The Gazette 1993

IMN AGE

GAZETTE

AGEMNJUNE 1993

Al ternat ive J ob Opportuni t ies for Sol ici tors

The Younger Members Committee organised a seminar in association with the Bank of Ireland on the subject of "Solicitors - Alternative Job Opportunities" on 7 May, last. The Seminar was hosted in the Bank of Ireland premises at 43 Eyre Square, Galway (Ireland's culture capital) on a weekend of stone splitting sunshine, writes Michael Nugent. The purpose of the seminar was to explore alternative job opportunities for solicitors outside of traditional private practice. In order to get practical advice on this topic we set out to find solicitors with really unexpected careers who could swear that they got the job by reason of their qualification. Initially we had hoped to find a solicitor working in an entirely bizarre area (a mercenary soldier or market gardener would have been nice), but in the end of the day we had to settle for Willie Scraggs, Pat Flynn and Miriam Doyle. Willie Scraggs is the Bank of Ireland legal advisor for "Area West", which I gather covers most places in the Galway side of the Shannon. He spoke passion- ately of his life and times working for the bank and explained the spread of experience which would be required for those who might contemplate a job in banking. Willie (whose real name happens to be Maurice) gave us a flavour of what it might be like to work in this, a more traditional career, outside of private practice. Next on the list was Patrick Flynn, a solicitor currently working with A & L Goodbody in Dublin. Pat's claim to fame is not so much that he is working with A & L Goodbody, but that he previously worked with Ulster Invest- ment Bank as a Corporate Finance Executive and subsequently spent four years as a marketing executive for the Dublin Docks Financial Services Centre. Pat explained what was involved in working in the world of finance and was able to give an important insight into the employer's side of viewing CVs from aspiring finance solicitors. (Pat has rejected more CVs than most). He finished his talk by telling us all why, after all the glories and benefits of working in the world of finance, he

At the seminar were l-r: Pat Flynn, Solicitor, A & L Goodbody; Michael Nugent, Solicitor, Younger Members Committee; Dermot Gaynor, Branch Manager, Bank of Ireland; Antoinette Conole, Bank Officer, Bank of leland and John Shaw, Chairman, Younger Members Committee. chose to return to A & L Goodbody.

event) of the Bank of Ireland for their hard work and support. Without them it would not have been possible. Also on the thank you list must be Joan Doran of the Law Society for her patience, Willie, Pat and Miriam for their time, effort and bravery, and of course all of those from Galway and its environs who gave up Coronation Street and the Late Late Show to come to the seminar and listen to us. Michael Nugent, Younger Members Committee. P.S. See the notice on page 187 about a similar seminar being held in Cork on 23 July. • Education Officer in the Law Society and Alison Moore, Solicitor, Sheedy Hickey & Co., are taking part in the Co- operation North Mara-Cycle on June 26/27 and will be raising money for the Solicitors' Benevolent Fund. The mara-cycle involves cycling from Dublin to Belfast on Thursday, 27 June, 1993 and then cycling from Belfast back to Dublin on the following day. Both the cyclists would greatly appreciate support from members of the pro- fession. Please send your contribution to Harriet Kinahan, c/o The Law School, Blackhall Place, Dublin 7. • Mara-Cycle in Aid of Benevolent Fund Harriet Kinahan, Solicitor and

Miriam Doyle mixed entertainment with information. She, who is Director of Legal and External Affairs, with Coca Cola Atlantic in Drogheda, had some cautionary tales to tell. She told us what to expect in a no-nonsense business world. Her early days working for Abbey Life were fraught with misunderstandings. (She had to share a common office and she even had to clock in!) Now things are changed and Miriam has the position and respect she deserves. The keynote of her address was that if you get your foot in the door of a commercial or financial company you can almost make your own job. Miriam was supportive, enthusiastic, informative and witty. I still wonder what is an "External Affair". A shy audience asked few questions during the lecture but afterwards had no difficulty in coming to grips with the extravagant hospitality of the Bank of Ireland. A buffet meal of several courses and ample wine were laid on. When the manager, Jim Sweeney , told me that he was going to get the Harp I asked for a pint also, but he returned with a large musical instrument instead, and an accomplished harpist to set the mood. (Sorry Jim.) Jim Sweeney was the manager responsible for this largesse and to him we owe our thanks. We also owe a debt to Maura Harrison and Marion Fallon (who gave over two of her annual leave days to organise this

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