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GAZETTE
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER
1994
4. On-going discussions with the
Registrar of Titles on areas of
concern to the profession.
5. Meeting with building society
solicitors to discuss
standardisation of certificates of
title and guidelines issued with
loan offers.
Criminal Law
1. Discussions with the
Department of Justice regarding
fees payable under the Attorney
General's Scheme and fees
payable for visits to police
stations.
2. Production of guidelines for
solicitors who engage in
criminal defence work.
3. Discussions with the
Department of Justice regarding
access to production prisoners
in the Bridewell.
4. Joint seminar with criminal law
practitioners from Northern
Ireland on criminal law matters.
5. Submission to the Advisory
Committee on Fraud.
6. On-going negotiations with the
Department of Justice regarding
fees payable under the Criminal
Legal Aid Scheme.
7. Preparation of draft guidelines
on professional conduct for
criminal law practitioners.
EU and International Affairs
1. Eleven issues of Furlegal
News.
2. On-going monitoring of draft
EU Secondary Legislation.
3. Participation in the CCBE.
4. Commentary on the European
Commission Consultation
Paper on Joint Cross-Border
Practice of Regulated
Professions.
5. Representation at meetings of
the UINL.
6. Monitoring of EU draft
directives on Comparative
Advertising, Distance Selling,
Liability for Services etc.
7. Comparative study on the
implementation of the aptitude
test under the Diplomas
Directive in EU Member States.
Continuing Legal Education
In the period November 1993 to-
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date, forty Continuing Legal
Education seminars were held on
a wide variety of subjects.
Litigation
1. On-going negotiations with the
Irish Hospital Consultants
Association and the Irish
Medical Organisation
regarding the scale of charges
in medico-legal matters.
2. Revision of the
recommendations on medico-
legal matters.
3. Successful negotiation with
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the Fitness to Practise
Committee of the Medical
Council to obtain an
amendment to the Ethical
Guide relating to doctors'
obligations to furnish medical
reports.
4. Regular meetings and
discussions with the judiciary
and court officials with a view
to eliminating difficulties
encountered by practitioners in
litigation matters.
5. Letter to all members of the
profession concerning the
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scale of fees agreed between
the Irish Insurance Federation
and the Irish Hospital
Consultants Association.
Parliamentary
In addition to the submissions on
proposed legislation listed above, |
the Parliamentary Committee
examined the content of a variety
of Bills, including:-
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(a) the Road Traffic Bill, 1993
(b) the Terms of Employment
(Information) Bill, 1993
(c) the Casual Trading Bill, 1994
(d) the Referendum Bill, 1994
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(e) the Local Government Bill,
1994
(f) the Ethics in Public Office
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Bill, 1994
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(g) the Landlord and Tenant
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(Amendment) Bill, 1993.
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Practice Management
J
1. A 'Setting up in Practice'
package was developed to
advise solicitors wishing to set
up in practice about the
regulatory requirements,
j
sources of advice and
assistance and various
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means to enable them to
adopt a business orientation in
regard to their practice.
2. Practice Management
Guidelines were drawn up,
approved by Council and
issued to all practices.
3. Setting Up in Practice and
Obtaining the 'Q-mark'
seminars were held.
4. An office manual is being
developed.
j
5. Practice Management Notes
are being issued on a monthly
basis to all members.
6. A working paper on practice
management education at
apprenticeship level was
produced and is being
reviewed by the Law
Í
School.
Professional Purposes
I
1. Review of the guidelines on
undertakings contained in the
Guide to Professional Conduct
- a draft Practice Note is in
j
preparation.
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2. Detailed review of the
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professional conduct issues
arising in the context of a
change of solicitor by a client
and preparation of a draft
Practice Note.
3. Consideration of a draft
Statutory Instrument governing
solicitors' headed notepaper
and name plates.
Remuneration/Costs Committee
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i
1. Regional seminars were
Í
conducted in virtually all parts
j
of the country on the results of
the costs survey, practical
aspects of running a business
and methods of charging for
legal services.