Solicitors in peril

A helpline dedicated to providing support to solicitors has reported an increase of 750% in the number of calls it has received compared with last year. The Solicitors’ Assistance Scheme reports that practices heavily reliant on conveyancing were particularly affected and that increased indemnity insurance premiums had caused problems. Scheme administrator Duncan Finlyson says: “The worst part is that firms are using the current crisis to get rid of people they don’t want, rather then the ones who are genuinely redundant.”