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As someone who has been immersed in Jackson from the start (in fact, I broke the story that the review was going to happen), there are a couple of points slightly off the usual Legal Futures agenda that I would like to draw out of the announcements yesterday around the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill.

Complaints against barristers by litigants-in-person forced by legal aid cuts to represent themselves are rising fast, according to the Bar Standards Board. Many result from a misunderstanding of the role of opposition barristers. The Justice Bill, containing more cuts, should be published today.

The Law Society is set to examine the future direction of pro bono work in the wake of legal aid cuts, Legal Futures can reveal. It will also look at the role of pro bono in helping distinguish solicitors from post-Legal Services Act competitors and how corporate clients can better understand their legal advisers’ pro bono activity.

Valentine’s Day 2011 will be remembered for three things: the end of two major consultations into the future of legal services; David Cameron re-launching his Big Society; and the first Valentine’s card from my daughter.

For legal aid and personal injury lawyers it’s not so much the hope that kills (because there isn’t much of that) but the uncertainty. Both are gearing up for the potentially radical changes in their practice areas brought about by the government’s green papers on legal aid reform/cuts and on implementing much of the Jackson report respectively. It is now a little over two weeks until the consultation period on both closes (on Valentine’s Day, no less) and lobbying activity is stepping up.