The Gazette 1992

GAZETTE

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 1992

From the President Briefing on Current Issues

Having completed t wo and a half months as President, the pressures of this function have become very real. A brief summary of some s i t ua t i ons may help to bring Members up to date:- 1. Chris Mahon:- 1 was saddened, and yet pleased for him, to preside over his retirement function. Chris has been a stalwart friend to the Law Society for over a decade. He goes to the Bar Council of Northern Ireland. He will be missed by all of us. He was approachable, under- standing and, where necessary, compassionate. On behalf of us all, I wish him well in his new function, and assure him that he will always be welcome at Blackhall Place. 2. FLAC:- You will find an Appeal in this Gazette. Please pay parti- cular regard to it. Funds are urgently needed, and we do all accept that remarkable work is achieved by the Centres. Please give generously, reflecting your k n o wn c o n c e rn for t he less privileged. Subscriptions can be sent, separately, to P.J. Connolly at the Law Society. 3. Berlin:- This Gazette contains much material on the Conference. Ireland, and Irish Lawyers, must be deeply committed to the New Europe. We are learning to partake, and so I warmly invite and en- courage you to participate. Every- thing possible is being done to keep pricing within a very reasonable range. Early indicators show im- mense interest. Please return your application and deposit, immediately. Your officers and Council are concentrating on the Solicitors Bill, on the present status of legal costs, on provisions to have District Judges and solicitors made eligible for appointment as Judges of the Higher Courts, and on improving and opening up relations between the membership of the Society, that is our own solicitors, and the main administration, committees, Council and officers. The Law Society 4. Objectives:-

At a presentation to Chris Mahon, former Director of Professional Services, who retired from the Law Society at the end of December were L-R: Adrian Bourke, President, Chris Mahon and Noel Ryan, Director General.

belongs to all solicitors.

Council and committees, and there will be a broader spectrum of ideas and policies available. 1992 is a momentous year. I hope it is happy, and even prosperous, for you all. The Society is most receptive to ideas, comments and criticism, and I invite you to send these to me.

5. Committees 1991/1992:- There have been substantial changes in chairmen and membership. This follows a wide consultative process. It is felt, as a general rule, that chair- men, like the officers, should not serve more than one year. Nor should there necessarily be an automatic right of succession by a vice-chairman. Greater opportunities will open up for all members of the Solicitors Benevolent Fund AGM Notice is Hereby Given that the One Hundred and Twenty Eighth Annual General Meeting of the Solicitors Benevolent Associa- tion will be held at the Incor- porated Law Society's Building, Blackhall Place, Dublin, on Friday 13 March, 1992 at 12 noon: 1. To consider the annual report and accounts for the year ended 30 November, 1991. 2. To elect directors. 3. To deal w i th other matters app r op r i a te to a General Meeting. Clare Leonard Secretary •

Adrian P. Bourke, President

Viewpoint (Continued from page 3)

We would urge that this is a matter that should be reconsidered. The Society will, we understand, be seeking to have the Bill amended in the course of its passage through the Oireachtas to replace the pre- sent discriminatory approach. In our view, this succeeds only in paying lip-service to the language, does nothing to advance respect for it or to further its promulgation in the sense of ensuring that there are lawyers available w i th competence in the language and who are willing to provide legal services to clients who want their business conducted in the Irish language. •