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SCHEDULE 2 IN NORTHERN IRELAND
The statutory body under the Solicitors Re
muneration Act for Northern Ireland has made
a general order under Section 2 of the Solicitors
Remuneration Act
1881
substituting
a
new
schedule for Schedule 2 to the Order of 1884. In
future in Northern Ireland the charges for non-
contentious work under Schedule 2 will be such
sum as may be fair and reasonable having regard
to all the circumstances of the case and in par
ticular to
the complexity of the matter or the difficulty
or novelty of the questions raised,
the skill, labour, specialised knowledge and
responsibility involved on the part of the
solicitor,
the number and importance of the docu
ments prepared or perused without regard
to length,
the place where and the circumstances in
which the business or any part
therof
is
transacted,
the time expended by the solicitor,
where money or property
is
involved
its
amount or value,
the importance of the matter to the client.
Certificate from the Incorporated Law Society of
Northern Ireland
The order provides that without prejudice to the
client's right to have a bill taxed he may require
the solicitor to obtain a certificate from the In
corporated Law Society of Northern Ireland act
ing by a committee of at least three members
of the Society nominated by the President certify
ing that the sum charged is fair and reasonable or
if it is not what is a fair and reasonable sum and
the sum so certified if less than the charge shall in
the absence of taxation be the sum payable.
Taxation of Bills of Costs
Notwithstanding the provisions for examination
of the bill by the Incorporated Law Society a
client is entitled to have the bill taxed. On taxation
of a bill it is the duty of the solicitor to satisfy
the taxing master as to fairness and reasonable
ness of his charge. If the taxing master allows less
than one half of the amount charged he is to
bring the facts of the case to the attention of the
Incorporated Law Society of Northern Ireland.
The system now adopted in Northern Ireland
has been in operation in England for over twenty
years with satisfactory results both for the public
and the profession. In effect it gives legal sanction
to the practice now prevalent of rendering gross
sum bills to clients which in the vast majority
of cases are accepted without question.
DECIMALISATION
Members are advised to use the whole new
penny conversion table in converting £. s. d. to £p.
after D Day for stamp duty, Court and other fees.
This will avoid the £p. in transactions. For con
venience the table is reproduced below from the
Irish Decimal Currency Board Bulletin No. 1.
£sd
Id.
2d.
3d.
4d.
5d.
6d.
7d.
8d.
9d.
lOd.
lid.
1 shilling
1/1
1/2
1/3
1/4
1/5
'
1/6
1/7
1/8
1/9
1/10
1/11
2 shillings
New Pence (p)
Op
IP
IP
2p
2p
3p
3p
3p
4p
4p
5p
5p
5p
6p
6p
7p
8p
8p
9p
9p
lOp
lOp