Richard Chapman writes persuasively about the role of solicitors giving assistance to self-represented litigants. I am sure that if it were just a matter of helping a professional colleague, many would be happy to oblige. The matter is, however, deeper than that.

These problems are arising because politicians and their well-paid and pensioned bureaucratic friends are determined to make private practice increasingly impossible for the ordinary solicitor. These problems are arising in consequence. Of course we could help, but the simple question is ‘why the hell should we?’.

Martin Sewell, solicitor, Gravesend