Money for nothing

It came as something of a surprise to the Lord Chancellor's Department when we called to ask about its demand for cash from solicitors, contained in 'Extraordinary Practice Direction 218', which had been passed to us by Rugby firm Brethertons.

The e-mail, signed in the name of both the Lord Chancellor, Lord Irvine, and Rukhsana Wahab of the Legal Services Development Division, said: 'Practicing [sic] solicitors in England and Wales are invited to participate in dispute resolution of considerable import to the profession.

Practicing solicitors must each, by way of contributing to fair and equitable remedy in matters of breach of trust and fiduciary duty, make credit to account of Mr Paul Bantock the sum of forty-seven pounds Sterling, or the equivalent in ECUs.' Account details followed.

A mere 11 days after we first brought the blindingly obvious scam to the LCD's attention (if nothing else, the LCD does not issue practice directions), it has circulated a notice stating that the request is fraudulent and has been reported to the police.

But what if you have received a similar request and already paid up? Something about how certain members of society are soon parted from their money springs to mind.