Space does not permit a critique of the madness which has been the application process devised by the Legal Services Commission (LSC) for membership of a very high-cost case panel. The grand scale of the insanity, however, can be illustrated by this example.


A popular barrister prepares 40 pages, comprising an application form and supporting evidence of qualification as a panel advocate. Perhaps 100 firms include those 40 pages in their applications, but each firm has to produce four additional copies of their entire application. Simple maths tells us that the LSC has now received 16,000 pages (40x100x4), generated by the original 40 pages.



This is the LSC driving towards value for the taxpayer, except in this case, it is the solicitors who have borne the costs, as I assume the LSC will not actually read 400 copies of the same document.



Or perhaps it will...



Greg Powell, Powell Spencer & Partners, London