I understand that the new Law Society President is sympathetic to the fact that in-house lawyers who pay the practising certificate fee are subsidising private practice members. However, it would be interesting to know the amount by which employed solicitors are subsidising their private brethren. Will the Law Society publish a figure showing by how much the fee would have to be increased if all in-house solicitors stopped taking out certificates?

Stephen Hardy, company secretary, Ibstock Group, London