The Gazette 1967/71

inhuman treatment to expel them from the United Kingdom because they had no other country to go to. After being kept in detention they were allowed to stay in Britain for three months. Five Ugandans found themselves "shuttle- cocked" across Europe and stranded in Belgrade before being admitted to Britain. Four others from Uganda found themselves unable to join wives and children in Britain. In another case, the applicant from Uganda, who was temporarily resident in Britain, was ordered to leave although his wife had the right to stay. He claimed that if they returned together to Uganda, he would be unable to support his family. If he returned to Uganda alone, his family life would be destroyed. Although he has since been given permission to remain permanently in Britain, he is now seeking damages against the British Government. In written submissions to the commission, the Government has denied any violation of the con vention and claimed that the applicants have now exhausted remedies available to them in the United Kingdom. If the commission decides that the cases are admissible on legal grounds, it will investigate the facts and try to reach a friendly settlement between the applicants and the British Government. [The Daily Telegraph, 5 October 1970] APPRENTICES FORUM THE PURPOSES OF A STUDENT DEBATING SOCIETY AND ITS VALUE IN THE TRAINING OF A SOLICITOR A memorandum compiled by the Membership Committee of the Solicitors' Apprentices' Debating Society of Ireland and issued by the Incorporated Law Society of Ireland. ( 1) The value of debating experience to a practising solicitor There is a popular belief that the main purpose of a student debating society is to enable its mem bers to acquire knowledge of debating techniques, as well as providing a platform for those already skilled in this art. Certainly, the acquisition of debating skill is essential for a law student intending to practise as a solicitor. Words are the tools of his profession and he must learn to use them with brevity, clarity and forcefulness.

In support of this, we cite a well-worn cliche, the truth of which mysteriously, many appren tices fail to appreciate : "it is not enough for a solicitor to know the law, he must learn how to apply his knowledge with maximum effect". The fundamental significance of this ought to be apparent to anyone who has even a minimum experience of solicitors' practice. It is a maxim which applies to every solicitor in every aspect of his work, whether arguing in court, addressing a meeting, advising a client in consultation or even dictating a letter. Yet, careless pleading, bad draftsmanship, and muddled advice to clients are not uncommon in. our profession. There can be no doubt that much of this malpractice is due, not to lack of ability or knowledge but to lack of training in applying these. It could, therefore, be avoided if only solicitors' apprentices would ensure that they receive the best possible training for their careers—a training that includes a knowledge of debating. Further, we would point out that with litigation increasing annually, it is almost certain that in tending solicitors will be called upon in their very early days of practice to appear on behalf of clients in court. If a solicitor's first court appear ance is also his first attempt at public speaking both will suffer heavily. A maiden speech is always an embarrassment to the speaker. Frankly, we feel that the embarrassment is easier to bear when it is incurred among one's friends at a student debate than when it is suffered during the course of one's business. On the latter occasion, it is well to realise that the solicitor's own reputation, the client's cause and the time of the courts are all involved. What is amazing, however, is the fact that so many young solicitors never realise this, or simply never bother about it until after they've qualified. (2) The contribution of debating to the full development of the individual and the making of a good lawyer We believe that a student debating society has an even more important role to play than the one which we have already mentioned. Its primary purpose is, in our opinion, to provide a means of dialogue whereby its members may be encouraged to develop a critical outlook, to learn from the opinions of others, to acquire a well-balanced set of values and a mature disposition. We would not claim that the debating platform is alone capable of enabling the individual to attain such fulfilment but we are very much of the opinion that with higher education at such a pressurised level today 121