The letter from Hugh Barrett of the Legal Services Commission refers to the allocation of new matter starts according to ‘client demand’. He implies that the LSC are responding to client needs rather than the interests of solicitors. A clever approach but misleading.

The allocation of matter starts ignores client choice totally. In mental health work, clients often instruct solicitors whom they have used before or who have been recommended. At the moment clients are generally able to select the solicitor of their choice.

So if I used 60 matter starts last year it would have meant that 60 clients wanted mental health representation from me. Those 60 people were able to be represented by the solicitor of their choice. From October, my matter starts are going to be reduced (as are those of many other providers). If the level of client demands stays the same clients who want my service will not be able to get it but will be obliged to instruct another solicitor whom they have not picked as first choice.

This is not about client choice. It ignores the interests of mental health clients who are a vulnerable section of the community. In future, they are likely to find that they are represented by somebody imposed on them by the LSC rather than the person they want.

Duncan Lennox , Harthills, Rotherham