It was Christmas eve and I had invited the staff to have a festive drink with me. Sadly those who were still left in the office seemed to want to go as soon as possible so I decided not to waste the cooking sherry, and instead had value packets of nibbles which I enjoyed alone. I dozed off and was woken by a shadowy figure standing over me. He seemed unhappy so I thought it was a dissatisfied client but he looked strangely like a former colleague. He said he had been sent to warn me of my bad deeds. I explained I do not do conveyancing and that we have few deeds in the office at all. He explained he meant deeds in a wider sense. He told me I would be haunted by three spirits.

The first visitor was the Ghost of Clients Past. He came without an appointment and I tried to get my secretary to ask him to come back after Christmas or go because I would not be able to help him. Could he try a pro bono advisor or advice agency? Sadly she was packing up to go home and I had to deal with him. The spirit took me back to a time before fax, email and computers and when I was in articles (or a training contract as it would be called now). Times were better. Fees were high, time was charged in hours if at all. Conveyancing was profitable. Legal aid was something that was done by a few firms mainly in towns. Indemnity insurance was expensive but there was only one provider.

It was a time at Christmas with parties thrown by police, prosecutors and estate agents. Solicitors were welcome at banks who would lend money. Solicitors were called 'sir' by their clients. Solicitors were given gifts. And here were my first clients; my first divorce, my first appearance at court, my first conveyance. They did not seem pleased to see me. They were shaking their heads and complaining.

I fell asleep and was woken by the second spirit, the Ghost of Clients Present. My desk was loaded with all the work left undone before I went on holiday and not looked at again. I was shown all the clients I had not seen as often as they wanted throughout the year or returned their emails, telephone calls or replied to their letters instantly. All the clients I had met in the street but forgotten who they were were crowding around me. Then I was surrounded by men and women with stopwatches in their hands, new rule books and manuals, shaking their heads and tut-tutting about expected outcomes or some such. Then my partners appeared holding up time sheets. Time is now charged in minutes.

There are no parties to go to. Indemnity is expensive but there are loads of providers. There is no time for Christmas parties. Solicitors are not welcome at banks or anywhere else. Solicitors call clients 'sir'. Solicitors give gifts. Legal aid is something that is done by a few firms in towns. The clients did not seem pleased to see me. They were shaking their heads and complaining

I dozed off once again and was visited by the third spirit, the Spirit of Clients Future. I woke to find I was in a large supermarket pushing a trolley around. I went past the still fresh counter, the buy one get one free counter and on to a display of solicitors, all packed up with cellophane like joints of meat. 'Buy one lawyer; get one free', said the Tannoy. Time will be charged in seconds. Indemnity insurance will be expensive and there will be no providers. Solicitors get part-time jobs working at Christmas parties. Solicitors have no clients, they have customers.

Legal aid will be something that will be done by a few firms in towns. Yes, even in the future there will still be a few clinging on to legal aid like dear life. The clients will not seem pleased to see me. They will be shaking their heads and complaining. I will be acting for the grandsons and granddaughters of the first clients.

I woke to my desk and my office. I will amend my ways: I will live in the past present and future. I will see all my clients, read all the rule books and keep up with the law. I will provide a quality service at a cheap price that clients want. I will be nice to staff, fellow professionals, the courts and everyone. Fortunately it was all a dream.

David Pickup is a partner in Aylesbury based Pickup & Scott