As last week's furore over car clamping shows, few issues boil the nation's collective blood like infringements on our right to drive, hence the coalition's pledge to end what it calls Labour's "war on motorists". This "war" has also seen the rapid growth of a corner of the legal profession which specialises in acting for motorists.

But while many people rail against speed cameras, they do much the same with the lawyers who exploit the technicalities of the law to get a client off a speeding or other motoring charge. Welcome to the world of loophole lawyers.

The most famous is "Mr Loophole" himself, "celebrity" solicitor Nick Freeman, who has even gone so far as to trademark his moniker. He, like others in the field, seems to have built a reputation largely on the back of footballers' penchant for breaking the laws of the road – or not, as he generally gets them off. Sir Alex Ferguson and David Beckham are among the many to have sought his services.

As well as Mr Loophole we have "Miss Justice", as Jeanette Miller, senior partner of Manchester motoring law firm Geoffrey Miller and president of the Association of Motor Offence Lawyers, likes to be known. She dubs her father the "original loophole lawyer" – he set up the practice in the 1970s and acted for the likes of George Best. Her website includes testimonials from several retired footballers, including Match of the Day pundit Alan Hansen.

The most recent Home Office statistics show 2.3m fixed penalty notices were issued in 2008, 54% of them for speeding. The evidence for most of these was from cameras, the funding for which was recently slashed by the government, to the horror of road safety campaigners. There were more than 700,000 breath tests carried out, of which 13% were positive or refused, and the testing equipment and procedures are often under the spotlight too. Miller says speed cameras and other detection devices, as well as greater public awareness that their findings can be challenged, have fuelled this area of practice – even if her clients are "factually guilty", the majority still get off on technicalities.

The evidence for most of these was from cameras, the funding for which was recently slashed by the government, to the horror of road safety campaigners.

I find those "speed reminder" cameras much better. ou know, the ones that clock you and tell you how fast you're going. A gentle reminder to slow down is a much better way to do it.

I find those "speed reminder" cameras much better. ou know, the ones that clock you and tell you how fast you're going. A gentle reminder to slow down is a much better way to do it.