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some of the people who post on here still appear to believe the "fat cat" lawyer myths peddled about civil litigators... I act (inter alia) doing debt collection and contract dispute work for many small local businesses and the hike to £10000 for Small Claims has ended associations of years with clients who simply are not prepared to pay a solicitor when there is no prospect of recovering the fees. I end up, however, clearing up a lot of messes. One of my main areas of work is land law and possessions. The intended increase in possession fee to £355 is also going to make many landlords think at least twice before going forward given that the tenant often has substantial rent arrears and no means of paying any costs (remember again that extremely minimal fixed solicitors costs are recoverable in possession actions so same principle of not wanting to pay a solicitor applies as in Small Claims cases). so we end up charging fixed fees for these areas of work which don't even begin to match up to the actual work involved the time spent on the job can't be stinted on just cos only a small fixed fee is recoverable one still has to do a proper job). Realistically my fee income is only going to deteriorate and the axe is likely to fall sooner rather than later as I become a drain on the resources of my already overstretched employers (even at my pitiful provincial salary at newly qualified level when I have over 25 years qualification I am expected to make considerably more than the 3 and1/2 times salary which used to be the target and to do my own typing and admin). I would like the minister to come and spend a few weeks working in our office and see the reality of the situation, listen to the people having heart attacks when you indicate how much it is likely to cost to take a case to Court (and that's before I even mention my fees). I couldnt afford to go to Court now (not even at the Small Claim level fees which are not "small" at all) let alone most ordinary people in the street. Add to that that much of my work never has a more than 50% chance of succeeding (due to the considerable inconsistencies between Distirct and Circuit Judges) then its a recipe for disaster. Actually anyone who is into lawyer bashing, it is our profession and our job and it should not be a crime to make a decent living out of it given how long we studied and trained to get here. My relatives are more comfortably off being teachers and sales reps than I am in a respectable years old profession. In fact working in ASDA is starting to look much more attractive, after 12 weeks you get staff discount on the food....oh and PS my domestic partner is a Criminal Solicitor so no hope of living off him

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