The Gazette 1972

premises situated in an area of compulsory registration. Tht representations made by the Society were however unsuccessful and the existing practice will be continued. All the solicitors representing the lending institutions however agreed that in any case of difficulty they would not insist on a mortgagor attending at the offices of the mortgagee's solicitor to complete the mortgage. It was also reported to the meeting that in some cases a solici- tor for a building society closed transactions with more than one borrower at the same time and this was regarded as open to objection. It was submitted on behalf of the Society that each completion should be a separate and private transaction. Nine lending institu- tions were represented at the meeting and it was stated on behalf of each of them that the practice sought by the Council in this connection is followed. Solicitor's registered place of business The Committee on Court Practice and Procedure in its Eighth Interim Report recommended that the re- quirement that the solicitor conducting litigation in the Superior Courts must have a place of business within a radial distance of two miles from the Four Courts should be abolished. Section 23 of the Courts Act 1971 was designed to carry this effect into recommenda- tion but the necessary rules of court to give effect to it have not yet been made. A letter was sent to the Superior Court Rules Committee asking that the ruies be amended so that a solicitor would be no longer re- quired to have a registered place of business within the two miles radius of the Four Courts. District Court—Solicitors and Client costs Members were instructed to recover a debt of £82 and had to travel 18 miles to a District Court to obtain the decree. The proceedings were successful. The sum of £8 was deducted from the amount collected as a solicitor and client charge. The Council on a report from a committee stated that the proper practice is to inform the client upon acceptance of the instructions that a solicitor and client charge is likely to be involved. However failure to inform the client would not prevent a solicitor being entitled to charge on a solicitor and

client basis. The solicitor should inform the client of his right to have the solicitor and client bill taxed if -he

regards it as excessive. Certificates for banks

Members wrote to the Society on the subject of the practice of one of the banks which will now seal docu- ments only if there is a certificate on the back to the effect that the document is in order for sealing to be signed by their law agent or by the solicitor acting for the customer. While this poses no problems where the solicitor is acting for the bank the position is very different in the case of a trust in which the bank is to be the trustee. In such a case the solicitor is acting for the settlor and he is not advising the bank as to its correctness or otherwise of the deed or whether it is suitable for the bank to execute it at all. To sign the certificate puts the solicitor in the position that he is advising the bank as to the propriety of executing the particular document. The Council on a report from a committee stated that a solicitor not acting for the bank should not be asked to advise the bank as to the propriety of executing the particular document. Dublin Corporation leases Members drew attention to cases where purchasers are taking leases from the Dublin Corporation. The law agent will not send out the engrossment of the lease as a matter for completion but requires the pur- chaser to attend personally at the Corporation to sign the lease. This frequently results in delay as well as inconvenience. It takes two or three months to have the leases sealed by the Dublin Corporation and this imposes hardship on the builder and purchaser alike. The matter was referred to the Dublin Solicitors' Bar Association who were asked to take the matter up with the Corpora- tion and to refer back to the Society. Legal Aid It was decided to summon a meeting of solicitors on the legal aid panel throughout the country to discuss the present scales of legal aid fees and any appropriate action to obtain an increase in the scales.

World Peace through Law Conference The Abidjan World Conference on World Peace through Law will be held in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, August 26th-31st, 1973. This Conference is the first such world meeting of the legal profession ever to be held in Africa. Discussions will be held in such areas as : religion and the law, international organizations, human rights and urban development. International Congress of Jewish Lawyers The Second International Congress of Jewish Lawyers and Jurists, organized by the International Association of Jewish Lawyers and Jurists will be held in Jerusalem, Israel on August 19th-23rd, 1973, under the auspices of the President of the Supreme Court of Israel and the Minister of Justice. The Congress will be held within the framework of the celebrations of the 25th anniversary of the State of Israel, and will be dedicated to 25 years of legislation and judicature in Israel. For information and for preliminary registration apply to The Secretariat of the Congress, Daphna Events, P.O.B. 29234, Tel-Aviv, Israel. A special charter flight from Paris to Abidjan on August 25th has been arranged, returning to Pat is, September 1st, 1973. The round trip fare will he $250.00 (U.S.) per person (£105). Further information and application forms can be obtained upon request from the Law Society of Ireland.

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