criticised the practice of some insurers as contrary to the spirit of the EU directive on legal expenses.



He said: 'We are aware there are concerns, not just from the legal profession, about clients being deprived of their right to choose a solicitor.'



Fraser Whitehead, a senior litigation partner at national firm Russell Jones & Walker and committee member, said: 'By using a legal expenses lawyer, you give up the freedom of choosing your own lawyer and the use of a legal services contract where you get to choose the terms.'



The Association of British Insurers declined to comment.



Email your submissions to: martin.heskins@lawsociety.org.uk.



James Dean