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GAZETTE
NOVEMBER 1991
Concluding Message From Out-going President Donal Binchy
Lawyers Face Same Problems Worldwide
It was my privilege to represent the
profession at the American,
Canadian and Australian Confer-
ences. In doing this I left Ireland on
the 9 August and arrived back 40
days later. Half the time of Phileas
Fogg I
All three conferences were very
impressive and the business and
social programmes quite intensive.
Some of the highlights included:
1. The Presentation of the Francis
Rawle Award in Atlanta to
John
Buckley
in recognition of his
contribution to continuing
education of the legal pro-
fession. This was the first time
that this award was given to a
lawyer outside the States. The
Irish contingent was very proud
to be present at this award, to
hear the glowing tributes paid to
John and his own eloquent
response.
2. The establishment of an
exhibitor's stand by the Law
Society at Atlanta. The interest
shown in the stand and the
numbers attracted was beyond
our best expectations. The pur-
pose of the stand was to
establish Ireland as the legal
gateway to Europe and to make
it known in America that our
profession can provide services
that are as good and sophis-
ticated as anywhere else in
Europe. I believe that a signi-
ficant number of enquiries have
already been received with good
business prospects. It is, of
course, open to all Irish solicitors
to participate by purchasing a
time slot on the stand and
promoting their own firm.
3. It was during the Canadian
Conference that the coup
against Mikhail Gorbachev took
place. I had the opportunity of
joining with the International
Bar Association in signing a
statement deploring the coup
and expressing our support and
solidarity w i th our fellow
lawyers in the USSR. At the
Canadian Conference I also had
the honour of being made an
Honorary member of the
Canadian Bar Association.
4. On the social side in Calgary
there was a mini rodeo with all
the trappings of the Wild West
including Bronco busting and
bull riding.
5. At the Australian Conference in
Adelaide t wo young Irish
solicitors introduced them-
selves to me: these were
solicitors with full qualifications
in Ireland but now practising in
Adelaide. We had a long chat
and they appeared to be very
happy there.
There were many other highlights
at each conference including the
Pro Bono Awards at Atlanta, im-
pressive papers at business
sessions, eloquent speeches and
magnificent banquets ending with
a Venetian Musical Ball in Adelaide.
What are the lasting impressions or
lessons to be gained from att-
endance at these conferences? So
much has happened so quickly
there has been little time to reflect
in any depth. What follows
therefore are more in the nature of
first impressions rather than
definitive conclusions.
International contacts are
vital
There is no doubt that, with the
speed of travel and communication
the modern world is becoming a
much smaller placa The movement
and interaction of peoples,
businesses and nations is now
virtually global and not merely
European. All of this requires a
much wider range of legal service
and a profession that is able to
meet such international require-
ments. If Ireland - and in the
context of the legal profession
Ireland's lawyers - do not keep in
Donal Binchy (Out-going President,
Law Society)
constant contact with the re-
mainder of the world we will lose
touch and will inevitably be
bypassed. It is essential, therefore,
for our own growth and well-being
that we maintain an adequate level
of international contacts.
Another strong impression is the
particularly warm welcome that is
given to Irish delegates. Perhaps
this is due in part to our small
nation status, but clearly the Irish
dimension in the States, Canada
and Australia has a large part to
play as well. And this goodwill is an
obvious asset to us in developing
business and legal contacts. It puts
us in an ideal position to take ad-
vantage of the fact that Ireland is
the first port of call from the West
to Europe.
Lawyers face same
challenges worldwide
Yet another strong impression left
from my travels is that the
problems facing lawyers through-
out the world are very similar. This
is both consoling but also more
than a little worrying. There are
very considerable pressures on the
profession from all governments -
stimulated I think by the consumer
orientated society in which we live
- to change some of the long
standing practices of lawyers, to
remove restrictions on advertising
and price quotations, to allow other
professions to engage in areas of
work that have traditionally been
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