The Gazette 1995

GAZETTE

MAY/JUNE 1995

N E W S

Solicitors' Benevolent Association AGM

At the recent AGM of the Solicitors Benevolent Association tributes were paid to Andrew F. Smyth on his retirement as Chairman, after four years in office. Mr Smyth had given very generously of his time to the work of the Association. While the Association is administered from Dublin it covers the thirty-two counties of Ireland. Both Aidan Canavan, President of the Law Society of Northern Ireland, and George Palmer, Junior Vice President, were present at the AGM. There is a total of twenty-one Directors on the Board from all parts of the country who meet on a monthly basis. The Association is completely independent of both Law Societies North and South. Meetings are held in Belfast from time to time. The newly elected Chairman is Tom Menton, Solicitor, of O'Keeffe & Lynch, 30 Molesworth Street, Dublin 2, who has served as a Director for a number of years. Mr Menton noted that since he had become involved in the Association the demand on the funds had steadily increased. Applicants for grants from the younger age groups have increased resulting in their families being dependent on the assistance of the Association for a longer period. As a result of the increase in demand the Association is very grateful for donations from any source. The main source of income is the subscriptions paid annually to the Law Society which funds the largest part of the monthly grants paid to beneficiaries. Donations are also received from various Bar Associations and as a result of Golf Outings. The Association is also grateful to the Society of Young Solicitors and the Younger Members

Tom Menton (left) who was recently elected Chairman of the Solicitors'

Benevolent

Association,

with Andrew

F. Smyth, Senior Vice President of the Law Society

and

former Chairman of the SBA.

individual members of the profession and a number of Solicitors' firms who make further donations in addition to their annual subscriptions. The work of the Association is conducted on a confidential basis. Currently about sixty grants are paid out each month. The total paid out in 1994 was £162,000. The circumstances of the applicants are very varied. Some are assisted in the short term until they are financially independent. Applicants in the older age groups tend to be long-term beneficiaries. All cases are reviewed each month by the Board. The Association has assisted on a number of occasions with grants towards the education of children at third level and it is particularly heartening to receive letters of appreciation from such beneficiaries when they have gone on to qualify. Where an applicant has an asset (such as a house) which cannot be readily realised without causing further hardship, grants may be paid in the

form of a loan repayable on the applicant's death.

'

Solicitors are especially asked to

j

remember the Association when making their own wills. Indeed they might also consider putting in a good j word for their less fortunate colleagues and their dependents when j clients are making wills. If the client was happy with the service he may be i glad to show his appreciation by way of a bequest to the Solicitors ! Benevolent Association! j

Geraldine Secretary

Pearse

THE LEGAL DIARY Having regard to cost factors in the production of the Legal Diary the Minister has approved an increase in the 1995 subscription rate from £99.00 to £102.70.

| Committee, both of which make donations. Others deserving the Association's thanks include

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