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Michael Joseph
[1935 - 1994]
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MICHAEL JOSEPH who died aged 59, was a Qualified solicitor, with an
unqualified aversion towards his own profession. Joseph was convinced that
there was much legal work undertaken by solicitors which the public might
undertake themselves at minimal cost, and zealously set about exposing what he
claimed were the scams of the profession.
In The Conveyancing Fraud (1976), he urged the public to ditch solicitors and
undertake their own conveyancing. "The art of conveyancing, as practised by
solicitors," he wrote, is to do as little work as possible, while relieving the
house buyer and seller of as much money as possible."
Joseph had sent the manuscript of his book to every established publisher. It
was rejected by all of them, because, he claimed, they had rashly shown it to
their solicitors. He published the book privately and it sold 70000 copies,
many to law students.
To sell the book, Joseph travelled around Britain on his motor scooter or in
his Morris Minor. On entering a bookshop he would metamorphose into a
formidable mixture of travelling salesman and lay preacher; "He would bring out
his book," recalled one friend, like a Seventh Day Adventist would bring out
the Bible."
Joseph had a rubber stamp made which said "Stamp Out Solicitors," and also gave
details of the book. He stomped every £5 note which came into his possession,
and was once escorted from the head office of the Woolwich building society
after stamping the blotters and promotional literature. He did the same at the
Law Society.
Michael Joseph was born on August 30 1935. He studied law at Cambridge and
qualified as a solicitor in 1962. In the Solicitor's Final examinations he was
in the first three of the 500 candidates.
After working for 10 years a conveyancing solicitor in the City, Joseph
resigned to write his exposé.
Though he had his supporters, Joseph's criticism of the profession bordered on
the obsessive, and he was convinced that the media would not publicise his
views because of the influence of their own lawyers.
After failing to have a letter published in the Times under his own name, he
obtained some House of Commons notepaper and submitted the same letter again
using the name of an MP. The letter was published, which he claimed was proof
of a conspiracy against him.
Joseph liked to relate how, when he attended a reunion at his old college, he
met one contemporary, whom he had dismissed as the dunce of the year "And what
are you doing now?," enquired Michael. "I'm a High Court Judge" the man
replied.
He also published: Lawyers Con Seriously Damage Your health.
Joseph was an accomplished pianist. He died from a heart attack. He was
married, and had three sons.
The Conveyancing Fraud ISBN 0950502308
Lawyers Con Seriously Damage Your health ISBN 0950502324
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