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inhuman treatment to expel them from the United
Kingdom because they had no other country to
go to.
After being kept in detention they were allowed
to stay in Britain for three months.
Five Ugandans found themselves "shuttle-
cocked" across Europe and stranded in Belgrade
before being admitted to Britain. Four others
from Uganda found themselves unable to join
wives and children in Britain.
In another case, the applicant from Uganda,
who was temporarily resident in Britain, was
ordered to leave although his wife had the right
to stay. He claimed that if they returned together
to Uganda, he would be unable to support his
family. If he returned to Uganda alone, his family
life would be destroyed.
Although he has since been given permission to
remain permanently in Britain, he is now seeking
damages against the British Government.
In written submissions to the commission, the
Government has denied any violation of the con
vention and claimed that the applicants have now
exhausted remedies available to them in the
United Kingdom.
If the commission decides that the cases are
admissible on legal grounds, it will investigate the
facts and try to reach a friendly settlement between
the applicants and the British Government.
[The Daily Telegraph, 5
October 1970]
APPRENTICES FORUM
THE PURPOSES OF A STUDENT
DEBATING SOCIETY AND ITS VALUE
IN THE TRAINING OF A SOLICITOR
A memorandum compiled by the Membership
Committee of the Solicitors' Apprentices'
Debating Society of Ireland and issued by
the Incorporated Law Society of Ireland.
(
1) The value of debating experience to a
practising solicitor
There is a popular belief that the main purpose
of a student debating society is to enable its mem
bers to acquire knowledge of debating techniques,
as well as providing a platform for those already
skilled in this art.
Certainly, the acquisition of debating skill is
essential for a law student intending to practise as
a solicitor. Words are the tools of his profession
and he must learn to use them with brevity,
clarity and forcefulness.
In support of this, we cite a well-worn cliche,
the truth of which mysteriously, many appren
tices fail to appreciate :
"it is not enough for a
solicitor to know the law, he must learn how to
apply his knowledge with maximum effect".
The fundamental significance of this ought to
be apparent to anyone who has even a minimum
experience of solicitors' practice. It is a maxim
which applies to every solicitor in every aspect of
his work, whether arguing in court, addressing a
meeting, advising a client in consultation or even
dictating a letter. Yet, careless pleading, bad
draftsmanship, and muddled advice to clients are
not uncommon in. our profession. There can be
no doubt that much of this malpractice is due, not
to lack of ability or knowledge but to lack of
training in applying these. It could, therefore, be
avoided if only solicitors' apprentices would ensure
that they receive the best possible training for
their careers—a training that includes a knowledge
of debating.
Further, we would point out that with litigation
increasing annually, it is almost certain that in
tending solicitors will be called upon in their very
early days of practice to appear on behalf of
clients in court. If a solicitor's first court appear
ance is also his first attempt at public speaking
both will suffer heavily. A maiden speech is always
an embarrassment to the speaker. Frankly, we feel
that the embarrassment is easier to bear when it is
incurred among one's friends at a student debate
than when it is suffered during the course of one's
business. On the latter occasion, it is well to realise
that the solicitor's own reputation, the client's
cause and the time of the courts are all involved.
What is amazing, however, is the fact that so
many young solicitors never realise this, or simply
never bother about it until after they've qualified.
(2) The contribution of debating to the full
development of the individual and the making of
a good lawyer
We believe that a student debating society has
an even more important role to play than the one
which we have already mentioned. Its primary
purpose is, in our opinion, to provide a means of
dialogue whereby its members may be encouraged
to develop a critical outlook, to learn from the
opinions of others, to acquire a well-balanced set
of values and a mature disposition. We would not
claim that the debating platform is alone capable
of enabling the individual to attain such fulfilment
but we are very much of the opinion that with
higher education at such a pressurised level today
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