Tribunal Solicitors 2023 - 2024

1. In January, 2023, I started approaching solicitors to represent me at tribunals.
(i). A solicitor must not give unsound advice or refuse to follow lawful instructions. To create objective records, I made audio recordings of consultations.
2. The first solicitor at first agreed my interpretation of events was not unreasonable, then she abruptly and unreasonably reversed her position and promptly withdrew from my case.
3. Over the next month, eight solicitors refused to represent me. They, too, were unable plausibly to explain why.
4. At the start of March, I found a second solicitor to represent me. He appeared to agree the Tribunal had already made unlawful decisions in that process. I instructed him to challenge those Decisions and to arrange an independent psychiatric opinion.
(i). He abruptly withdrew from the case; he claimed his insurance would not cover him if he permitted me to continue to make recordings of consultations. This turned out not to be true.
5. I approached another seven firms of solicitors: none would represent me, though I no longer insisted on making audio recordings of consultations.
6. That Tribunal took a different view from that of previous tribunals. I requested postponement while I sought a legal representative; I told the Panel I could not make my case adequately without representation. The Tribunal said it thought I could represent myself ably and it doubted I would retain a solicitor.
(i). I asked if the Panel thought I had followed advice it gave me at the previous Hearing, regarding ensuring I obtained representation. It refused to answer that question
(ii). I asked if the Panel thought I had been unreasonable in my dealings with the legal firms I approached. It refused to answer that question,
(iii). I asked if the Panel thought the legal firms I had approached had been unreasonable. It refused to answer that question,
(iv). I observed that:
(a). due entirely to the unreasonableness of legal firms - through no fault of my own and in spite of my diligent efforts - I had been unable to secure legal representation and
(b). the Panel was forcing me to represent myself, though I had informed it I wished to be represented by a solicitor because I thought I could not represent myself adequately.
7. I was deprived of the right to legal representation; I represented myself before that Tribunal. It found against me in another unlawful decision.
8. Between 23 January and 17 July, 2023, I sought to retain a solicitor to represent me before the Tribunal. I approached seventeen firms in three counties. None would take my case; none was able plausibly to explain its refusal to represent me.