I read with interest the article 'Setting standards' by the Law Society's chief executive Janet Paraskeva (see [2003] Gazette, 25 September, 20).

I write as a solicitor of some 50 years in practice and as a local conciliation officer of the Office for the Supervision of Solicitors (OSS) for many years.

I wonder what the chief executive means by the following statement contained in her article: 'Before the complainant reaches us in the midlands, they have already had poor service from their solicitor, and have tried and failed to get satisfaction from that solicitor's firm.'

Is she suggesting that every complaint that comes to the OSS is justified and, if so, how does she conclude that the complainants have already had poor service from their solicitors by the time cases reach the OSS? While there are far too many complaints that are justified, there are also many complaints that are unjustified and the article does not appear to take this into account.

Peter Skinnard, Blight Broad & Skinnard Solicitors, Callington