The Gazette 1975

4.1 The profession are obliged by statute to provide full indemnity to members of the public who may suffer loss as a result of defalcation by any practising solicitor. The contribution for the year under review was fixed at £20. 4.2 Payments from the fund in respect of ascertained losses and other expenses during the year amounted to £43,160. 4.3 The book value of the Fund as at 30th April, 1975 was £412,260. 4.4 The report of the Compensation Fund for the year ended 30th April, 1975 is considered satisfactory.

COMPENSATION FUND COMMITTEE

Patrick F. O'Donnell Chairman Walter Beatty Anthony E. Collins Maurice R. Curran Gerard M. Doyle Ernest J. Margetson Roderick D. O'Donnell David R. Pigot Mrs. Moya Quinlan Thomas M. D. Shaw

5.1 This Committee is charged under the Bye Laws with the duty of protecting the rights of Solicitors and of any difficulties that might interfere with the practitioner in the exercise of these rights. During the past year your Committee have met on eleven occasions on the date of each Council meeting to consider matters circulated to them by the Secretariat as a result of queries raised by colleagues within the preceding month. 5.2 On each occasion, urgent matters are dealt with as they arise, without appearing on the formal agenda, but on many occasions the Committee were hampered in dealing with matters submitted for want of complete information and supporting documentation. 5.3 Among the matters considered by the Committee were the following: (a) An agreed scheme of co-operation between the Irish Auctioneers and Valuers' Institute, the Institute of Professional Auctioneers and Valuers and Livestock Salesmen and the profession, with a view to establishing a code of conduct between Auctioneers and Solicitors to improve the working relations between both, and to eliminate the problems that had arisen in various parts of the country where Auctioneers had been presenting clients with initial proposals that did not incorporate all the terms that were necessary and did not give the clients the benefit of independent legal advice. Having considered this matter at a number of meetings, the Society circulated to the profession an agreed code of conduct and agreement. (b) The question of Professional Indemnity Insurance was considered at numerous meetings by this Committee and arrangements are in hand for the continuance and improvement of the existing scheme. (c) A number of colleagues submitted to the Committee demand notices issued by various Hire Purchase Companies in the format of summonses designed to have a rather legalistic appearance, and though submitted to date, it did" not merit action by the Society but the situation is being kept under review. (d) The Society considered the application by the Free Legal Aid Committee the establishment of a full time Legal Aid Centre, and monitored the developments in this regard. (e) Numerous complaints were received of English and Northern Ireland Solicitors practising in the Republic. Appropriate action was taken with the Law Society in England and the Law Society in Northern Ireland. (f) The Society received numerous complaints of Solicitors advertising property in their own name, this practice being particularly common in the Midlands. (g) The Committee considered difficulties that had arisen in numerous instances where colleagues had acted for both parties only to find that difficulties resulted. The Society has considered on a number of occasions making a ruling that it would be unprofessional to act for both sides except in a given circumstance. This matter was raised at the half-yearly meeting in Westport and it was decided that a ruling would be adopted if in fact the majority of the profession indicated their support for it.

PRIVILEGES COMMITTEE

Michael P. Houlihan, Chairman William B. Allen Bruce St. J. Blake John B. Carrigan, Laurence Cullen Thomas Jackson John B. Jermyn John Maher Peter Murphy Rory O'Connor Brian Russell Thomas M. D. Shaw

Michael P. Houlihan, Chairman

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