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GAZETTE
SEPTEMBER 1990
At t i tudes of apprent ices
to computers
1.
Introduction
It has become apparent to
everybody involved in the legal
profession in the past few
years that new technology and
in particular computers are be-
coming more important in
Solicitors' offices. The Tech-
nology Committee arranged for
an informal survey in order to
gauge the level of knowledge
of Solicitors' Apprentices on
Computers and their attitude to
the use of Computers in the
legal profession.
A sample of 60 apprentices
were polled in the course of the
survey. The sample includes
apprentices at each stage in
the education cycle. The size of
the office in which the
apprentice worked was also
considered to be an influencing
factor and therefore the sample
was chosen so as to include
apprentices from practices of
varying sizes. (Small, up to four
Solicitors, Medium, 5-10 Solici-
tors, Large 10+ Solicitors).
2.
The Survey
The participants were asked
questions not only relating to
computers but also on other
topics which might be viewed
as relevant to their further ed-
ucation and professional de-
velopment. The questions and
the responses are shown
below.
(a) Have you received any
formal education in com-
puting? 61% of those polled
had received no formal
education of the 39%
remaining; knowledge was
acquired as part of their
second or third level
courses or alternatively as a
result of short courses.
(b) Are there any computers in
your office?
Every participant res-
ponded that computers
were in use in their office.
(c) Have you used any com-
puters in your office?
Sixty per cent of the res-
pondents had used a com-
puter, to some extent. Of
those who had not used a
computer in the office the
"Sixty per cent of the
respondents tied used a
comput er
to
s ome
extent
majority had been shown
how to use them but as yet
had not taken the op-
portunity to do so.
(d) the Participants were then
asked if they could type and
if not would they like to
learn?
Seventy per cent res-
ponded that they could not
type, the remaining 30%
had some level of typing
ability. Sixty three of those
surveyed said that they
would like to learn.
(e) Do you have a business
qualification?
Twenty two per cent of
the respondents had some
form of business qualifica-
tion whether it be a primary
degree or as a result of post
graudate studies.
(f) Is a business qualification
relevant?
Forty three felt that such
a qualification was relevant,
those who offered a view
felt that iswas relevant only
if one was dealing with
commercial matters.
(g) The participants were next
asked which subjects
should be included in the
final course syllabus. When
asked if computers should
be part of the course, 78%
felt they should. On the
question of management
skills, 73% agreed that this
would be aworthwhile sub-
ject for the course. Only
40% felt that typing would
be a worthwhile subject for
incorporation in the sylla-
bus.
(h) The participants were then
asked which of the fol-
lowing did they consider the
most useful skill?; Account-
ancy, Foreign Language,
Computers, Typing. They
responded as follows: —
47% felt that Accountancy
was the most useful, 38%
indicated foreign Langua-
ges, and the remaining 15%
selected Computers,
(i) The participants were then
asked which of the fol-
lowing they would most like
to pursue:— Accountancy,
48% selected this; Foreign
Languages 22%; EEC Dip-
loma 17%; Computers
13%.
(j) On the subject of extra
curricular courses they
undertake Accountancy/
Business 13%; Foreign
Languages 13%; Tax 17%;
EEC 4%; Typing 4%; Com-
puters 6%. Forty three per
cent of those surveyed took
no extra curricular courses.
Conclusions
On the issue of availability or
access to computers, it appears
that while there is now widespread
use of new technology in the legal
profession, just over half of those
surveyed have used or have regular
access to computers. The results
indicate that there is a greater like-
lihood of use of computers by
apprentices in the larger and
medium sized offices.
The vast majority of those
surveyed felt that it was helpful to
use or at least be aware of how to
use computers. Only 15% of those
surveyed were uninterested and
almost 80% felt that computers
should be included as part of the
training provided in Blackhall Place.
Until recently students on Ad-
vanced Courses were invited, at the
end of the day in the Law School,
to study the use of computers in
various business houses in Dublin.
"The usefulness of business
skills wes associated with their
re l evance in dea l i ng wi th
commercial law matters."
The Law School no longer offers
this opportunity as it met with
scant response.
A large number of the partici-
pants expressed the opinion that
management and business skills
should also be included in the
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