to think that when you choose a firm of solicitors to represent you, they represent you?

[Dalint]

Is it common practice for a firm of solicitors to apply for Legal Aid on your behalf, to name a partner of that firm as the person representing you and to then appoint some unknown solicitor to represent you in court who is employed as an 'agent' of the firm and to whom you will not have spoken until the day of court?

That’s not unusual. Did it cause any problems? Solicitors are used to taking instructions on the day

I'll find out tomorrow.

yes, and often if one person isn’t available on a court date they will send someone else from the same firm.

She's not from the firm.

Yes this is reasonably common. If your case is listed in a court not local to your solicitor, it's common to instruct an agent to deal.

Re your client care letters etc, in my dept, these are all signed off by a partner. He won't necessarily handle the case tho. Again, very common