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GAZETTE
M
I A
W
H
JULY 1995
'No Solicitors Need Apply' -
An Unacceptable Relic of History
The Law Society received substantial
media coverage recently for two
direct challenges to the unjustified
exclusion of solicitors from
appointment to certain posts reserved
solely for barristers.
Solicitor Judges
On 2 0 June, 1995, the Minister for
Justice announced a series of
amendments to the Courts and Court
Officers Bill 1994 which are so
extensive as to transform it to a large
extent into a new Bill. The new text
has yet to be published. However, the
Minister's press release was explicit
in relation to many of the B i l l 's
contents.
The press release recorded, among
many other things, that the Bill would
continue to propose lifting the
prohibition on appointment of
solicitors as judges of the Circuit
Court. However, the exclusion of
solicitors from eligibility for
appointment as judges of the High
Court and Supreme Court would be
unchanged.
Within two hours the Society reacted
with its own press release expressing
disappointment that the Minister
proposed to continue the unjustifiable
exclusion of solicitors from eligibility
for appointment as judges of the High
Court and Supreme Court. This was
reported the next day in
The
Irish
Times
and the
Irish
Independent.
The S o c i e t y 's Director General,
Ken
Murphy,
gave a television interview to
reporter
Kieron
Wood
which appeared
on the R T E 9 o ' c l o ck News on 2 0
June, 1995, in the course of which Mr.
Murphy said "while the proposal to
allow solicitors to be appointed as
judges in the Circuit Court is to be
welcomed, it should be followed
through to its logical conclusion.
Solicitors represent 8 0 % of the legal
profession and their continued
exclusion from appointment as judges
of the High Court and Supreme Court
is a relic o f history which operates
against the public interest".
experience in legal matters such as
drafting complex documents and
advising clients, many solicitors run
RTE 9 o'clock
News,
20 June,
1995
Attorney General's Office
On Friday, 23 June, 1995, national
newspapers carried an advertisement for
the position of Senior Legal Assistant at
the Attorney General's Office, the post
which had recently become vacant with
the retirement of Mr.
Matt Russell.
The
j ob carries a salary of £75,047.00.
The advertisement explicitly stated
that the appointment was open to
barristers only.
At a parchment conferring ceremony
that afternoon the President of the
Law Society,
Patrick
Glynn,
expressed fury at the exclusion of
solicitors from consideration for the
position. He argued strongly that the
experience of solicitors during their
professional careers rendered them
suitable for all positions in the
Attorney General's Office.
He continued, "in addition to
substantial offices with large
turnovers and staff numbers and have
extensive experience in management
and administration. The difficulties
experienced in the Attorney General's
Office previously might not have
occurred if an experienced
solicitor/manager had been running
that office. The Society will continue
to press for equal treatment for
solicitors and barristers for
recruitment to all posts in the
Attorney General's O f f i c e ", he said.
The President's remarks were fully
reported in
The Irish Times
and
The
Sunday Business Post.
•
LAW BOOKS FOR SALE
A Colleague retiring from Practice has an
extensive collection of Law Books for Sale.
Further
information
contact
John J. Reedy & Co., Solicitors,
Emmet Street, Birr, Co. Offaly
Telephone 0509 - 20774.
KEN MURPHY
Director General, law Society
187