The Gazette 1974

On the motion of Mr. John Maher, seconded by Mr. Peter Prentice, Messrs. Cooper Brothers & Co. were

re-appointed as auditors to the Society.

President's Speech at Annual General Meeting, 29 November, 1973 Ladies and Gentlemen,

and the diversity of legal business the Solicitor relies to a greater extent on members of the Bar, for advice

You have received the report of the Council for the year ended 30 September, last, which covers part of the term of office of my predecessor, Mr. James O'Donovan, and most of my period of office now drawing to a close. In two respects perhaps these periods have made minor contributions to the long history of the Incor- porated Law Society. James O'Donovan was the first President from Cork City—in itself perhaps some- thing of a miracle when we think of the importance of Cork and the part it has taken in the national and legal affairs of the Country—while I am the first Presi- dent from County Mayo, I feel as gratified by the honour which you have conferred on me as I am sure James O'Donovan and his colleagues felt when you elected him as the first President from the second metropolis of the Republic. I am and always will be most grateful to my professional colleagues for having conferred on me the greatest honour in their giving. Changes in Legal Practice As I have said, you have received and no doubt diligently read the report of the Society's work during me year recently ended. I need not, therefore, go through it in detail, although it does contain some matters which call for comment. In my address at the last general meeting in Killarney I said that the pro- tession stands at a watershed. Events will not stand still. The work of the practitioner changes from year to year with legal and economic developments affecting n ot only ourselves but the whole community. The de- mand for legal services increases with the increase of he level of general education; the prosperity of the people which raises both the standard and the cost of iving and the complexity and kaleidoscopic changes in our legal system. The ordinary citizen is unable to cope with these changes and looks in the first instance to the oiicitor as his general professional advisor to help him m his difficulties. The nature of legal service has anged beyond recognition during the period which o f S u P sec * ^nce the professional lifetime of the fathers the older members now listening to me and indeed / ^ m s tbe professional lives of many of us. In the past Solicitor tended to become identified with the pro- P r ty -owning-classes many of them owners of large anded estates tied up in settlement to keep the pro- P eit .y intact and in the family. In the country districts, , riI lS the period of land agitation he was probably e Solicitor for either the landed proprietor or the nant, and many a legal reputation, including if I ay revert for a moment to legal history, the legal m e of Sir, then Mr. Edward Carson was made by re presenting the tenants in the Courts established under the Land Act 1881. Today the profession has a r wider clientele drawn from all ranks of the com- munity. The motor car, the reforms of the law, relating landlord and tenant, planning legislation, tax law, nou Slng iegi s i at i on and the spread of private owner- both of agricultural and urban property have all ^ontributed to these changes. The Solicitor is required kn a J ° ne to b e a Lawyer but to have at least a general p l e d g e of business legislation and affairs unknown his forefathers. The business element tends to pre- minate because in the pressures of running an office

on matters of pure law. The Role of the Society

The Law Society must to an ever increasing extent, participate in these changing conditions and aid its members in adjusting themselves to the changes al- ready upon us and those which are to come. We are a profession governed largely by statute and statutory regulations. Unlike the Hon. Society of King's Inns and the professions of architecture, medicine, and en- gineering, we are not completely autonomous. We have a measure of autonomy in certain fields in that the Solicitors' Act 1954-1960, which are the Statutory basis of our profession confer a fairly wide regulation- making power on the Council. The Council is the governing body of the profession elected by ballot of the members now approaching 1,500 numerically. In my view the duty of a governing body is to govern in the interests of the profession, not any sections of it and of course with regard to the interests of the administra- tion of Justice and the public. The Council represents fairly, the various sections of the profession both city and country, and there is in fact, a slight numerical preponderance of country over city members. I have sometimes heard it said by a few members, who have not troubled to inform themselves of the facts, that the profession is governed from Dublin. This is true per- haps in the geographical sense that the Council meets in Dublin once in each month. I can assure you that at these meetings the views of country practitioners are amply expressed and represented and may I take this opportunity of paying a tribute to the regularity with which country members, some of whom travel considerable distances, attend meetings of the Council and of the various committees which you will find in the report. The Societys' Functions What are the main functions and work of our Society? It is unique among professional organisations in that it has an amalgamation of duties partly under its Charters and partly under Statute, to represent and forward the professional interests of Solicitors in the daily conduct of practice, which may broadly, if some- what inaccurately, call trade union functions, and at the same time to protect the interests of the public in their relations as clients of Solicitors which may be described as regularity or disciplinary functions. Furthermore, it regulates admission to apprenticeship, the education and training of apprentices and their examinations be- fore admission to practice. It keeps the Roll of Solicitors, issues annual practicing certificates, receives and checks annual Accountants' certificates lodged by Solicitors, and administers the Compensation Fund. Services to Members The Society promotes a fairly wide range of services to members and indirectly to their clients. The Com- pany Formation Service is now running at the rate of about 1,000 new private companies each year. The ser- vice is conducted by professionally qualified personnel on the Society's staff who deal not with the client direct but with the Solicitor-member. I think it is 3