Report comment

There should definitely be a code of ethics and a clear regulatory framework too governing the 'professional McKF' who charges for services. Customers who pay should be confident they are using something honest and competent within a legal support non-professional framework. Services should be restricted to ear whispering in court, helping to prepare papers, writing clear LiP skeleton arguments, helping them to articulate their own case before a judge. That sort of thing. Quite simply their role should be confined to supporting a LiP who remains firmly in charge of their own case, not offer legal advice by claiming they have been 'instructed' and they should do nothing along the lines some McK's have done - such as setting up as de facto lawyers using the same kind of terminologies and fee structures lawyers use, which could confuse potential users (not clients). The name 'Lord' Grayson and his pseudo-solicitor type terminologies and services springs to mind. Justice is about getting the right decision in court, based on the current law. That means highly professional training in law to give the best legal advice to help determine the basis for a case (or not) and to ensure the right result. A dishonest, ignorance, non-accountable, morally dubious, perhaps criminal de facto lawyer is not going to achieve that, which is why professional lawyers who are caught out breaking their code of ethics are, metaphorically speaking, strung up, hung, drawn and quartered - and and quite right too. People need confidence in the legal system and standards must be kept high to ensure that.