Legal Matters Q&A: John Wilson, managing director of Wilsons Solicitors

The next one. Always the next one. That’s the legal profession for you.

Lawyers are always concerned about the next big thing which is going to change the world – invariably for the worse.

Then when it doesn’t, we simply move on.

And so it goes on, round and round in circles.

The fact is, the legal profession in this country has big issues to face but is totally dysfunctional and refuses to address them, so these continuous circles help us keep our minds off it.

What law would you like to see changed?

I would like to scrap the law that insists we have two supposedly independent legal professions in one country, and scrap all laws giving them monopolies or privileges in any of their areas of work.

Let’s see the fresh air of competition blowing through these musty corridors.

What is the most exciting work you have ever done?

If I’m going to be honest, representing the general public when they have been treated badly or fraudulently by my fellow lawyers.

Who in the legal world do you most admire?

The great British public. In this country the law is made by the lawyers in the image of lawyers and for the benefit of lawyers.

How on earth the public have the patience and put up with it, I will never know.

What advice would you give someone starting out in the profession?

It’s a great time to be starting out because there’s a revolution brewing.

So my advice is to resolve to be part of the solution, not part of the problem, and help take the legal profession into the 21st century.