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GAZETTE
SEPTEMBER 1979
Awaiting presentation to High Court
3
Removed from Roll of Solicitors at own request
1
8.5
During the period under review Messrs Francis Lanigan and Thomas Jackson,
long-serving members of the Committee, retired and were replaced by Messrs Frank
O'Donnell and Brian Russell. The postal dispute did, to some extent, affect the number of
cases coming before the Committee as it slowed down the processing of cases in the
earlier stages — at Interview Board and Registrar's Committee level. Attendances at the
Disciplinary Committee meetings were not affected. At this stage it would be difficult to
account for the reduction of the number of cases coming before the Committee. It could
be a greater awareness by solicitors of the efforts of the Society to ensure the maintenance
of a high professional standard and the excellent work of the Registrar's Committee and
the Interview Board helped by the executive staff of the Society. On my own behalf, and
that of the Committee, many thanks to the clerk of the Committee, Miss Mary Lynch, for
her efficiency and courtesy.
PUBLIC
RELATIONS
COMMITTEE
W. D. McEvoy
Chairman
Michael V. O'Mahony
John F. Buckley
Donal G. Binchy
Frank Daly
Charles
R.
M. Meredith
Peter Murphy
Patrick O'Connor
Frank CDonnell
Moya Quinlan
Adrian P. Bourke
W. D. McEvoy
Chairman
9.1
Last year might be considered as a year which the public and the profession
became more conscious of each other and that the intention for 1979-80 should be that
this relationship should be further developed. The Committee's policy was to build an
awareness and understanding of what solicitors do, and to increase public respect for the
beneficial contribution made by solicitors to the community. This can only be done by the
continual observance of what is essential, having regard to the standards which solicitors
know and realise should be kept and which are essential to gain such goodwill of the
community and to perform and contribute as a profession in the development of our
Society.
9.2
The Committee during the year has endeavoured to provide and help in this
policy and a training officer, Mr. Patrick Quinn, was appointed. His functions mainly
evolve around the organisation and continuing education by seminars for the younger and
older members of the profession. Symposia conferences for the interested public were
organised in various areas. Seminars were arranged in Litigation, Probate, Company
Law, Landlord and Tenant, Family Law and in the modern areas of Labour Law,
Taxation and Commercial Law. Any who have attended these have undoubtedly been
able to perform better having regard to their assistance to the public and from their own
efficiency. The Committee would recommend full participation and advancement of this
form of education.
9.3
From a public relations point of view, it was indicative from being involved with
these seminars and symposia that the profession must meet the demands and challenges
which our President so realistically referred to at the general meeting in Galway: "With
the greatly increasing prosperity of the country I think that increasing demands will be
made on the legal profession and this, in turn, will give the profession the opportunity of
greater prosperity than it has ever enjoyed before." This can only be done, by making
available the necessary professional expertise to the public from the profession.
9.4
Leaflets giving information in relation to House Purchase, Family Law, Car
Accidents, Wills and Taxation were redrafted and examined. These leaflets were
distributed to solicitors and into other areas where such would be informative.
9.5
A new Directory of Services showing the availability of services will be published
in the near future which will give the public a broad outline of information having regard
to what advice and assistance a solicitor can provide and also the availability of individual
solicitors or firms of solicitors and the types of work they do.
9.6
It is suggested that more communication and co-operation be arranged with the
press, television and radio, very much in an informal manner. The training of spokesmen
and specialists to deal with all three areas and to be in a position to give specialised replies
and criticism has been arranged. It is suggested that in future we should anticipate more
public feeling where necessary and matters should be dealt with beforehand if possible.
Give a better image not an image of fees but of services. In the past, it was agreed that
there should be as little confrontation with the media as is necessary, but now some
members of the Committee feel that a more positive attitude might be adopted towards the
publication of constructive and positive ideas as to how the profession can more
advantageously be "advertised" in regard to the functions which it performs to the public.
9.7
The Education Committee and staff are again to be congratulated on the manner
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