Lord Thomas, the Lord Chief
Justice, has said the public should use Skype to hire lawyers outside London to avoid paying
the large legal bills levied
in the capital and drive down the cost of going to court.
(source: Evening Standard)
He said he wanted to
see a "truly national market" in which litigants used internet
technology to opt for cheaper lawyers
from cities such as Leeds and Manchester.
Lord Thomas said that would force lawyers in the capital to cut their fees and
produce a "benefit for society as a whole".
His comments, in a speech
at Gray's Inn, came as he warned that legal costs
were still "far too great" despite a succession of reforms.
"London has no monopoly on skill or experience," he said. "In
the age of the internet, of tele-conferences, Skype and Facetime there is no
reason why a litigant should not or could not properly instruct a lawyer from outside London to work for
them at a cost significantly less than in London."
(source: Evening Standard)
