The Gazette 1996

GAZETTE

P R E S I D E N T 'S

M E S S A G E

A P R I L / MAY 1996

A Changing Profession

Andrew F. Smyth

Since taking up office approximately

five months ago I have attended a

number of conferences and meetings

all of which seem to focus on the

changing patterns in the legal

profession. One of these discussions

was under the heading 'Law in the

Market Place' and the eminent

speakers included

Mr. Justice

Costello, Peter Sutherland S.C.

and

John Dunne,

the Director General of

IBEC. Each made very significant and

constructive comments but the

underlying suggestion was that

members of the legal profession

because of their training and expertise

can suitably fit into other business

areas provided they are prepared to

widen their horizons as it were and

meet the challenges which such

involvement would undoubtedly bring

to them. It is quite properly pointed

out that the profession and lawyers in

general are inclined to be somewhat

hide-bound by tradition and somewhat

narrow in their outlook insofar as they

judge matters from a legalistic point

of view rather than a business point of

view. I certainly feel that there are

members of the profession who are

quite capable of having a major

impact on business if they so wish and

I am equally certain that both business

and the profession would benefit as a

result of such input.

Since I last wrote to you, the meeting

of the membership to discuss the

Review Group's Report was held and

I must confess that I was somewhat

disappointed at the numbers who

attended this meeting. When one

considers what was involved and the

impact the proposed amendments

would have on the profession as a

whole, I felt that it warranted the

attention of the profession at large and

that the attendance might therefore be

greater than heretofore. However,

those who were in attendance did not

hesitate to have a say in the

proceedings and I was certainly more

than pleased with the input whether it

was of a critical nature or otherwise. It

is only by facing up to perceived

difficulties or apparent shortcomings

that we can progress and I am quite

sure that the implementation of the

Review Group's recommendations

will prove to be a boon to the

profession in later years.

Unfortunately, education is the area

which still causes greatest difficulty

and our attempts to act in a fair and

reasonable manner following upon the

decision in the

Bloomer

case has

clearly not met with universal

approval. We are now faced with

some more court proceedings and

suffice it to say that these will be

met in a reasonable and fair manner

and hopefully we will arrive at a

solution which will allow us to

progress with our education policy

unhindered.

The profession will have noted the

recent appointments to the Supreme

Court and the High Court and, on your

behalf, may I congratulate those who

have been honoured in this way. They

are of the highest calibre and we can

have no reservations about the

membership of the courts while

appointments of this calibre are being

made. We await with interest the first

appointments of solicitors to the

Circuit Court bench and I think I

speak on behalf of the profession

when I say that these appointments

should meet with universal approval

and that the relationship between both

branches of the profession will be

cemented rather than widened as q

result. It is my own personal wish that

this relationship should be fostered

and I will continue during my term of

office to do what I can to ensure that

this happens.

Elsewhere you will read, regrettably, a

lengthy obituary list and of course our

sympathy goes to the relatives of

those members of the profession with

special condolences to

Don Binchv

the death of his wife,

Joan.

She was a

truly lovely lady and gracious hostess

during Don's year of office as

President. It is a measure of Don's

great and unselfish commitment to the

profession that he managed so

extremely well the Chairmanship of

the Review Group during what can

only have been a very traumatic year

for him. He deserves the unstinted

thanks of the profession and its

continued support in the years ahead.

I R I S H

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