To wonder if I am getting a worse service because I'm legal aid ?

[SkelleyBones]

I keep emailing my solicitor asking her advice and opinion and basically she ignores me, only getting in touch when the other side send through some correspondence.
Is it wrong to be asking for her guidance as to what to do, what is the best action for my case ? I understand the meter is ticking but surely if she is not doing what I want her to do then more money will be wasted by her barking up the wrong tree ?

SkelleyBones - if you're hearing nothing, assume your answers are useful.

(As for potentially going down a path you don't want - not enough information here to begin to guess what's going on there.)

Why worry about other side's bill?

Because the other side is my daughters father so if he turns around and says I've spent £20k on legal fees and now there's nothing left in the pot then the whole exercise has been a waste of time and nobody's gained but his solicitor.

Ah without using you all as a counsellor, the pot is what it is and if it's been emptied by his solicitors bills then it's gone simple as that.
It's not a divorce case, so whilst I can see what you mean about not having enough info to comment, equally it's been a month now since she emailed me and I responded and nothing, until the other side sent through an offer which might be as good as it's going to get and I can plan accordingly, that's all I want to know does she think this is worth everyones time and effort.

I am a solicitor. Publicly funded clients and private receive the same level of care. I feel that Publicly funded clients sometimes lose sight of the fact that they are still paying, even if at a reduced rate. Private clients, in my experience, are far less likely to send numerous e-mails. They are far more appreciative of how much each e-mail costs them, as we require them to pay large sums of money, in advance, on account of costs.

Having said that, obviously not all solicitors are good at their job. Some fail to respond to correspondence when they should, due to disorganisation or sheer weight of caseload. Only you can honestly gage whether you believe she has been replying to you when necessary and not responding when a response is unnecessary. It is her duty to be mindful of the fact that you will have to pay back your legal costs to the Legal Services Commision, at the end of the matter.

moonferret you are missing the point. The work isn't going to help them through the lean times unless they actually do it as they won't get paid until they complete the work, unlike an ordinary retainer where interim bills can be sent. There's no need to be rude because somebody has a different viewpoint!