I wonder whether we high street solicitors should be too disheartened by the recent Which? report suggesting that a majority of the public is keen to obtain legal services from banks and supermarkets (see [2006] Gazette, 7 December, 4). The idea may sound attractive in theory, but how will it work out in practice? If these institutions are just selling legal materials, will the consumer be able to choose and use them without advice? If they are selling advice as well, it is unlikely to be local face-to-face advice from a qualified lawyer.


The experience of the Law Shop service provided by my firm over the past ten years (selling legal forms, books, and kits plus legal advice at £6 for a five-minute unit) is that there is a huge market for people wanting face-to-face advice along with DIY legal materials.



High street solicitors are already set up to provide this local legal DIY-support service cost-effectively, if it is packaged as an alternative to the traditional 'acting for you' service. It uses existing premises, does not involve file management, back-office staff or legal aid bureaucracy. Clients pay on the spot. New revenue comes from selling the same materials as the supermarkets.



The Law Society should promote this concept, which meets a huge unmet need, delights clients, does wonders for the profession's image, and might even get a plaudit from Which?



Peter Browne, Bristol