The Court of Appeal’s clear message and warning on the difficulties associated with obtaining relief from sanction and Lord Dyson’s statement that ‘if we were to overturn the decision to refuse relief, it is inevitable that the attempt to achieve a change in culture would receive a major setback’ may just be smoke and mirrors, given the prospect that disappointed clients will simply turn their litigious intentions on their solicitors.

This will no doubt lead to a proliferation in indemnity insurance claims against the profession and, ipso facto, satellite litigation and rising costs.

Is it too much to ask the powers that be to stop transferring consequences to those practising on the frontline?

David Tracey, Redferns, North Harrow 

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