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PRESENTATION OF NEW
CERTIFICATES
On November 23rd the President at a ceremony
in the Society's library presented certificates of
admission to the undermentioned solicitors.
In
his address to the newly admitted solicitors the
President said :
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN :
Before presenting the Certificates of Admission
to the Ladies and Gentlemen who, having passed
our Examinations, are now entitled to join us in
practice it is usual for the President to say a few
words.
It may be of interest to you to know that since
1956 the average number of Apprentices entering
into indentures has been 36. The average number of
admissions to the roll, 40, and the average number
of Practising Certificates issued 1350. The number
of these entering into Indentures this year at 42 is
the highest it has been since 1957 when it was 45.
The numbers actually being admitted this year at
27 is the lowest it has been since 1958, and as we
estimate that between 30 and 35 solicitors cease to
practice either through death or retirement there
should, all things being equal, be a small overall
reduction in our numbers.
I have mentioned these figures because you should
know that in the view of our Council the Profession
is at present overcrowded and this we consider is
a bad thing. We have not sought to restrict in any
way the numbers entering the profession, and no one
who has attained the standard required by our
examiners has been deferred or delayed in any way
in his progress towards qualification.
We are anxious to maintain and even improve our
standards and qualifications, and I will later this
afternoon be speaking about this to our members,
but I believe I am right in saying that this is not
because we wish to limit the numbers, entering but
rather to improve the quality and qualifications of
those entering so that in our present highly complex
and specialised situation our members may be fitted
to meet and deal with every eventuality.
It is interesting to note that the situation here is
quite different to that existing in Northern Ireland,
England, and Scotland where there is an acute
shortage of solicitors and solicitors clerks.
If a
measure of reciprocity comes with the Common
Market it might solve some of these problems.
Having said all that I am bound to express the
personal view that there is room in this country for
good solicitors, and of course there is always room
at the top.
It is my very pleasant task to welcome each of you
very sincerely to our ranks and to hope that if you
have not already done so you will join our Society.
There will be available to you here quite apart from
this splendid library, which can be so useful to a
young solicitor who starting out may not be able
to purchase all the law books he would like, all our
other facilities and above all the advice and help of
your colleagues here, and of Mr. Plunkett who from
his wide experience over the years can consult with
and advise you in confidence if at any time you find
yourself in difficulty—if you are a very young
solicitor and he seems too formidable to approach,
though I am quite sure he would be sympathetic,
there is Mr. Cusack who now has behind him all the
organisation and assistance of the Society. May I
hope that your families and friends will also stand
by you in these early days realising particularly of
those of you who are younger, that it is an uphill
road requiring patience and perseverance to reach
its upper heights. I can speak of this from personal
experience for as a qualified solicitor I started at £8
per month.
I am glad to be able to tell you it has
increased a little since then—and I worked with
wonderful partners some of whom were 40 years
older than myself and four of whom lived to be
well over 80 years of age. To consult with them
was like going to Senior Counsel, to learn from
them was better than any text book, to have known
them and enjoyed their friendship was a great
privilege and will remain a lasting memory which
I greatly treasure.
May you go out into your new profession in
confidence, keeping ever before you the highest
standards and may God's blessing go with each of
you.
PRESENTATION OF PARCHMENTS
The following solicitors received certificates :
Mary Binchy (B.A.), Gortskagh, Charleville, Co.
Cork; Michael B. Creed (B.C.L.), Masseytown,
Macroom, Co. Cork; John V. P. Cresswell (B.A.,
LL.B.), Cullenstown, Kilternan, Co. Dublin ; Ailin
A. Gibbons
(B.C.L.),
16 Dollymount Avenue,
Clontarf, Dublin;
Rory M. Hogan
(B.C.L.),
Ladymount, Callan, Co. Kilkenny; Thomas J.
Macken, 11 Henly Road, Churchtown, Co. Dublin ;
Owen Mulholland, 6 Sandford Road, Ranelagh,
Dublin; Make McHale (B.A.), n The Crescent,
Galway.
INTERNATIONAL BAR ASSOCIATION
NINTH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE
The above conference is to be held in Edinburgh
from July i6th
to July zoth, 1962.
Members