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GAZETTE
SEPTEMBER 1978,
will shortly have in operation, the Euro-net system which
will mean that there will be no additional cost to a
subscriber because of his remoteness from the data-base
provided that he is within reach of one of the E.E.C.
Capitals including Dublin. In other words if the data-base
were situated in Brussels a lawyer who wished to have
access to it using a terminal in Dublin would pay the same
for the use of his line connecting him to the Data-base as
a lawyer in Brussels, or in Paris, Rome or London.
It is hard to see how it would be economically feasible
to put into that Data-base the Statute Law and Case Law
of each of the member countries, but of course if the
Commission were prepared to subsidise it, it is
conceivable that it might be done at a cost which would
enable Irish solicitors to use such a data-base for their
research.
The other interesting paper was that presented by
Keith James on the topic of word-processing, the general
description applied to the development of the Memory
typewriter originally marketed by IBM. Mr. James
described the technical developments which have taken
place in word processing, and which are still continuing.
It is perfectly obvious that the equipment now on the
market is very much more sophisticated than that which
was being marketed seven or eight years ago and in terms
of real cost it is of course very much less expensive than it
used to be. Word processing machines clearly have very
practical applications to the practice of solicitors in
Ireland even practices which operate on a relatively small
scale. The cost of such equipment is in the range of
£6,000 to £8,000 per unit, but when one considers that
the introduction of such equipment may prove an
acceptable alternative to adding one or more staff
members on a permanent basis then the capital outlay is
seen in a very different light. The machines currently on
the market are much more versatile than their
predecessors and use screens for composition of the text
which need not be typed until it is perfected and can then
be reproduced by printers at remarkably high speeds.
Obviously it would not be possible to describe in detail
all that transpired over the entire weekend in this brief
summary but anyone who is interested in further
information should consider subscribing to the Journal of
the Society for Computers in Law and can do so by
contacting Mrs. Diana Wilson, 6, Latton Close, Chilton,
Nr. Didcot, Osfordshire, OX 11 OSU.
Computer applications for legal practice was one of the
main topics at the International Bar Association
Conference in Sydney. The Session was chaired by David
Andrews who is now Chairman of the Society for
Computers and Law and since many of the same
personnel took part a good deal of the same ground was
covered. One notable difference was that Jerry Rubin was
not physically present but was linked into the discussion
by sattelite telephone link which despite the wonders of
technology was less satisfactory than having him there in
the flesh. The reaction of the very many conferees who
attended was a clear indication that it is widely
acknowledged that Computer Technology will profoundly
affect the way many lawyers conduct their business over
the next decade. In Australia where wages and salaries
are more than twice those being paid here word
processing installations are proceeding apace although
scattered population and relatively small numbers in the
profession has hampered the development of systems of
legal information retrieval.
NON-CONTENTIOUS
PROBATE
PRACTICE
EVIDENCE OF FOREIGN LAW
Direction of the President of the High Court
Where evidence of the law of a country outside the
State is required on any application for a grant, the
affidavit of any person who practises, or has practised,
as a barrister or advocate in that country and who is
conversant with its law may be accepted by the Probate
Officer, provided that the Probate Officer may, in his
discretion, accept the affidavit of a solicitor practising in
Northern Ireland, England, Scotland, the Channel Islands
or the Isle of Man as to the law of the country in which he
practises and provided that in no case shall an affidavit be
acceptable where the deponent has a personal or
professional interest in the estate of the deceased.
T. A. FINLAY,
President of the High Court.
21-11-1978.
Valuation for compensation
is our
Osborne Ki
Duolin 760251
Cork 21371
Galway 65261
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