The Gazette 1977

GAZ L T N - :

JANUARY/F IZ BRUARY 1977

the subject of the Undertaking are in the Solicitor's hands; (b) that the Solicitor will without question be physically capable of performing the Undertaking, whatever it may be; (c) that, if necessary, the Undertaking is clearly qualified by reference to any matter which, at the time the Undertaking is given, is not within the Solicitor's competence. Fourth:- Always ensure, if giving an Undertaking to a provider of finance, that the money so provided on the strength of the Solicitor's Undertaking, passes through the Solicitor's hands and that he sees to its application in the proper manner. The Solicitor's Undertaking in cases of this nature should be expressed to be binding on the Solicitor giving it, only so long as the provider of finance passes that finance through the hands of the Solicitor concerned. Fifth:- Always ensure that the Undertaking given — and, Possibly more important, that the Undertaking received — is wholly unambiguous. It is not unknown for Undertakings deliberately to be expressed in such The Dublin Solicitors' Bar Association has for the past Tear being investigating the possibility of introducing into Dublin a system of "document exchanging" which has been operating in certain areas of London since 1975, with apparent success and with considerable saving to its users in postal expenses. Practitioners will probably have noticed during the past year that, with the re-printing of London Solicitors' stationery, more and more letterheads are including the Mysterious information "L.D.E. Box No:...". This is, in j*ct, the number of the firm's Exchange Box at the London Document Exchange, into which will be delivered oy hand letters and packets from correspondents within c a s y travelling distance of the Exchange itself. The first London Exchange was opened on 15th September 1975, just off Chancery Lane and includes, by n °w, virtually every firm of Solicitors in the area, as well y a considerable number of other offices (Insurance, estate Agency, Accountants, Building Societies, etc.). the Law Society itself is among the members. . On 1st December 1975 a second Exchange was Maugurated, in the City, with similar success. Through London Solicitors, the Dublin Solicitors' Bar Association contacted the proprietors of the London Exchanges and the possibility of opening a similar Exchange in Dublin was considered in great detail. Inspired by the compactness of the centre city area and y the fact that not only Solicitors, but almost every other u^t of trade and commerce takes place in the same area, e Proprietors of the London Exchanges are establishing ^Exchange in Dublin, which will open on 1st March Counsel's Opinion has been obtained in London that mc Document Exchanges do not infringe the Post Office Monopoly and, as the legislation is similar in this ountry, the same advice has been received here. Members of the Dublin Document Exchange will be lette atCd a Stee1 ' l o c k a b , e ' s l i t t ed b o x ' capable of taking wid S a n d d o c u m e n t s up to 15 inches in length, 12 inches accJ! a n d ^ inches thick. Larger items can be *>mmodated in larger, special boxes, by arrangement p Exchange staff. c 0m e r s o , ? s ( w h o ne ed not be Members) wishing to send Mmunications to Members, merely visit the Exchange 10

vague or obscure terms as to be virtually meaningless and, too often, this is realised only after the failure by the giver of the alleged Undertaking to perform it. Sixth:- And probably the most practical of all the essentials — Solicitors should always note on their files, the original deeds, the working papers and even — with discretion - on Account Cards, that an Undertaking has been given in the case concerned — in order to save themselves and their staff from doing something irretrievably unfortunate - and expensive —with the security. There are other things that might be added — such as for example, to take a clear note of any Undertakings given, but space forbids and the purpose of these words is really to remind the Profession of the seriousness of their Undertakings and to point out the fact that they are likely to be enforced against them. It is up to every Solicitor to work out the systems of personal protection best suited to individual working practices. and place their communications in the various numbered boxes of the intended recipients. The Members themselves, to collect whatever offers visit the Exchange whenever suitable, open their own locked box with their own key and remove the contents On the same visit, they can, of course, deliver their outgoing correspondence to the boxes of other Members The experience in London has been that, in the case of busier firms, a despatch and collection can be made twice a day, with considerable saving in time, as well as postal charges. The DubUn Exchange is situated at 3 Molesworth Place (just off Molesworth Street opposite South Frederick Street) and will open from 8.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m., Monday to Friday. It is envisaged that the hours of opening may be varied in the light of experience. The annual rent for an Exchange Box will be £250 and an entrance fee of £50 will be charged upon joining. However, the entrance fee of £50 will be waived for all members joining the Exchange prior to 1st Julv 1977. In view of the involvement of the Dublin Solicitors' Bar Association in introducing the Exchange to Dublin, ail sole practitioners who are members of the Bar Association and every firm having one or more partners who are members of the Bar Association are being offered a permanent discount of 20% on the annual rent from time to time and, in addition, for Bar Association members the entrance fee of £50 will be suspended until 1st November 1977. On an estimated postal cost of 15p per communication the Dublin Document Exchange calculate that members of the Exchange will only have to deliver 6 letters per day through the Exchange to break even with the rental cost. Thereafter, every letter delivered represents a clear saving. The Solicitors to the Exchange are Matheson, Ormsby and Prentice. The first fifty subscriptions to the Exchange will be held by McMahon & Tweedy, Solicitors, as independent stakeholders and, if the target of fifty subscribers has not been reached by 1st November 1977 all subscriptions received will be refunded. The Dublin Document Exchange will be managed bv Miss B. S. Dei-han For further pan.eulars please contact her at the Dublin Document Exchange 1 Molesworth Placc. Dublin 2. Telephone 01-767101. « c n a n g e. í

DUBLIN DOCUMENT EXCHANGE