The Gazette 1993

GAZETTE

APRIL . 1993

by simply moving it from one system to another. PC fax boards are not expensive and the cost of modems has reduced considerably over the past number of years. High specification modems now allow for the transmission of an A4 page in 3 seconds. A modem is necessary because the digital output from the computer system must be converted into analog for transmission across certain parts of the telephone network. There are a number of points to be borne in mind with the use of PC fax boards: • There will be an overhead of anything between 80kb and lOOkb for monitoring and transmission of facsimile documents. An A4 page in word processing format occupies about 2kb; an A4 fax page occupies about lOOkb. Consequently the facility will require high specification PCs with sufficient power resources. • Transmission speeds will be dictated in part by the toleration of the packet switching network. • The PC fax facility should be Second Jurist Europe Convention The second Jurist Europe conference will be held in Manchester at the Royal Northern College of Music from 1-4 September, 1993. Jurist Europe is a conference of business lawyers and its principal aim is to allow lawyers to meet on an individual basis to enable them to create links across Europe and thereby provide a comprehensive European legal service to clients operating in the single market. Over 400 delegates from 27 countries attended the first conference which was held in Bordeaux in October, 1992. Further information about the 1993 Convention is available from Ms. FM Eccles, Assistant Administrative Secretary, Manchester Law Society, Rationale House, Bridge Street, Manchester M3 3BN, MDX 14378, England.

capable of operating in background mode so that the PC can be used for other tasks while a transmission is taking place. • Paper copies of both incoming and outgoing computerised documents may still be required for filing and other purposes. One of the most important elements in developing computer to computer communications is having a sufficient number of initial users to communicate with each other. This is one of the difficulties which has faced LIX (Legal Information Exchange) an electronic document transfer system which was established with the support of the Law Society and the Bar Council in the United Kingdom. The system not only provides for the transfer of documents but also for translation between differing systems and the checking of documents automatically once they are received by one system from another. 4 The intention is to reduce costs, substantially reduce the time factor involved in processing of documents and provide a superior service to clients. Here, the Medico-Legal Society: On Thursday 25 March, 1993, the Medico-Legal Society of Ireland will be holding the final lecture in its current session which will deal with the topic. "Involuntary Admissions to Psychiatric Hospital." The speakers are Tom Cooney, Civil Liberties Association and Professor Tom Fahy, Department of Psychiatry, University College Hospital, Galway. The lecture will take place at 8.30 pm at the United Services Club, St. Stephen's Green, Dublin 2. Membership details of the Medico- Legal Society of Ireland are available upon request to Mary MacMurrough Murphy BL at 2 Whitebeam Road, Clonskeagh, Dublin 14 (tel. 2694280) or at the Law Library, Four Courts, Dublin 7 (tel. 720622). • SURVEILLANCE

Incorporated Law Society has been active through the Lawlink project over a number of years in researching the possibility of a similar project which would provide a range of services and communications facilities between practitioners throughout the country. References 1. See "Comment is free but fax is Sacred" Charles Christian New Law Journal 13 September, 1991. 2. See, for example, S.30 Criminal Evidence Act, 1992; and the Stock Transfer Forms Regulations, 1991 (SI 77/91). Hastie -v- Jenkerson and McMahon 1990 1 WLR 1575. "The Transmission of Documents by fax" Dr. E.G. Hall Gazette (ILSI) January/February, 1993; "Got the Message?" Anthony Hofler Law H. Kenney Law Society Gazette (London) 21 September, 1988. 3. See Practice Notes Gazette (ILSI) March 1988. 4. See "EDI - is there life after fax?" Michael O'Sullivan Gazette (ILSI) July/August, 1992. • Duties of a Solicitor to Apprentice The Education Committee has decided to draw up a set of guidelines to cover the duties and obligations of a solicitor to his/her apprentice. It is hoped that these guidelines will be contained in a new edition of the "Guide to Professional Conduct of Solicitors in Ireland", which is currently being reviewed. The Committee invites submissions on the topic from individual practitioners, apprentices or bar associations and such contributions should be directed to: Brian J. Mahon, Vice-chairman, The Education Committee, Blackhall Place, Dublin 7. • Society Gazette (London) 8 July, 1992; "Exchanging Contracts by Fax" Philip

English Agents: Agency work undertaken for Irish solicitors in both litigation and non- contentious matters - including legal aid. Fearon & Co., Solicitors, 12 The Broadway, Woking, Surrey GU21 5AU.

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