I could only afford training because of Muddle temple Scholarships x 2 paying £10,000 for the Graduate Diploma in Law and £14,000 for the bar course in Nottingham Law school whilst supporting my three daughters. 600 students at BPP charging £17,750 for a closed and demolished London campus just sold to an equity firm. As a Local Authority Homelessness Officer with my own 20 year history of homelessness (at the start of my legal training in 2016) and now a Shelter advice worker it is shocking that there is NO training on housing Law, family law, or any legal Aid areas except for criminal law. Thanks Tom Hoeksma @Young Legal Lawyer Lawyers

I agree with the difficulties that Siobhan discusses as I could only afford training because of Muddle temple Scholarships x 2 paying £10,000 for the Graduate Diploma in Law and £14,000 for the bar course in Nottingham Law school whilst supporting my three daughters. 600 students at BPP charging £17,750 for a closed and demolished London campus just sold to an equity firm. As a Local Authority Homelessness Officer with my own 20 year history of homelessness (at the start of my legal training in 2016) and now a Shelter advice worker it is shocking that there is NO training on housing Law, family law, or any legal Aid areas except for criminal law. Thanks Tom Hoeksma @Young Legal Aid Lawyers

Apologies - Middle Temple! Not in a muddle at all - just my typing- apologies!

We suspect some paralegals who assist Families Need Fathers' service users as commercial McKenzie Friends, do better on an hourly basis as McKenzies than the work they could get through a legal practice. Much of their work is with fathers who, according to reported FOI data, account for just 15% of legal aid, post-LASPO. They are therefore seeking any help they can get to support them as Litigants in Person that, if they are able to afford even that.Working independently like that, also provides more flexibility, perhaps to work around their childcare or other responsibilities - as mentioned by Rose Arnall from Shelter.

Just to agree with Jo Wilding - in family law, administrative, direction hearings can offer advantages to litigants and their representatives. However, for a contested Finding of Fact hearing, such an approach does not work well. Often progress is made in corridors before hearings and between sittings.

Highly skilled, paid a fortune for education, Legal Aid lawyers treated with ideological contempt in the same way as those vulnerable members of society we try to represent who are unfortunate enough to be dependant on substance Benefits - that are their right! Thanks Tom Hoeksma