The Gazette 1964/67

liis bank subject

in exchange

19. Undertakings: A duplicate copy of every personal undertaking given should be made and kept in a special folder by the operator of the case in the same manner as the reminders in paragraph 13 until the undertakings have been carried out. Failure to keep an undertaking leaves the firm or solicitor personally responsible. The, client's written authority should be obtained for any important undertaking and before giving it you ought to be sure that you will be able to perform it. 20. In some offices a great deal of time is taken up in recording all outgoing mail in a letter book which is also a check on expenditure on postage stamps. This can be saved by (a) typing a second carbon copy of each letter; (b) using a stamp franking machine. All the second carbon copies are filed in a special folder daily and constitute a record in chronological order of outgoing mail. The stamp-franking machine is quicker than stamp-licking and has other obvious advantages from the cash security viewpoint. 21. Before having any document copy typed the operator should consider the advantage of having it photo-copied which is usually quicker and often cheaper. It pays to give continual thought to mechanisation. For instance an adding machine is a time-saver in any office in which long accounts are often required. 22. A memorandum of instructions on the office system should be given to each member of the staff so that he or she will understand what is required-and why. 23. Efficiency in solicitors' offices depends on co-operation. Obviously when writing to col leagues, government departments or anyone else their references numbers should be cited as well as your own. There are other methods of co operation which will be dealt with in a further article. ERIC A. PLUNKETT. SOCIETY OF YOUNG SOLICITORS A Northern Ireland solicitor, Mr. Vincent Hanna delivered a paper to the Society on the Social Welfare (Occupational Injuries) Act, 1966 on 5th January, 1967. The lecturer expressed con cern with the methods by which claims will be determined under the new system of Workmen's Compensation to be administered by the State. The Council of Provincial Solicitors in associa tion with the Society propose holding a Seminar in Galway on 8th/9th April, 1967, in the Great Southern Hotel. Bookings will be accepted from 90

for a

receipt. This

is

to variation

if costs are due and

the

solicitor wishes to preserve his lien. Perhaps it should not be applied to wills. If wills are re tained they should be promptly registered and kept in a fire-proof safe. 16. Costing System: In small cases the oper ator should assess the costs and include the out lay immediately on completion, mark it on the file and arrange to send a memo to the client at the expiration of an arranged time. This should be settled by the principals and adopted as a normal practice-subject to variation for any exceptional reason. A costs book should be kept. There are standard books for this purpose. In the costs book is entered the name of client, title and file number of each case, with spaces for date received; date of completion; date file sent for costing; amounts of costs and outlay separately; date furnished; date paid; name of operator. An effort should be1 made to keep records of time of principals or assistants spent on each case and this might be recorded daily in the files. If a solicitor works 1300 hours in a year he must earn about £2600 gross professional fees to net £1,300 p.a. on basis of 50 per cent overheads. If overheads exceed 50 per cent of gross earnings he must earn and receive proportionally more. A continual check must be kept on costs unfurnished; costs furnished and unpaid; outlay for clients. To receive £2,600 gross professional fees (max imum £1,300 net) a solicitor must earn and receive £2 per hour on the basis of 1300 working hours per annum. In present day circumstances £2 per hour is not an adequate valuation of the costs value of a solicitor's time. 17. Office Hours: With the five day week 9 a.m. to 5.30 p.m., Monday to Friday, allowing 1-J to 1£ hours for lunch represents only 35 hours per week. Allowing for holidays, illness and ad ministrative work and unproductive engagements it is reckoned that a solicitor can hardly work more than 1300 gainful hours per annum. It has been put as law as 1000 to 1250 hours. 18. Bookkeeping: There are improved methods of solicitors' manual book-keeping which are suit able for a medium sized office and avoid duplica tion of entries, e.g., the three-in-one system. A display was given in the Law Society on Novem ber 24th.