I am by nature a mild-mannered person who, along with my colleagues, plies his trade as a legal aid practitioner in a hostile and financially unrewarding world. We have had indignity after indignity heaped on our heads by successive governments, but the latest action to appoint the senior partner of Allen & Overy to the Carter review beggars belief (see [2005] Gazette, 22 September, 1).

Guy Beringer took time from licking the cream off his paws to inform us that the problem lies with us and we should all stop moaning and provide 'concrete suggestions to make legal aid better'. I would suggest that when the government sets up a review of City practices, for example, mergers and acquisitions or such like, that it appoints a high street legal aid practitioner (me, for instance) who knows nothing about such matters to the review.


I have lots of views on the City based on no experience that I am dying to share with Mr Beringer and his colleagues.


David Taylor, HCL Hanne & Co, London