275 / 424
GAZETTE
p R A
c
T i
c
E
M A N A G E M E N T
A Review of: 'This is Your
Practice' - the video
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 1995
by Brian O'Reilly, Solicitor
The use of video as a medium for
teaching management skills has been
popular for some years in industry. Its
success can be attributed to the ability
of the format to create thought
provoking and easily disseminated
information.
There are unfortunately few
management videos available to the
legal profession but one such is
"This
Is Your Practice
", produced by the
British Solicitors Mutual Defence
Fund. This video, which is satirical,
very direct and wickedly funny
involves a parody on the I TV
programme
"This Is Your Life".
It
follows the professional life of a
mythical solicitor, Miles Platting
(played by John D. Collins) who is
"surprised" while dining in Fountains
Restaurant by Andrew Amos (played
by Peter Tilbury) brandishing
" The Red Book ".
Miles Platting has the British national
record for professional indemnity
claims standing at 15 in number over
his professional career and Miles is led
from the restaurant with the usual
ceremony to the studios across the road
where he meets former partners of, and
many of the previous claimants against,
his practice.
This video is brilliantly shot in a
superbly realistic setting based in every
detail on
"This Is Your Life".
The tight
and well-written script pulls no punches
and whilst we are left laughing at the
plight of Miles Platting we examine our
own consciences as we review the
litany of mistakes made by him
over the years.
Before winding up the proceedings,
Andrew Amos declares that he is happy
to announce that Miles Platting, Record
Holder, is about to receive notification
of a 16th claim and all celebrate his
strangle-hold on the record.
The point of the production is very
simple, that despite the pressures that
we as practitioners undergo, good
administration and careful file
husbandry is an essential element in
the successful claim-free practice. In
1990, there were claims to the value
of £ 1 2 0 million in England. The
obvious truth is stated - that if there
were fewer claims there would be
lower premiums.
This production, which lasts about 15
minutes, should be viewed by every
member of every solicitor's practice in
Ireland.
Footnote:
"This Is Your Practice"
is
available for rent from the Law Society
Library, Blackhall Place. The deposit is
£ 1 5 . 00 for two weeks.
•
Placements sought in Sol icitors'
Off ices for Overseas Lawyers
The Council of the Bars and Law
Societies of the European
Commun i ty ( C C B E )
is co-operating
with the Council of Europe on the
TH EM I S No. 7 project on assistance
to lawyers in Central and Eastern
European Countries and the New
Independent States (of the former
Soviet Union). Firms interested in
taking lawyers from these countries
on 1 weeks study visits (travel and
expenses paid by the Council of
Europe) should contact:
Veronica Williams,
C C B E ,
Rue Washington 4 0,
B - 1 0 5 0 Brussels
The German Bar Association
is
seeking firms willing to take young
German lawyers for a 6 month
traineeship period. This would
form part of the trainee's two
year period o f post law school
practical training in legal work
required before admission to
practise.
Contact:
Martina
Err ens,
DeutscherAnwaltVerein,
Adenauerallee 10,
5 3 1 7 5 Bonn,
G E R MA NY
B E L G I UM.
Tel: 0 0 3 2 2 - 6 4 0 5 8 0 4
Fax: 0 0 3 2 2 - 6 4 7 7 9 4 1
Tel: 0 0 4 9 2 2 8 - 2 6 0 7 4 9
Fax: 0 0 4 9 2 2 8 - 2 6 0 7 66
o
- C : : - '
1
-
6 7 1 0 7
Gillian Mac"
pes
PETROCARGO MAHNE SURVEYORS LID.
Capt. Thomas C. Nash
M. INST. PET.
Marine Consultancy;
Independent Marine Surveyors;
Marine Expert Witness;
Ship to Ship Transfer;
Vessel & Terminal Safety Inspection;
Recruitment; Procedures Manuals.
Cooleen House, Rushbrooke,
Cobh, Co. Cork.
Tel: 021-811677 Fax: 021-813009
251