"A Quick Chat": How a General Lawyer Can Cost You Your Livelihood
You're a professional driver. You've been doing this for 20 years. You're not just "a cabbie"; you're a small business owner. Your badge is your most valuable asset. It's your reputation, your income, your entire livelihood.
Then, the letter comes. A complaint. A "Notice of Suspension." A "summons" to a council hearing.
Your first feeling is a cold, sharp panic. Your second is a practical one: "I need a lawyer."
This is the exact moment. This single, critical, split-second decision will be the one that determines the rest of your career.
You do what any sensible person would do. You call the solicitor who handled your house purchase. Or the one who wrote your will. Or the one your cousin used for his divorce. You call a "general" lawyer, because a "lawyer is a lawyer," right?
Wrong.
This is the story of two drivers. "Driver A" (let's call him Dave) and "Driver B" (let's call him Mike). They both get the exact same letter from the council. They are both facing the exact same allegation.
Their stories end in two completely different places. And the only difference... was the "solicitor" they chose to call.
The Story of Dave: The "General Practice" Gamble
Dave gets his letter. He's furious. A customer, who he knows was drunk and abusive, has filed a complaint against him for "dangerous driving" after he was forced to pull over.
Dave calls his high-street solicitor. The solicitor is a nice, well-meaning man who spends 90% of his day dealing with property disputes. "A council hearing?" the solicitor says. "Don't you worry, Dave. The police weren't involved, were they? No? Then it's just 'your word against his.' It's not a real court. Just go in, be polite, tell your side of the story. It's just a 'chat.' I'll come with you, of course. Don't you worry."
Dave feels a bit better. His solicitor seems confident.
The Day of the Hearing: Dave and his solicitor walk into the hearing room. It is not an informal "chat."
- At the head of the room are three serious-looking local councillors (the "Panel").
- To the side sits the council's own lawyer, whispering to the Panel.
- And at the front is the Council's "Licensing Officer."
The Licensing Officer stands up and begins. He is not "chatting." He is prosecuting. He presents a 20-page "bundle" of evidence. He reads the customer's complaint, which is now a formal, signed witness statement. It sounds terrible.
Then, the Officer makes his case: "Members of the panel, our primary duty is to 'public safety.' This driver has had a serious allegation of 'dangerous driving' made against him. Our recommendation is that, to protect the public, we must revoke this licence."
Dave's heart is hammering. He looks at his solicitor.
His solicitor stands up. He's flustered. He wasn't expecting this. He's used to "property law," not "public safety" tribunals. "Well... members of the panel," he stammers, "my client, Dave, is a good man. He's been driving for 20 years. And, as you know, the police took no further action. It's just... 'his word against theirs.' Dave, why don't you tell them what happened?"
Dave, panicked, tries to explain. He gets angry. He gets confused. He says the customer was a "liar." The panel members start writing notes, frowning.
The panel asks Dave's solicitor, "Have you seen the council's own 'Licensing Policy' on driver conduct?" Dave's solicitor is silent. He hasn't. He didn't even know it existed.
They are outgunned. They are outmanoeuvred. They are, in legal terms, "bringing a knife to a gunfight."
The Result: The panel deliberates for 10 minutes. They return. "We have considered the evidence. Given the serious nature of the allegation, and our overriding duty to public safety, we are not satisfied that this driver is a 'fit and proper' person. We are revoking his licence, effective immediately."
Dave is ruined. His 20-year career is over. His "general" solicitor just cost him his livelihood.
The Story of Mike: The "Specialist" Strategy
Mike gets the exact same letter. The exact same allegation.
But Mike doesn't call his "local" lawyer. He understands that this is a specialist problem. His business is on the line. He needs a specialist lawyer. He searches for "taxi licensing solicitors."
He finds TMC Solicitors. He makes the call.
The tone is completely different. "This is a serious legal tribunal," the TMC solicitor explains, "and it has nothing to do with criminal law. The council's only test is 'fit and proper.' They are not your friends. They are your opponents. We are taxi licensing solicitors. This is what we do. Do not speak to them. We will handle everything from this moment."
Mike feels... safe. He feels like he has a professional in his corner.
Before the Hearing (The Real Work): The TMC solicitor doesn't just "wait" for the hearing. They go on the attack.
- They Demand Disclosure:They file a legal notice demanding the council's entire evidence bundle, weeks in advance.
- They Analyse the "Secret Rulebook":They are already experts in Mike's local council "Licensing Policy." They have a copy on file. They find a flaw in it, a legal loophole, a part where the council is not following its own
- They Build a "Counter-Bundle":They don't just rely on "his word." They build a mountain of counter-evidence.
- They get 10 "character references" from Mike's best, long-term customers.
- They get a letter from his accountant, proving this is his only source of income and a revocation would be "disproportionate."
- They check... "Mike, did you have a dashcam?" Yes. They get the footage. It's crystal clear. It shows the customer being abusive, and Mike being calm and professional.
The Day of the Hearing: Mike walks in with his TMC solicitor. His solicitor is carrying a "Counter-Bundle" that is thicker than the council's.
The Licensing Officer makes his exact same "public safety" speech.
Then, the TMC solicitor stands up. They are calm. They are professional. They are in their world. "Thank you, members of the panel. We are specialist taxi licensing solicitors, and we represent this 20-year professional. The panel has heard the allegation. We would now like to show you the facts."
The solicitor proceeds, step-by-step, to dismantle the council's case.
- The "Silver Bullet":"We would now like to play the dashcam footage from the incident. You will note the customer's behaviour, and you will note my client's textbook-perfect handling of the situation."
- The "Character" Defence:"This is not a 'bad driver.' This is a 20-year professional. Here are 12 letters from his community, including one from a local headteacher, attesting to his safety and professionalism."
- The "Legal" Argument:"The test is 'fit and proper.' This one, unproven, and now disproven complaint cannot possibly outweigh 20 years of flawless service. The evidence you have seen—both the video and the character bundle—proves that this driver is the very definition of a 'fit and proper' person. To revoke his licence would be a grossly disproportionate, unjust, and unlawful act."
The Result: The panel deliberates for 10 minutes. "We find the driver's evidence to be overwhelming. The complaint is dismissed. Your licence is secure. We apologise for the inconvenience."
The Moral of the Story: A "Lawyer" is Not a "Solicitor" (And a "Solicitor" is Not a "Specialist")
Dave and Mike faced the same crisis. Dave's life was ruined because he hired a "general" lawyer who was out of his depth. Mike's life was saved because he hired a specialist.
When your badge is on the line, you are not in a "chat." You are not in a "customer service" dispute. You are in a complex, administrative, legal fight for your life.
Your only choice is to find a legal team that lives in this specific world. You need a firm that knows the council policies before you even call them. You need a firm that knows what a "fit and proper" test really means.
You don't just need a "lawyer." You need a shield. You need an advocate. You need a team of true taxi licensing solicitors.
This is the only work we do. TMC Solicitors are your shield. We are your advocates. If you've received that letter, your first and only call must be to the specialists.