The Gazette 1988

GAZETTE

subjects, such as breaches of undertakings, arbitrations, failure to reply to correspondence, failure to hand over files, acrimonious severing of partnerships, activities of unqualified persons, advertising breaches, practitioners' difficulties with Building Societies and Banks, and many other items of intense interest to practitioners in the daily conduct of their business. The Commi t t ee is also

COMMITTEE NEWS

The Profess i onal Purposes Commi t t ee.

The Professional Purposes or Privileges Committee is set up under the Regulations of the Council and its mandate is described as follows: "The Privileges Committee should report to the Council on matters affecting the duties and rights of solicitors and may in case of urgency take such actions as may appear necessary without report- ing to the Council". Safety Valve The Committee is basically an essential safety valve for the profession. Solicitors can come to the Professional Purposes Committee and air their differences and grievances as well as their problems (w i th the clear knowledge that there is no overt disciplinary element involved). The Commi t t ee f r equen t ly solves delicate problems concerning conduct, ethics, practice, costs, and issues directives and opinions, which are invariably accepted by the solicitors concerned. Members of the Committee are concerned with understanding the problems which confront solicitors while at the same time making a positive con t r i bu t i on to the good government of the profession by maintaining traditionally accepted standards of professional conduct. The Committee is also concerned of course to keep abreast of changes which are taking place in society generally in the age of technology. Standards of Conduct Because of the unique relationship which exists between solicitors and their clients and the wide range of complex subjects covered in this relationship there is a great dependence by members of the public on their solicitors. Basically the client expects the solicitor to "keep him right" in a situation where the solicitor is very much better informed than the client. This imbalance of information and knowledge is corrected to a certain extent by the imposition of a set of standards of conduct and it is the

task of the Professional Purposes Committee to ensure that these standards are monitored and maintained t h r oughout the profession for the benefit both of

concerned that solicitors should be given the tools necessary to maintain high standards of conduct and to this end has been the intitiating Committee in relation to the issue of:- / j / 1 v d f h r ^ SOLUTIONS BUILDING A BETTER PRACTICE TODAY , ' "

the profession and public. Wo rk of the Commi t t ee

The Committee deals on a regular basis w i th a wide range of

DEBT COLLECTION SUPPORT

CONVEYANCING SUPPORT

L

H H f l

DATABASE/ ARCHIVING

PLANNER

•

...AND TOMORROW. Wordplex Systems Limited Clonmel House, 17, Harcourt Street, Dublin 2. T e l e p h o n e: (01) 7 8 0 7 1 1. Fax: (01) 7 8 1 9 73

179