Paul Hemelryk, in calling for the restitution of the Solicitors Indemnity Fund, obviously did not have the experience that I did with SIF.

I came back from my annual holiday to find a SIF bill on my desk for £45,000, an increase of £25,000 on the previous year. We were a three-partner firm then and the reason for the huge increase was that one of my then partners incurred a claim from his previous practice of £45,000 which, despite the SIF saying it was a gratuitous claim, they settled, as it was not worth the trouble of defending such a small claim!

The increase was to last five years – £125,000 in increased premiums for a £45,000 claim. They were amateurs doing a professional job.

Richard Williams , R R Williams & Son Solicitors, Sutton Coldfield