The Gazette 1972

International Paper Sizes now available to Irish Solicitors

It is true to say that the legal procession is more involved with paper in many of its forms than most others, and yet is confronted with the most complex array of paper shapes and sizes. A solicitor will have in his office anything up to ten different paper sizes and will be forced to have supplies of not less than eight individual envelope sizes. This requires a large part of his valuable office space for storage, and the tying up of a fair amount of capital in stationery stock. Even still he may find himself unable to find an suitable envelope in his stock to accommodate documents sent to him by another office. This state of affairs is the result of many years of usage of unplanned and unrelated basic paper sizes, which have grown more numerous and confusing as the years went by. While the "imperial" sizes are founded in ancient and honourable practice, they were devised in a more leisurely and less time-conscious age, and must now give way to modern thinking. Rationalisation It is proposed to apply the new International Paper Sizes to the papers used in the legal profession. Ration- alisation is the key word behind "I.P.S." This means simply, the use of a new range of paper sizes, from small to large, each based on a metric size, and related in logical proportion to the rest of the range. This means in practical terms that each size is exactly half the next larger size, and double the next smaller size. In effect the change in the size of a large letterhead will be so little as to be hardly noticeable, and the most popular size of deed paper now known as quarto will remain almost unchanged. The old sizes of quarto, foolscap, demy, small brief and brief will disappear from use. What will be noticeable however will be that as all deeds, wills, letters, and court forms will be the same size, or can be folded to the same size, the un- wieldy bundles of documents which now cause such accommodation problems in many offices will be capable of being placed in a normal filing system, and so enable storage and retrieval to be carried out in the shortest time, Eventually, in years to come, the title to a holding will be in a file bookwise in chronological order instead of a bundle tied with green or red tape. The only problem area is that of maps or plans attached to deeds but normally there should be no difficulty in keeping them within the required dimensions by ap- propriate instructions to the architect or surveyor. Internationally used If and when we join the rest of Europe, we will re- ceive a great deal of paper work from the Continent, and of course send a great deal in return, and as I.P.S. is already in general use there, we must be ready to work in the size. The following countries now use I.P.S.: Germany, Belgium, Holland, Finland, Spain, Switzerland, Italy, Norway, Sweden, Austria, Denmark

and Portugal. Documents in ill-assorted sizes, going to countries where I.P.S. is the accepted standard, would not be very welcome, and indeed would stand the great- est risk of being ignored or mislaid. The Sizes r Do you look at an invoice which you have received from your stationery and wonder what on earth a ream of "Large Post 8v." really means? Probably. I.P.S. are simple to understand because they are standard and follow a logical sequence. It is therefore possible to order exactly what you want, and be sure you are going to get it. The basic size in the system as it applies to the legal profession is called 'A4". This sheet measures 210 mm. by 297 mm. (8£ ins. by l l f ins.), and is the size used for large letter headings, deed paper, and judicature. All court forms will eventually be printed in A4 size, and carbon paper, copy paper, etc., will also be this size. To obtain a smaller size the sheet of A4 is simply halved (the two short edges being brought together), thus forming A5, measuring 210 mm. by 148 mm. (4£ ins by ins.). Envelopes To match the A4 or A5 paper size there is a choice of five envelope sizes, any one of which will take A4 or A5 paper. The envelopes are as follows: Size C4 —229 mm. by 324 mm. to take A4 unfolded; Size C5—162 mm. by 229 mm. to take A4 folded once or A5. Size C6—114 mm. by 162 mm. to take A4 folded in four or A5 folded once; Size C5/6 (known as DL), to take A4 folded in three or A5 folded once. Gradual Introduction The introduction of I.P.S. will of course be a gradual process. Forms for example will be printed on the A4 size when they come up for reprinting. Deed paper and judicature are available right now from law stationers. The traditional sizes will remain available for some time, for those who wish to use them but will be withdrawn as time goes on. New Format for Deep Paper In conjunction with the new sizes a new style of deed paper has been devised. Instead of the traditional double inner sheet there is now available single sheet inners, ruled on both sides, which fit into the double outside sheets and are stitched in the usual way. The new deed in A4 only is available in standard goatskin quality, as well as a light weight for copies, the light weight quality is also very suitable for putting through photocopy machines.

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