Injured people face an "ever tightening screw"

David, who succeeds Muiris Lyons, reaffirmed APIL's position that it is "plain wrong" for claimants to take a cut of up to 25 per cent of their rightful compensation to meet some legal costs.

In his inaugural speech, he said: "In my view, and as president of APIL, I believe that payment in full is the minimum that individuals in the UK should expect and demand.

"Claimants have not chosen to litigate. They did not arrive at the decision after a cost-benefit analysis. They were injured and rightly expect redress. All that they want, and all that the law can give them, is to get back to where they were before the injury.

"Now to turn to a seriously injured person and say, I am very sorry but the law says we cannot get you everything you are entitled to, is literally adding insult to injury.

"APIL will work with as many claimant bodies as possible to try to get the voice of injured people, the voice of ordinary people, the voice of the voting public, heard."

David added that lawyers must "improve, adapt and be flexible" and "be better at everything we do" in reference to the introduction of alternative business structures, as well as Government cuts to legal aid and reform of the costs system.