In the sympathetic sense of the word, I pity Jewels. The Legal Services Commission clearly does not. An LSC spokesman said: ‘We are sorry to learn that Jewels Solicitors have decided to go into administration and we are now working with the administrators to ensure the firm’s clients continue to get the help they need. With other providers in the area, we anticipate there will be no major impact on access to legal advice.’

And stuff the poor lawyer who risked his livelihood to serve those clients well for 30 years; and stuff the lawyers and support staff who toiled, probably for much less than an LSC wage, and have been thrown into unemployment by apparent incompetence. I guess the firm was also contributing hundreds of thousands of pounds to the government coffers in VAT and income tax each year. False economy?

And ‘sorry’! For what? On the face of this reported story, the LSC has delivered the coup de grace to Jewels without shame or concern, when it could have avoided this merely by honouring its own commitment. For that, surely the least the LSC could do would be apologise.

Gordon Brown, Gordon Brown Law Firm, Newcastle upon Tyne