‘Secret shoppers’ to expose touting lawyers at courts

The Law Society is to deploy undercover agents around the country’s court venues in a bid to expose unscrupulous solicitors touting for business.

The use of the “secret shopper” at court venues to identify those solicitors engaging in the unauthorised practice of approaching court clients to represent them is one of a series of recommendations aimed at stamping out the practice in a new Law Society report.

The review group was established by the Law Society in response to the “unprecedented level of concern” by solicitors over the unauthorised practice and “the widespread disappointment at the apparent ineffectiveness of the Law Society to act”.