The Gazette 1919-20

The Gazette oi the Incorporated Law Society ot Ireland.

JUNE, 1919]

All of them had received a circular signed by him with reference to the memorial it was proposed to erect to the Solicitors and Apprentices who had fallen in the war. The response to that circular, on the whole, had been satisfactory- They ha:! up to that day received the sum >f £275 Us. They could not decide on the nature or design of the memorial until the}' knew what funds would be available, and he, therefore, asked all those who had not already subscribed to forward their subscriptions at once, as they would like to put the work in hands. The members, no doubt, had all followed with interest the Barristers and Solicitors (Qualification for Women) Bill which had recently passe I through the House of Lords It provided fur the admission of women as students of the Inns of Court, and being called to the Bar and practising as barristers and as solicitors under the Solicitors-Act. This bill did not extend to Ireland. They in Ireland were asked by the Lord Chancellor what their attitude would be in the event of an amendment being proposed in the House of Commons making the Bill applicable to the Solicitors' profession in Ireland, and the Council decided to reply that there would be no objection on behalf of the Society, pro– vided the amendment included the admission of women to practice in Ireland as Barristers as well as Solicitors (hear, hear). When one considered the devotion and self-sacrifice of women in the service of the nation and the Empire during the years of stress and trial, how they volunteered to help to fill, and showed themselves capable of filling, the places of men who had gone to serve their country on the battlefield, he did not think the Council, as reasonable men, could have come to any other decision, and he trusted that when he addressed them at their next meeting the Act, with the suggested amendment, would have become law, and that they would be in a position to welcome women as members of the profession (hear,, hear). The question of the amalgamation of the two branches of the legal profession had recently been considered by the English Law Society, and a referendum of the members of the Society taken upon it, with the result that a large majority of those voting recorded

their votes against it. The Council of this Society had had this subject from time to time under their consideration. So far back as the year 1885 the matter was fully gone into, and the}' entered into communication with, and obtained reports from, practically every civilised country in the world which had a judicial system, including the different States in America, France, Spain, Denmark, Norway, and all over the self-governing Colonies. The Society of the day decided that amalgamation would not be in the interest of the profession. As late as October, 1915, the Council again considered the question and decided against it. It was brought before them recently by some members of this Society. The Council considered this a matter of great importance to the profession as a whole, and in questions of this kind they believed that they had a duty outside the members of the Society. He wished that every member of the pro– fession was a member of this Society (hear, hear). It would add greatly to its power, and it was much to be regretted that so many Solicitors did not join ; but, as he said before, in considering questions of this kind they looked to the interests of every Solicitor, whether he was a member of this Society or not (hear, hear). They accordingly entered into communication with the Northern Law Society and the Southern Law Association, and held a special meeting of the Council on the 2nd of April, which was attended by representatives of both these organisations, as well as by other provincial delegates. The representatives of the Northern Society informed them that they had held a general meeting of their Society to discuss the matter, and had made inquiries in several important towns from the Solicitors practising there, with the result that only a small proportion appeared to be in favour of amalgamation. The Southern Law Associa– tion passed a unanimous resolution against it. The matter was fully debated at the Council meeting, and it was referred to a Committee to consider all the facts and arguments which had been brought before tho Council, and to report. The Committee hai held several meetings, and they reported thit the}' did not find any general desire among the members of the profession for