The first signs of a fight-back against reforms that will enable supermarkets and other stores to offer customers legal services came yesterday with a “baked beans” protest by solicitors.

The lawyers handed out free cans of beans from shopping trolleys outside the High Court, warning that Government plans for the “Big Bang” in legal services was a recipe for disaster.

The reforms, under the Legal Services Act 2007, have become known as “Tesco law”. They will enable big companies such as supermarkets or motoring organisations to own law firms or employ lawyers and offer legal services directly to their customers.

Yesterday’s protesters, who waved placards saying “No to Tesco law”, staged the demonstration with cans of beans bearing the message: “Legal services by supermarkets is as ridiculous as lawyers selling beans.”

The lawyers have united under the brand name QualitySolicitors.Com which has attracted 100 law firm members and which they plan to market to rival moves by chain stores or any other newcomers to the legal market.

Clare Magill, head of commercial law at Wolferstans, Plymouth, said: “My very real concern is that the public is at risk in the current marketplace.

“There is a plethora of non-lawyer websites which either claim to match consumers with the best lawyer for their needs, or which direct the consumer to a firm which has paid for the referrals, irrespective of whether or not the solicitor is the best for the client.

“Consumers will be at risk, using legal representatives hundreds of miles away, at best with little understanding of local issues and often with expertise in areas irrelevant to their needs,” she added.

In defence of the Government plans to allow non-legal bodies such as the Co-op or the RAC to offer legal services, Bridget Prentice, the Constitutional Affairs Minister, said: “I don’t see why consumers should not be able to get legal services as easily as they can buy a can of beans.”

But Craig Holt, a London barrister who oppposes the changes, said: “My very real concern is that the public are at grave risk here.

“People have a natural inclination to use services provided by names that are familiar to them, even if that may not provide the best source of help for them.

“Allowing the likes of Co-op, Tesco and the AA to provide legal services is a reciple for disaster and a move that demonstrates utter contempt for the consumer of legal services.

“Services by these brands will inevitably be provided by unqualified call-centre staff, probably outside the UK, overseen by an inadequate number of in-house solicitors.

“Tesco law will represent a disaster for consumers of legal services in the UK.

“This is combined with a Government that is intent on reducing legal aid to the point where almost no lawyer will be able to undertake legal aid work and people will be left having to represent themselves.”

Mr Holt said: “It is widely predicted that as a result of these changes, over a third of all law firms will disappear. Some towns will simply have no solicitors in them.”

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