The Gazette 1989

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GAZETTE APRIL 1 9 89
In
this
Issue
Extradition Law: Part 2 161
President's Column 166
Taxing the Voluntary
Disposition Inter Vivos 177
Younger Members News 184
Professional Information 189
•
Cover Photo: The President of the Law
Society, Maurice Curran (centre) with
(left) His Honour Judge Michael A.
Moriarty of the Circuit Court, and Ernest
J. Margetson, Senior Vice President of
the Law Society.
*
Executive Editor:
Mary Gaynor
Committee:
Geraldine Clarke, Chairman
Eamonn G. Hall, Vice-Chairman
John F. Buckley
Gary Byrne
Patrick McMahon
Charles R. M. Meredith
Daire Murphy
John Schutte
Advertising:
Seán Ó hOisín. Telephone: 305236
307860
Printing:
Turner's Printing Co. Ltd., Longford.
*
The views expressed in this publication,
save where otherwise indicated, are the
views of the contributors and not
necessarily the views of the Council of
the Society.
The appearance of an advertisement in
this publication does not necessarily
indicate approval by the Society for the
product or service advertised.
Published at Blackhall Place, Dublin 7.
Tel.: 710711. Telex: 31219. Fax: 710704.
GAZETTE INCORPORATE D
LAWSOCIETY
OF IRELAND
Vol.83 No.5 May 1989
Viewpoint
The concentration of insurance
services, auctioneers' practices
and, in the not too distant future,
conveyancing services in the same
hands as providers of mortgage
finance has led the English Law
Society to protest loudly at the
absence of any independent advice
being available to house purchasers.
While the situation in Ireland is
not as unsatisfactory as that in the
UK, it is surely a step in the right
direction that our Law Society has
made arrangements to enable all
practising solicitors to obtain
independent financial and invest-
ment advice for their clients.
There is already evidence here
that mortgage consultants are
advising house purchasers to take
out forms of assurance policies
which are not necessarily the most
suitable or economic for them. In
passing, it may be commented that
the high commission payable on
the introduction of the insured to
the insurer presents a great
temptation to the consultant to sell
the policy with the highest
commission, rather than the most
effective policy for the client.
The services to solicitors which
Solicitors Financial and Property
Services Ireland Ltd., can offer
through their agents, Sedgwick
Dineen Personal Financial Man-
agement Ltd., are wide ranging.
Apart from the provision of
advice to would-be house pur-
chasers and, perhaps more signif-
icantly, to house owners wishing to
remortgage their property, the
range of facilities offered includes
personal pension plans, retirement
planning, key man insurance and
investment.
This latter idea may be of con-
siderable interest to practitioners
engaged in litigation rather than in
the provision of property services.
The wise investment of sub-
stantial amounts obtained by
plaintiffs on awards is a matter
which requires expert assistance;
the leeches will gather as soon as
the award is made and it is
important that the plaintiff's
solicitor be in a position to offer
expert and unbiased advice to his
client.
Now that these services are
available to practitioners it is up to
the profession to use their newly
granted power to advise clients or,
indeed, prospective clients of the
services which the profession can
now offer. It is important that the
solicitor regains his position as
being the client's first port of call,
which certainly in the area of house
purchase is no longer the norm.
Each firm in the Professional
Services area should take immediate
steps to make their clients aware of
these services which are unlikely
to be matched by any other
professionals operating in the
area. •
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