Solicitors on the other side of the Irish Sea have had a taste of what is in store for British lawyers. The website www.rate-your-solicitor.com provides a platform for clients who feel that they have been wronged to vent their fury.

Anonymous users launch scurrilous attacks, venemous accusations of corruption, malpractice and incompetence are bandied about, and the authenticity of any positive comment is immediately questioned. To date, one libel suit has been issued as a result of defamation. Critics of the site say that, far from bringing transparency to the legal system, it is merely a collection of poison-pen letters.

The organisers offer at the start the reassurance that, “all comments are moderated, and any profanity, death threats or unsolicited advertising will be removed”.

Some comments are strongly worded, to say the least. One user writes: “Whoever gave him his qualifications should be shot. He has different staff every week and calls you up six months after you have finished dealing with him to discuss things he should have done six months ago.”

A Hall of Shame consists of the ten practices with the worst ratings.

Many posts include alleged conflicts of interests. Others cast aspersions on competence and working practice. One says: “Lost the contracts, lost the cheque, same old story. It’s no wonder he loses everything, his office is a pig sty. He is a fire hazard.”

Stories include a colour-blind conveyancer, which poses problems when it comes to map reading. One reviewer, a “qualified” person, wrote of a solicitor: “I genuinely believe that she should consult a psychiatrist.”

The most vitriolic complaints come from those who have lost cherished dream homes because of legal incompetence.

Some writers barely bother to conceal their motivation. “This man is a crook and is by far the worst solicitor in the whole country, this man should be in prison,” one reviewer wrote, before signing off: “I told you i [sic] would get you back.”

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