The problem is that solicitors tend to earn good money and losing their spending power will have a knock on effect on a par with guys losing their jobs at Fords.

It's funny how white-collar workers gain no sympathy isn't it.

Condor Man wrote:
The problem is that solicitors tend to earn good money and losing their spending power will have a knock on effect on a par with guys losing their jobs at Fords.

It's funny how white-collar workers gain no sympathy isn't it.

Yes, I expect we'll see far fewer solicitors driving around in brand new Transit vans than we are used to seeing.

**I know you said "on a par with" but I still couldn't resist making a sarky comment...

What really grinds my gears about solicitors isn't the 30% of interesting and one-off cases they deal with. Its the 70% of bread-and-butter template work that they charge for as if it were a one-off case. A very large amount of day-to-day work is simply based around a collection of Word templates and other standard tools and requires very little time or input for them to churn through. And yet they still want 'professional' rates for it.

10 Minute Man wrote:

Condor Man wrote: The problem is that solicitors tend to earn good money and losing their spending power will have a knock on effect on a par with guys losing their jobs at Fords. It's funny how white-collar workers gain no sympathy isn't it.

Yes, I expect we'll see far fewer solicitors driving around in brand new Transit vans than we are used to seeing. **I know you said "on a par with" but I still couldn't resist making a sarky comment... What really grinds my gears about solicitors isn't the 30% of interesting and one-off cases they deal with. Its the 70% of bread-and-butter template work that they charge for as if it were a one-off case. A very large amount of day-to-day work is simply based around a collection of Word templates and other standard tools and requires very little time or input for them to churn through. And yet they still want 'professional' rates for it.

Is true, but not many of us can do without.
Is a necessary evil in order to, hopefully, protect our interests.
Is expensive, granted, but you can bet the other party will use one, and unless you are competent enough to handle on your own, are not left with much of a choice.

My girlfriend has just finished 6 years study to receive her masters degree in business law. The cost of tutoring and books are horrendously expensive.

I have dealt with one of these firms over a legal issue and had to pay an extraordinary amount of money just for receiving a letter.
I suggest they go and plunder their huge vaults of cash before they lay people off.

Ocean Village resident wrote:
I have dealt with one of these firms over a legal issue and had to pay an extraordinary amount of money just for receiving a letter.
I suggest they go and plunder their huge vaults of cash before they lay people off.

Yes, in fact they'll be able to save money by laying off the Oompa Loompas who carry all the cash and gold from the bank to the solicitors' secret treasure cave.

I don't deny they have costs, and some people train hard for well paid jobs. However most professionals build their baseline costs into their fees, including answering queries on the phone or sending a letter. But for some reason solicitors charge for this kind thing, even for quite simple, short, or straightforward transactions and conversations.

What you seem to forget is it is not the Chiefs driving around in their posh cars and charging the earth for work that will be losing their job ! – I can almost guarantee it will be the supporting Indian who if the truth be known did most of the work that the Chief gets credit and paid for in the first place! - Still maybe that means the Chief will now have to do the work themselves and justify the fee charged! - Bet the Matrimonial lawyers will still do well during this sad time though ….. hmmmm My thoughts go out to the "REAL" workers !

I popped into my solicitors office the other day and asked him:

"How much would you charge me for asking three questions?"


Lawyer "£350"

KM "Phew - that's rather expensive isnt it?"

Lawyer "Mmmmm...yes. And your third question Mr Mush?"

I have always tried to quantify the help of Solicitors - as with every business the law always comes first. They know the business - every issue is centred around LAW and they are experts. At the end of the day the Client is faced with COSTS, but never, entirely in the Client's favour. In every case 'Law' intervened. The Barristers and lawyers know their stuff, their knowledge of law is tantamount in 'so called justice', You get what you pay for - as with any shopping you do down at the Mart. The bill is presented and in most cases totally beyond our income. There must, surely, be another representation that can support our claims without an extorionate bill at the end of it.

goard

goard wrote:
I have always tried to quantify the help of Solicitors - as with every business the law always comes first. They know the business - every issue is centred around LAW and they are experts. At the end of the day the Client is faced with COSTS, but never, entirely in the Client's favour. In every case 'Law' intervened. The Barristers and lawyers know their stuff, their knowledge of law is tantamount in 'so called justice', You get what you pay for - as with any shopping you do down at the Mart. The bill is presented and in most cases totally beyond our income. There must, surely, be another representation that can support our claims without an extorionate bill at the end of it. goard

Yes there is another way.
Become an illegal immigrant and sponge off the state.
You also get free translators and if you commit a crime, or suspected of one, you get free representation.

Solicitors losing their jobs?

So whats the problem with that?

They charge an arm and a leg to buy and sell houses while most of it is done by clerks and the tea boy. Perhaps they can all go off to collect the dole with their estate agent friends.

You may have guessed they get no sympathy from me

In 1985 Sir Bob gave us Live Aid, in 2008 Obelisker presents 'Legal Aid', a charity Christmas single to ensure that Solicitors and their families don't go without over the Yule time, So far I've only got...Crosby,Stills,
Nash & Young(&partners)...I
'm buggered if I can think up any other bands with a link to solicitors!!! Help, this is for a very worth cause.

obelisker wrote:
In 1985 Sir Bob gave us Live Aid, in 2008 Obelisker presents 'Legal Aid', a charity Christmas single to ensure that Solicitors and their families don't go without over the Yule time, So far I've only got...Crosby,Stills,
Nash & Young(&partners)
...I
'm buggered if I can think up any other bands with a link to solicitors!!! Help, this is for a very worth cause.

Sting?

Northamboy wrote:
Solicitors losing their jobs?

So whats the problem with that?

They charge an arm and a leg to buy and sell houses while most of it is done by clerks and the tea boy. Perhaps they can all go off to collect the dole with their estate agent friends.

You may have guessed they get no sympathy from me

Ok heres one......if the solicitors are losing their jobs will they now need a UB40?

The bile and ignorance displayed here is nauseating. My daughter-in-law is a partner in a busy commercial law firm and the hours she puts in, both during the week and sometimes at weekends, would make the bigots here pall. She worked hard at school(State), college and university to get where she has and a decent salary is her reward. So to all whining ne'er-do-wells,I say, swallow your bile and get off your lazy backs. (security word back-lazy)

obelisker wrote:
In 1985 Sir Bob gave us Live Aid, in 2008 Obelisker presents 'Legal Aid', a charity Christmas single to ensure that Solicitors and their families don't go without over the Yule time, So far I've only got...Crosby,Stills, Nash & Young(&partners)
...I 'm buggered if I can think up any other bands with a link to solicitors!!! Help, this is for a very worth cause.

Jackson Browne - Lawyers in Love.

chubunkin wrote:
The bile and ignorance displayed here is nauseating. My daughter-in-law is a partner in a busy commercial law firm and the hours she puts in, both during the week and sometimes at weekends, would make the bigots here pall. She worked hard at school(State), college and university to get where she has and a decent salary is her reward. So to all whining ne'er-do-wells,I say, swallow your bile and get off your lazy backs. (security word back-lazy)

The number of hours is of no consequence - it's the fee income that counts. If she is good she will have nothing to fear. If her work dries up she can always retrain. Remember no one in the private sector is going to escape the depression - I am sure she is smart enough to figure that out.

Adrian Smith wrote:

obelisker wrote: In 1985 Sir Bob gave us Live Aid, in 2008 Obelisker presents 'Legal Aid', a charity Christmas single to ensure that Solicitors and their families don't go without over the Yule time, So far I've only got...Crosby,Stills, Nash & Young(&partners) ...I 'm buggered if I can think up any other bands with a link to solicitors!!! Help, this is for a very worth cause.

Jackson Browne - Lawyers in Love.

Dire Straits - Money for Nothing...

Miles Sway wrote:

Adrian Smith wrote:

obelisker wrote: In 1985 Sir Bob gave us Live Aid, in 2008 Obelisker presents 'Legal Aid', a charity Christmas single to ensure that Solicitors and their families don't go without over the Yule time, So far I've only got...Crosby,Stills, Nash & Young(&partners) ...I 'm buggered if I can think up any other bands with a link to solicitors!!! Help, this is for a very worth cause.

Jackson Browne - Lawyers in Love.

Dire Straits - Money for Nothing...

Harry Enfield - Look at my wod. I got loads ah money!

I worked in Law firms and was shocked at the pressure - yes, almost everyone at some time in their lives need a law firm. The work was unbelievable, and it is usually the young clerks, not necessarily solicitors, who did the graft - I was amazed how much the secretaries worked and how knowleable they were and usually paid very low wages compared with others but the work was worth doing.
Conveyancing, or the lack of it, would cripple many firms, but there again it would be a clerk dealing with this but it was usually under the directorship of a partner of the firm and quite often this is what a client would pay for. In the old days a conveyancing clerks fee would be much lower than the Housing Agents' fees. The Estate Agent had something tangible to sell, but the Law firm appeared to have nothing to sell except for making sure the client is not sold a 'pup'. Nevertheless, if one has a bill come in it usually is the last straw. I say, if you have to go out to work - don't choose solicitors they work one to death.

goard

Yeah, thanks goard for the plea on behalf of the Solicitors Benevolent Fund, I suggest we all forget Children in Need tonight and give our money to Blake Lapthorne instead, the Charity record is picking up momentum, we have....D.I.V.O.R.C.
E,The Who's Legal Matter, and Cat Stevens Matthew&Son (was that a solicitors?)....come on Echo readers, these guys are down to their last Mercedes....Give us your fu**ing money NOW!

some good has come from the credit crunch then. now the ambulance chasers will have to get a proper job --if anyone will have them

It isn't just solicitors who are laid off in law firms - it also happens to support staff who are good colleagues and friends. It is a very upsetting thing to see people go through.

Most of us have no idea of the stress involved in coping with the morning post of despair! Usually, it is not so much the secretaries (need I say they are indespensible) but the newly arrived young solicitor. When one thinks of the tremendous amount of 'young things' who have studied for several years it is heartbreaking to see their careers shattetered. Unhappily, and eventually, there will be no up and coming Solicitors to represent 'Jo Blogs' with his problems or indiscretions. No Law, No Britain justice - take your pick - lawlessness or justice? It's the devil or the deep blue sea?

goard

Most of us have no idea of the stress involved in coping with the morning post of despair! Usually, it is not so much the secretaries (need I say they are indespensible) but the newly arrived young solicitor. When one thinks of the tremendous amount of 'young things' who have studied for several years it is heartbreaking to see their careers shattered. Unhappily, and eventually, there will be no up and coming Solicitors to represent 'Jo Blogs' with his problems or indiscretions. No Law, No Britain justice - take your pick - lawlessness or justice? It's the devil or the deep blue sea?

goard