The Gazette 1967/71

the auspices of the Federation of Professional Associations in the Shelbourne Hotel, Dublin, on 14th November, 1969. Mr. Brendan A. McGrath, President of the Federation acted as Chairman. Dr. Ivor Brown, Professor of Psychiatry and Preventive Medicine, stressed that the professional man, whether he be lawyer, doctor or engineer, had a double function to perform—(1) The at tainment of knowledge and competence worthy of a profession. (2) A duty of service to mankind. These two functions had been jealously guarded in the past. The duty of service necessarily in volved the development in each profession of an internal standard of professional ethics. There had consequently been a tendency for professions to further their own ends by convenient restrictive practices. The advancement of knowledge has in evitably tended to produce specialists in special fields in each profession. The essential result has been—The greater the degree in specialisation, the higher the place in the elite of the profession. As a result of the modern techniques of com puters and librarianship advance, there is no longer a necessity for a druid like elite painfully learning and jealously guarding a static body of learning. Professional technical skills can to a large extent be carried out more efficiently by techno logical apparatus. The main emphasis on the education of profes sionals in the future should concentrate above all on adaptability- The professional of the future should concentrate to learn how to utilise the in formation available instead of storing mere func- tual material. While specialists are necessary, it will also be essential to produce professionals who have a more general knowledge of their profession; for them, wisdom would be more important than technical expertise. These broadly based profes sionals would be the leaders of the profession. It is essential for the various professions to be able to communicate with one another, and to work together. The Hon. Mr. Justice Kenny said that it was essential for the future professionals to have a deeper but more specialised knowledge of their skills as for instance the Town Planning Act and the Companies Act. Unfortunately, this specialised knowledge necessarily involves a technical vocabu- ulary, consequently professional knowledge has become the property of a few who have mastered the technical vocabulary. It follows that if professionals are to under stand one another, there will have to be co operation between the specialists in the various 84

Probate Office The Court and Offices Committee reported that representations had been made to the probate officer on the subject of duplication of queries raised on application for probate and administra tion. The matter had been discussed with the probate officer who stated that he would issue new instructions with a view to avoiding this incon venience. Commission scale fee on mortgage A member acted for a purchaser in a case in which part of the purchase money was advanced by a lending institution. Member charged the full scale fee on the purchase and on the mortgage. It subsequently came to the notice of member that the mortgagees' solicitors had registered two mortgages in respect of the same transaction. Vacates were entered and a new mortgage for the full amount was executed. The Council on a report from a committee stated that member should not make any further charge in respect of the new mortgage. Sale by way of transfer of shares The Council on a report from a committee stated that where a solicitor investigates title to property on a sale by way of transfer of shares he is entitled to charge the commission scale fee. If the transaction necessitates further work in con nection with the affairs of the company the additional costs would be chargeable under Schedule 2. Solicitor acting as auctioneer and house agent Senior Counsel advised the Society that there is no legal obstacle which would prevent a solicitor from obtaining an auctioneers and house agents licence. Rule 5 of the Professional Practice Regu lations provides that a solicitor shall not directly or indirectly apply for or seek instructions for professional business or do in connection with his practice any act or thing which can reasonably be regarded as touting or advertising or as calculated unfairly to attract business. The Privileges Com mittee on a report to the Council stated that while this regulation remains a solicitor who carries on the business of auctioeer while holding a practis ing certificate would contravene the regulation. FEDERATION OF PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS A symposium on "The Education of the Pro fessions for the Future of Society" was held under