The profession seems to keep dreaming up ideas to make its own life a bit more difficult. This week I had to go to a Midlands town and arrived at a shopping precinct next to the station. There were two stalls in the middle of the mall offering legal advice. One was offering general legal advice and one helping with compensation claims. These were not unqualified advisers but solicitors’ firms setting up their stall. I wonder what shoppers would think of this as they made their way through the shopping centre past alternative medicine kiosks, fish pedicures and fake imitation handbags retailers. Is this what we have come down to?

No of course not, but this is one face we put forward to the public. I read recently in the national press that the average solicitor's bill for a compensation claim is £1,500, which sounds correct, and the average payment to a referral company is £900.00. I do not know if that is right or not but I have no reason to doubt it. Why do we do this when it is so difficult to get work that pays anyway?

I went to a meeting organised by the Legal Services Commission. The discussion moved to matter starts, which is one of the ways the LSC tries to control costs. It limits the number of files that solicitors (now called providers) can open. The speaker said that if every firm asked for the numbers of matter starts it needs then everyone would be fine. Yes of course there would be enough to go around, but sadly people do not act in that way. A few bid for too many and the profession as a whole suffers.

I am used to stories about criminal clients being paid a few pounds to be interviewed, other clients 'selling' their charge sheets, and prisoners and hospital patients expecting cigarettes. We seem to be encouraged to give out free gifts such as pens and calendars. It is very difficult to resist this pressure. The stall I mentioned in the shopping centre had a sign offering £200 to be paid to clients who are signed up.

It does not particularly bother me if firms want to pay referral fees for work if they think that is what is best for them. But unfortunately it is the whole profession that suffers. I am always tempted to go up to these stalls and tell them some really obscure scenario, or say I have a cast iron case, the third anniversary is tomorrow and can I have my £200 please.