Bear in mind, myLegal isn't just for SWL. It's also open to other categories of law affected by the proposals e.g. Family so hopefully we can get some good private practice examples up there too as well as the SWL examples I've already stuck up

Feel free to email me directly if you have any questions

This is a great initiative (for which Patrick should take the credit for coming up with the idea!)

I think it is vital that if advisers post case studies they should be written in such a way as to preserve ANY POSSIBLE way in which the client's identity can be deduced, unless the client and everyone else involved in their story has given EXPRESS CONSENT to be identified (and understandably most won't). For example, I will not be posting any case studies under my own name as that alone could identify the client.

Spread the word and let's show the politicians what's really going on in the lives of the people they claim to represent.

Patrick, what I was wondering; is whether on Mylegal, there could be a pro-forma questionnaire? Perhaps, with simple bullet check boxes for answers and a comment section. Much as we may and will encourage clients to participate, you know what they can be like. They'll have the best of intentions, but perhaps not get round to it. What I'm thinking is that as part of campaigning our clients, it would be great if we could pin our clients down at the point when they usually vent their angst; at the interview. Yes, I know it's additional time on an interview, but let's face it, if we don't fight this we'll end up with all the time in the world on our hands.

We could then say to our clients, "would you mind, whilst you're here, given your strong views, helping us fight the cause for sustaining Legal Aid by spending a couple of minutes as I wizz you through this questionnaire on My Legal?".....that's my thinking?

Clients can of course be reminded to continue in their giving of views, but it gets them registered and more or less (with a bit of friendly arm twisting!) guarantees to get a response. I'm thinking of the questions we could ask and will post in due course, but what of the idea?

Similarly, I'm also asking our volunteers to feed in with comments on their views on doing the kind of 'basic mechanical advice' (see my post on Dyjanobleboble's words of wisdom) work we do as welfare benefit specialists, which the current coalition assumes can be done by them for nothing?

Then the information can all be collated and linked up as you suggest?

Nickd: Your enthusiasm should be bottled! However, I would agree with Patrick that MyLegal should be a space for real people to tell real stories, not to fill in forms/questionaires. What I like about the MyLegal thing so far - and iLegal too - is the break away from the mould of the usual way of doing things in this sector, which tends to the bureaucratic all too often, and of "thinking different".

Perhaps in your agency (and maybe my own too) you will want to use some form of Q'aire to help when your agency makes its own response to the green paper, but MyLegal - although not initially set up by users of Legal Aid Services - should be in the control of and for the use of those "service users", for those users, our clients to have their own say and in any way they would express themselves. Some won't bother - hey here's some news, some Legal Aid providers won't bother either. That happens. It doesn't make the responses any less real or powerful.