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AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 1994
facing "a massive £80m bill in
outstanding claims from public liability
cases". The article quoted Dublin
Corporation spokesman,
Noel Carroll,
as saying that there had been a decline
in the number of claims being filed but
a huge increase in the amount of money
being paid out. "Certain solicitors are
advertising their services for
compensation cases in an unacceptable
way. Many are targeting the poorer
areas of the city and their policy of 'no
foal-no fee' is encouraging a greater
number of claims than is warranted.
The legal fees involved in these cases
are a lucrative business for a lot of
solicitors." The article quoted a Law
Society spokeswoman as saying that
the Society would defend the right of
anyone genuinely injured through
someone else's negligence to sue. She
said that most cases were genuine but
that if any evidence was produced
showing that a solicitor
knowingly
pursued a false claim then the Society
would regard that as serious
misconduct and act accordingly.
The Irish Times
of 11 August also
reported on the measures being taken by
Dublin Corporation to stamp out fraudu-
lent claims and quoted Noel Carroll as
saying that the Corporation had
discussions with the Law Society about
solicitors taking on claims on a 'no foal-
no fee' basis as in his view this was
encouraging an immoral claims culture.
Controlling entry to the professions
An article in
The Irish Times
of 2
August 1994, by
Kieran Conway,
examined how entry into the
professions is controlled. Noting the
routes of entry to the Law School, the
journalist commented that "the limit is
now decided by the available places in
the Law School. Those who qualify
join a queue. Much more importantly,
they must secure an apprenticeship with
a practising solicitor. Critics say the
queuing system is anti-meritorious. The
brightest have to wait their turn,
delaying their entry to the labour
market, and having to bear the
! additional cost of that delay.
Furthermore, critics say, the securing of
apprenticeships has nothing to do with
merit but with influence." The article
quoted a spokeswoman for the Society
as saying that there were two schools of
262
thought about how to deal with the
numbers wishing to enter the
profession. One, alarmed at the growth
in numbers and impact on solicitors'
living standards, favoured limiting
entry, confining places and apprentice-
ships to law graduates as happens in
other disciplines; the other was
prepared to leave it to the market to
effect the shake-out. •
Paltry criminal injuries compensation
The
Sunday Press
of 7 August reported
criticism by the Law Society of the
"paltry" scope of the scheme of
criminal injuries compensation.
Tributes to the Chief Justice
The national daily papers on 30 July
1994 reported the tributes paid to the
Hon Mr
Thomas Finlay,
Chief Justice,
on the occasion of his final day
presiding in the Supreme Court before
his retirement. The papers quoted
Michael O'Mahony,
President of the
Law Society, as saying that the Chief
Justice would be remembered by
solicitors as an extraordinary man
who always presented as an ordinary
man.
•
Barbara Cahalane
Expans i on of Comp l a i n ts Sec t i on
Patricia Casey
The Society's Professional Practice
Department which deals
inter alia
with complaints, has been expanded
with the appointment of an additional
solicitor.
Patricia
Casey joined the
department in March of this year. She
also acts as secretary of the Society's
Criminal Law Committee and the
Remuneration and Costs Committee.
Patricia graduated with a BA from
UCD in 1972 and pursued a career in
the insurance industry prior to being
admitted to the Roll of Solicitors in
1985. Following qualification she
worked in private practice, principally
dealing with personal injuries and
criminal law, before joining the Law
School as a tutor in 1992.
Brid Brady,
joined the department on
1 August replacing
Catherine
Brennan,
Solicitor, who left the
Society in June to move to County
Brid Brady
Louth. Brid Brady graduated from
UCD with a BA in 1972 and taught
for a number of years before being
admitted to the Roll of Solicitors in
1978. Following qualification she
worked in private practice, principally
dealing with commercial and
residential property and probate and
administration. She joined the Law
School as a full-time tutor in 1992.
Brid will also act as secretary of the
Society's Conveyancing Committee.
Patricia Casey and Brid Brady, along
with their colleague,
Linda Kirwan,
Senior Solicitor, Professional Practice
Department, deal with initial phone
calls and letters of complaint from
members of the public and seek to
conciliate matters where possible. The
solicitors also provide administrative
support to the Registrar's Committee
of the Society.
•
i