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The legal profession sadly appears incapable of defending itself. Furthermore, the two branches of the legal profession appear incapable of uniting, to save what’s left of our legal system.

There are none to subtle clues as to the government’s current thinking. A heavy investment in IT means that unqualified civil servants may settle much low-level litigation, perhaps following a “triage” to marshal incoming disputes.

Much more criminal litigation will be conducted via video link, and defendants may be encouraged to make life changing decisions by pleading guilty online but in a hostile environment, unaided by independent legal advice.

Much more interlocutory proceedings will be dealt without the aid of lawyers by “smart” court forms.

The Land Registry is creating its own "Alice in Wonderland" digital land registration universe, where conveyancing may be conducted via blockchain, thus creating the potential for a future more extreme government to control the homebuying process for political reasons.

Probate and Powers of Attorney are being dumbed down, ignoring the concerns expressed by many, about the enormously increased potential for fraud and abuse, again because of a short-sighted obsession with digitisation.

The practise of law must evolve, but leadership is required to ensure that “modernisation” is not just a mere cloak for cost cutting, and a hollowing out of the Rule of Law.