Who? Neil Mercer, 40-year-old assistant solicitor with Curtis Solicitors in Plymouth. Ordinarily specialises in commercial litigation, construction matters, and some tort.


Why is he in the news? He is acting for a 61-year-old cancer patient who was telephoned 762 times by his bank in just eight months after falling into debt. David Lloyd and his wife, Annette Edwards, were bombarded with calls from Halifax representatives between January and August 2006, despite informing them immediately of Mr Lloyd's lung-cancer diagnosis. He received more than 300 calls in August 2006 alone.



Their debt is said to be around £7,000, although it is unclear exactly how much they owe because of a dispute over insurance policies, also taken out with the Halifax, which were intended to cover illness and unemployment.



The couple, from Manchester, eventually disconnected their telephone at the end of August. However, the Halifax then telephoned their daughter between 60 and 100 times on her mobile about her parents' debt. Mr Lloyd, who is now in remission, claims the experience has left him with a stammer and a phobia of using the telephone.



Mr Mercer applied for an injunction, damages and costs under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997, and has also begun proceedings claiming damages for personal injury through stress. He claims the Halifax has been forced to give an undertaking not to contact his clients in lieu of the injunction application.



A Halifax spokesman said he was unable to comment in detail on the case beyond: 'It is important to stress that we have stopped all contact with the customers, except through their solicitors, until the matter is resolved.'



Background: Mr Mercer studied for his law degree at Plymouth University between 1997 and 2000 and took the legal practice course the following year at Bournemouth University. He qualified in 2003 after training with Plymouth-based firm Nash & Co.



Route to the case: The couple contacted Mr Mercer directly after reading he had successfully represented another client in similar circumstances in the national newspapers.



Thoughts on the case: 'When the case first came to me, given that I deal with ordinary commercial litigation and construction matters, I did not think I had the time to take it on. But I could tell how distressed they were. I had done it [a similar case] before and they persuaded me it merited investigation. I felt I had to do something.



'What happened, basically, is they had various insurances that we believe cover their obligations. All of these products were with the Halifax. It seems surprising - but would have made good, practical sense - that the Halifax did not appoint a relationship adviser. This would have got their money back and avoided this sort of situation. Perhaps they should have fast-tracked their claims processes.'



Dealing with the media: 'There has been a significant amount of media interest in this story and there will be more. It has been covered by the Times and the Telegraph and in America and Malaysia. It is an issue that people feel very strongly about. The media has been largely helpful, sympathetic and sensitive.'



Anita Rice