While the announcement that the Legal Services Commission will be delaying payments to solicitors should not, in itself, have any long-lasting impact upon the profession, it just goes to show how much power the LSC has over us.

If a privately paying client had a cashflow problem then perhaps yes, you would tolerate the odd late payment of an invoice. However, would you continue to act for that client if they paid you half your charging rate, demanded that you carry out a whole multitude of mundane tasks free of charge and then paid you months or years after the case was resolved? Unlikely.

The LSC’s announcement, however, will not see them stuck for legal advice suppliers. Many firms are now too dependent on the LSC and this, coupled with the fact that that there is an apparent oversupply of legal aid lawyers, is the reason for the present situation.

Quite simply, the LSC has crafted a situation where they have an endless supply of skilled professionals working for peanuts, paid long after the invoice became payable. This is not the system that lawyers entered willingly but it has, over time, become the reality; one that is one is not sustainable.

Finally, how would HMRC react if law firms decided to delay payment of any employee tax contributions for the period of March? Place your answers on a postcard.

Mark Bussey, W Brook & Co Solicitors, Rotherham, South Yorks