The Gazette 1967/71

bring the facts of the case to the attention of the Incorporated Law Society of Northern Ireland. The system now adopted in Northern Ireland has been in operation in England for over twenty years with satisfactory results both for the public and the profession. In effect it gives legal sanction to the practice now prevalent of rendering gross sum bills to clients which in the vast majority of cases are accepted without question. DECIMALISATION Members are advised to use the whole new penny conversion table in converting £. s. d. to £p. after D Day for stamp duty, Court and other fees. This will avoid the £p. in transactions. For con venience the table is reproduced below from the Irish Decimal Currency Board Bulletin No. 1. £sd

SCHEDULE 2 IN NORTHERN IRELAND The statutory body under the Solicitors Re muneration Act for Northern Ireland has made a general order under Section 2 of the Solicitors Remuneration Act 1881 substituting a new schedule for Schedule 2 to the Order of 1884. In future in Northern Ireland the charges for non- contentious work under Schedule 2 will be such sum as may be fair and reasonable having regard to all the circumstances of the case and in par ticular to the complexity of the matter or the difficulty or novelty of the questions raised, the skill, labour, specialised knowledge and responsibility involved on the part of the solicitor, the number and importance of the docu ments prepared or perused without regard to length, the place where and the circumstances in which the business or any part therof is transacted, the time expended by the solicitor, where money or property is involved its amount or value, the importance of the matter to the client. The order provides that without prejudice to the client's right to have a bill taxed he may require the solicitor to obtain a certificate from the In corporated Law Society of Northern Ireland act ing by a committee of at least three members of the Society nominated by the President certify ing that the sum charged is fair and reasonable or if it is not what is a fair and reasonable sum and the sum so certified if less than the charge shall in the absence of taxation be the sum payable. Taxation of Bills of Costs Notwithstanding the provisions for examination of the bill by the Incorporated Law Society a client is entitled to have the bill taxed. On taxation of a bill it is the duty of the solicitor to satisfy the taxing master as to fairness and reasonable ness of his charge. If the taxing master allows less than one half of the amount charged he is to Certificate from the Incorporated Law Society of Northern Ireland

New Pence (p) Op

Id. 2d. 3d. 4d. 5d. 6d. 7d. 8d. 9d.

IP IP 2p 2p 3p 3p 3p 4p 4p 5p 5p

lOd. lid. 1 shilling

5p 6p 6p 7p 8p 8p 9p 9p

1/1 1/2 1/3 1/4 1/5 1/6 1/7 1/8 1/9

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1/10 1/11 2 shillings

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