Stephen Hanson complains that he was given work no one else could be bothered with and was made redundant in favour of an unqualified conveyancing clerk. In the same edition, John Gurney-Champion says he runs a profitable practice without paying referral fees. The contents of these letters are very closely linked and should be considered carefully.

Mr Hanson makes no mention of any effort on his part to win new work by creating and impressing business contacts (estate agents, mortgage brokers and so on). He implies that he simply turned up for work expecting it to be on his desk. No wonder that work was passed on to a less-qualified, and probably lower-paid, colleague. However, Mr Gurney-Champion, by ensuring that all work was done to a high standard, impressed not only his clients, but also his important business contacts, thereby winning new work.

You can sit back and hope work will reach you; pay referral fees to make sure work reaches you; or market yourself, your firm and your first-class service to make sure your receive regular new work.

This year could be the last real opportunity for the high street solicitor to protect his market. One easy way is to offer to make the deficient home information pack worthwhile for sellers, buyers and estate agents. Even if HIPs disappear, promoting the basic concept of providing information up front should continue, and should be offered by every conveyancing solicitor worth their salt.

Rob Hailstone, the Bold Group, Devon