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of the public. Such a refusal would simply
lead to such complaints being addressed to
the Department of Justice, Judges, or to
letters in
the press. It is better that such
complaints
should
be
dealt with
by
a
professional body and the only method of
dealing with them is to ask the solicitor for
his comments.
(i) Society's standard form of building contract.
It was pointed out that the standard form
contains no provision for a penalty where
the builder is in delay. The President stated
that this matter would be considered by an
appropriate committee of the Council,
(j) Public criticism of the profession on matters
of costs in
the daily press. The President
stated
in
reply to a question that a full
answer had recently been published in
the
Dublin newspapers by the Secretary in an
article answering criticism of solicitors fees.
The meeting then concluded.
Education
We live in an age of a certain amount of student
unrest and I was pleased that my first duty upon
being elected President was to act as Chairman of
a conference organised on the subject of legal
education by the law students of Ireland. At that
Conference I was able, to some extent, to satisfy
Solicitors' Apprentices that the Council was very
alive to the causes of dissatisfaction and the need
for reform, and 1 promised that during my year of
office I would press for this.
That reforms are necessary in the field of legal
education goes almost without saying. As far back
as 1961 the Council sent to the then Commission
on Higher Education
their
suggestions
for
alteration of the curriculum and the Solicitor's
Apprentices and the Society of Young Solicitors
are ad
idem with
us on what
is
required.
Unfortunately in order to make the appropriate
regulations it is necessary to introduce a Bill to
amend Section 24 of the Solicitors Act 1954. It is
contemplated that legislation will be based on the
Solicitors (Scotland) Act 1958 and will give the
Council (subject to Judicial control) the power to
prescribe
the entire system of education and
training. The main change contemplated is that a
primary degree
in Law of a
recognised
Irish
University with
a modicum of control being
exercised by our Society as to both lectures and
examinations, would be sufficient to cater for the
academic
education
of
apprentices.
Certain
lectures or tutorials would be given by the Society
on certain practical subjects and new methods of
teaching are envisaged. Following the degree stage
the Solicitors' apprentice would attend whole time
at the office of his master for approximately two
years during which he would be entitled
to
remmuneration. This is akin to the scheme which
has been in operation successfully in Scotland.
It would also be our intention to extend Section
40 by provisions which would enable the Council
to enter into arrangements with the King's Inn for
a common system of education and training for
Solicitors' Apprentices and King's Inn students
and make reciprocal arrangements for admission
of Barristers
as Solicitors
and Solicitors
as
Barristers. These
provisions will
be merely
enabling and will
impose no obligation on the
King's Inn apart from agreement. The second
schedule to the Solicitors' Act 1954 will, we hope,
be repealed and replaced by provisions whereby
the
term
and
manner
of
Indentures
of
Apprenticeship to a practising Solicitor may
bz
prescribed by
regulations. We have reached a
stage where the enabling legislation has now been
drafted and is being submitted to the Department
of Justice. We have seen the Chairman of the
Higher Education Authority
and have
been
informed that the Authority would not at present
intervene in a matter of this kind. The clear need
for change was appreciated and the Authority will
probably assist in the speedy passage of the Bill
by recommending it to the Department of Justice.
1 would
like
to
thank
the Chairman for his
sympathetic approach. With his appreciation of
the necessity to avoid any further delay and the
assurance of his support we are optimistic enough
to feel that we will have the full co-operation of
the Universities in negotiating arrangements later
whereby the primary degree will be of a standard
acceptable
to us. We also feel
that talks of
University merger need not occasion insuperable
difficulty.
A liaison committee representative of the body
of Solicitors' Apprentices has been formed. We
have had meetings with them and we have been
most
impressed with
the
sincerity
of
their
representatives and the validity of many of their
complaints
and
the
reasonableness
of
their
requirements.
1
think
they
appreciate
the
willingsness of the Council to co-operate fully with
them.
Social Service
Much has been heard in recent times as to the
role of the Solicitor in Society. we have always
been proud of the fact that our profession pro-
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