We should endeavour to uphold the highest standards of professional integrity expected of a solicitor and officer of the court, and to make the best interests of clients central to our practice of the law.

The article about how personal injury firms can prosper in the new costs system refers to ‘loss leaders’ and serious PI cases as the ‘crown jewels’. We need to be paid for work to remain in practice. However, we should remember that we practise law and use our skills and experience for the benefit of our clients. A so-called ‘crown jewel’ may mean complete paralysis for an individual.

If I was a member of the public reading about the most seriously injured people being described as ‘crown jewels’, I may be forgiven for thinking that a solicitor’s priority was connected with money and fees, and not achieving proper compensation and justice for a person whose life has been changed forever.

Naomi Pinder, QualitySolicitors Jackson & Canter, Liverpool