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Mr Anonymous. I didn't mean to convey to readers here that all solicitors are a waste of time and rip people off. I apologise if I did. I had a brilliant housing solicitor about 15 years ago who was a godsend (even if he did charge a fortune. Luckily I was a well paid consultant at the time and could afford him). At other times I can say, unequivocally, that my own efforts have hugely contributed to if not improved on the outcomes I would have otherwise received. Eg., I was involved in a minor criminal matter a few years ago. I was represented, didn't like the defense strategy at all - because I felt it was unworkable - but went along with it anyway but only because I knew I had an automatic appeal if I lost. I was right. I did lose and was sentenced to curfew (not spent for 5 years), which was harmful to my prospects. Three months later, after my solicitors had told me I had no chance of successful appeal, I appealed anyway as a LiP - realising that I had little to lose -, sifted through the same evidence (no knew evidence emerged) and got an acquittal on a case that was supposed to be unwinnable, according to the legal experts I had consulted beforehand. On another occasion, not much later,I was cautioned for non payment of a train ticket (the Oyster machine failed) when I refused to pay the penalty charge. The train company then tried to prosecute me for fare evasion but actually tried to stitch me up with a section 5 instead of a minor bylaw offence under s.17 Railways Act. I went to a brilliant, highly expensive solicitor known to be the travel ticket offense guru in the field who certainly helped - a lot.. But the pivotal reason why the train company dropped the matter entirely - at court- was not just due to his name and eliquently written letter to them; it was also because I'd had the foresight to photograph incriminating evidence against the train company before the matter got to court who had tried to make out that I had failed to give correct ID on the train (I had not signed off their notes so they were free to change the content at will).. I am convinced that I would have been convicted on strict liability if had I not done this, resulting in a criminal record for deliberate fare evasion. Again, this was due to my efforts largely, with the joint support of a hugely expensive solicitor, which stopped this awful train company 'in its tracks.' But they'd had a damned good try getting me fitted up like a kipper. Thankfully I have a masters degree in criminal justice policy, which helps, and loads of other law related experience over my lifetime. Solicitors can and do give a good service - at times - to weigh up available evidence - but I feel that they often don't listen or communicate that well and sometimes infer that any successes won are purely down to their interventions, which is not always the case at all.