Report comment

My recollection is that back in about 1980 there were approximately 48,000 solicitors. There was legal aid. There were very few litigants in person appearing in any courts. There was scarcely any complaint that the public were unable to find or afford legal representation.
What has happened? Nearly four times as many solicitors. No legal aid. The courts full of litigants in person. Repeated cries about those who are unable to find or afford representation.
The only answer that I can come up with is that solicitors are single handedly responsible for the poor productivity of the country.
In fairness they are probably spending most of their time doing anti money laundering and proceed of crime checks, writing client care letters, responding to SRA diversity questionnaires (and many other) and trying to keep up with and cope with the stifling amount of over regulation the profession is engulfed in.