Tapping into cash

District Judge George Harrison criticises solicitors for doing 'precious little' about keeping up with the court service in its on-line revolution to improve its systems (see [2002] Gazette, 25 April, 16).

The judge's views are really rather quaint.

They are also not untypical of a civil service which fails to understand the practicalities of working in the private sector.

In almost the same breath, the judge refers to the court project as being currently funded to the extent of 160 million with the intention to increase this to 600 million.

Let us take this latter figure, and assume that all firms of solicitors in the country will participate (although that would not necessarily be the case).

Let us also assume that a similar amount of funding was made available by government to the private sector.

This comprises, at the last count, 8,306 firms of solicitors practising in the UK.

This would then amount to just more than 70,000 per practice to allow for staff training and the installation of gadgetry.

A great number of firms, particularly the smaller ones which appear to be the target of the judge's criticism, could do mightily well on a cash injection of that amount to provide the necessary participation.

The Lord Chancellor might even get some loose change back as well.

Richard Meere, managing partner, Enoch Evans, Walsall