Readers may have recently noticed sinister-looking vehicles with darkened windows being driven around in the early hours of the morning. From inside emerges muffled rhythmic chanting: 'structures and processes', 'efficient delivery', 'relationship partnership', 'risk-based performance', 'quality assurance', 'shock and awe'. Stencilled on the windows are the dreaded letters LSC. This is the crack new Legal Services Commission's mental health unit - they mean business and do not mind breaking eggs.



With most mental health lawyers more than 50 years of age and comparatively isolated, the view is that a bit of 'roughing up' should be enough to make these ageing lawyers see sense and be reasonable. After all, it is a partnership - the lawyers just need a little reminding. They really should have signed up to the generous fixed fees that had been offered.



Over the past few months, solicitors' mental health departments have suffered audits from the new specialist mental health unit. They are specialists in the sense that they may know no mental health law, but they do know how to audit.



Of the relatively few firms audited, at least 13 have been reduced to category 3 (the worst you can get), with huge repayments being demanded by the commission. Many, if not all, were previously category 1 and were well regarded by their colleagues. Judicial review proceedings have been issued by the Mental Health Lawyers Association.



Mental health lawyers are angry and demoralised, and all fear the knock on the door from the LSC. After 30 years' specialism in legal aid and mental health in particular, like most others I have had enough.



Ben Hoare, Sunderland