The Gazette 1993

GAZETTE

MWH

DECEMBER 1993

There had been no formal meeting of

the Solicitors Acts Committee but the

Society had been very active in

discussing with officials of the

department of Justice amendments to

certain provisions that had been

published in the Solicitors

(Amendment) Bill, 1991 and the

inclusion of further provisions

considered necessary by the Society.

Premises

Given that there had been unexpected

expenditure of £500,000 on the

building and that this was a major

contributor to the Society's current

overdraft, and noting that the Society

now appeared to require the purchase

of an additional two buildings,

Jerry

Sheehan

enquired whether there was a

policy on premises. Replying, the

chairman of the Blackhall Place

Development Plan Committee,

Adrian

Bourke

, assured Mr. Sheehan that there

was a policy. The Society, as yet, had

not acquired any new premises but the

purchase of premises at Wood Lane

would take place early in 1994. The

Society had an option on a premises at

Hendrick Place. Both buildings were

directly adjoining Blackhall Place. He

informed the meeting that sources of

i Book Reviews

(Continued from page 403)

somewhat of a fiction and that the anti-

discrimination laws hide a bleak reality

which leaves women isolated and

frustrated.

As a solicitor myself, I was interested in

the chapter on the legal profession. This

article was based on statistical analysis

| and on interviews with many women in

the profession. Having been in the pro-

fession myself for twenty three years, I

would not necessarily agree with all of

! its conclusions but, like every other

(

woman, I have experience the petty

I prejudices that have existed for many

| years in the profession and still exist.

One might feel that this book is of

i interest to women only. I don't believe

| so. I think it behoves anyone who is

Í interested in the position of their wives

and daughters before the law to read it.

| While one might not agree with every-

thing that is stated in each chapter and

the conclusions drawn, I feel that in a

funding were being examined,

including applications to the National

Heritage Council and to the European

Community. He said the Society, as a

| temporary custodian of one of the

| finest buildings to be seen anywhere in

I Europe, had a duty to maintain it. The

policy in relation to the building at

Blackhall Place was over time to try to

enhance the facilities available for use

by members.

! "Capping" proposal

Bruce St. John Blake

raised the issue of

the proposal to 'cap' personal injury

awards currently being promoted by

j the Minister of State for Commerce &

| Technology, Seamus Brennan, TD. He

said it was essential that the Society

| should campaign strenuously against

this proposal as he believed it would be

difficult to deter the Minister. The

I Society must harness public support

| against the proposal and emphasise that

a cap would not reduce insurance

! premiums. He said he believed it

would be difficult to get the Minister to

listen to this point as he seemed to

attack anyone who criticised his

proposals and simply stated that he

i would not yield to "vested interests".

He asked that incoming President of

State, where overnight, condoms were

miraculously no longer contraceptives

(because mens' health was now

affected) and, therefore, no longer

prohibited; and in a State where equality

has meant that women have the right to

pay their costs but often little else; and

in a State where successive Govern-

ments have failed to appoint qualified

women to high office, we need more and

more studies such as this not just to

make progress - but to achieve equity.

Elma Lynch

•

NORTHERN IRELAND

AGENT

* Initial Consultation Free

* All forms of work undertaken

* Competitive Rates

* Consultation in Dublin if requested

* Legal Aid Available

Contact:

Kevin J. Neary BCL

Donnelly Neary & Donnelly

Solicitors

1 Downshire Road, Newry,

County Down

Tel: (080693) 64611

Fax: (080693) 67000

the Society to pursue this matter as

vigorously as possible.

Tribute to President

Desmond Moran

proposed a vote of

thanks to the outgoing President,

Raymond Monahan, for all his hard

work during his term of office. Mr.

Moran said it was an onerous job that

took enormous stamina. He said he

would also like to propose a vote of

thanks to

Eileen Monahan.

Seconding

the motion of thanks,

William Devine,

said that he had never heard a critical

word about Raymond Monahan. He had

been an excellent representative of the

profession in the media. He appreciated

the great efforts that the President had

made to attend Bar Association

meetings around the country. He had

been particularly impressed by the

Annual Conference of the Society in

Connemara and the manner in which

Raymond Monahan had taken a per-

sonal interest in everybody attending.

He praised the letter to members of the

profession written by the President of

the Society last April. Concluding, he

thanked Raymond Monahan for raising

the profile of the office of President. D

Barbara Cahalane

Alternative careers for

Solicitors

(Continued from page 399)

demands of the marketplace. What

does this mean? It means focusing on

the competencies individuals can

offer to an employer, such as those

listed above. New thinking by

solicitors in the way information is

presented in their CVs will greatly

increase their chances of being called

for interview both in private practice

and in the wider careers market. As a

pilot project, two CV development

workshops have been organised to

facilitate individuals in this

undertaking.

Queries relating to any aspect of the

Employment Register or alternative

careers should be addressed to

Hazel

Boylan,

Careers Adviser, at the Law

School, Blackhall Place.

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