The Gazette 1975

Presentation of Parchments—December 1975 The President, Mr. W. A. Osborne, presided when 56 recently qualified solicitors received their Certificates of Admission in the Library of Solicitors' Buildings, Four Courts, Dublin, on Thursday, December 4, at 4 p.m. The President, in addressing the new Solicitors said: I have great pleasure this evening on behalf of our Society of extending a very sincere welcome to our many distinguished guests, many of whom are now the proud parents or friends of a recently qualified Solicitor. On your behalf and on behalf of our Society, may I congratulate them on their success and extend to them every good wish for their future success and prosperity. It is a happy day and being so, I am rather reluc- tant to trespass on your time. Nonetheless I ask for your indulgence for a few moments, since I believe there are some matters worth reflecting on. Defective educational system misplaced persons. I believe these questions need to be considered and answered. It is not the fault of the Universities or of the schools of higher education. All they can do is allocate places in order of merit in accordance with the applications they receive. Basic educational standards are essential, but equally essen- tial is some method, whereby the suitability of a can- didate for a particular training can be assessed, be it a training in University or otherwise. Career guidance in itself is helpful, but insufficient in its intensity. Assess- ment should commence at an early age and should be continuous and might possibly end with an interview by a suitable Board, representing the University or School of Higher Education and a member or members already qualified in the particular discipline, training, art, faculty or profession in which the student wishes to study. Newly qualified solicitors should not practise on their own

We have found in recent years that there has been a very substantial increase in the number of students wish- ing to study law. Our present law student population is in the region of 1,300 students. The number of Solicitors in practice five years ago was in the region of 1,500, but this number has been increasing rather rapidly and is now reaching 1,700 and will increase substantially when the students, who are presently passing through qualify in the next few years. While we can accommodate in the profession the increasing numbers at present, I feel it is only fair to warn parents and students coming in in future years, that it may not be possible to find room for all the students who may wish to qualify in the next four to six years. I hope I am incorrect, but meanwhile our Society is doing all it can to create greater expertise within the profession and by doing so, to en- large the scope of our work. We are very conscious of the ever increasing need for the profession to give and to aim to give to the Community the quality and type of service which the Community seeks and is entitled to receive. This requires specialised training and ex- pertise. In that respect, our educational system has changed with the help and co-operation of the Univer- sities, who have been most helpful to us. There has not however been any fundamental change in the system which leads to entry by students into higher education generally. We are only too well aware of the points system, which in effect is a competitive one, whereby students are obliged to cram, to grind and to use every means available to them to consume facts, figures, data and information in an effort to pass examinations in the top 10, 15 or 20, as the case may be. Any parent or onlooker must be horrified and frightened by this system and the pressure which it exerts on young people, many of whom may not have reached full maturity. And what of the end result? Are we simply creating human computers—the best fed and programmed win- ning through. Does this system provide the best end result? What of the students who fail to gain admission under this system and who may have all the attributes essential to the true and proper performance of the particular discipline in due course. Does the system in fact deprive suitable students of opportunities to qualify for a way of life for which they may be eminently suited. Does it amount to a serious and objectionable form of discrimination and will we as a result, create

Now that you are about to commence practice there are a few points which may be helpful to you in these changing times. In England, there is at present a Statu- tory Regulation which prohibits a newly qualified Soli- citor from practising on his own for a period of five years from date of qualification. We can all see the merit of this ruling and while we have not a similar statutory ruling here which can be invoked, I would nonetheless suggest that you comply with the rule, which in turn I have no doubt will fit you more fully for practice in due course. Experience in a well organ- ised office is the best basis upon which to practice your profession. In this respect, I would ask you not to forget that we have down through the country very efficient offices. They are not all necessarily in the City of Dublin and country experience, even for a few years, is most beneficial, having regard to the wide range of general practice which one encounters. I understand also that salaries in the country may well be in excess of which are available in the cities. Communication with clients essential As I have already said, the main objective of our profession is and must be to provide the best possible service to the public and where necessary, to inform the public of the availability of such service. This can only be achieved by efficient communication of ideas, principles, knowledge, skills and information, both in- side and outside the profession. The main communica- tion outside the profession is with clients and the Society recently approved of, in general communication with our clients, on specific items. The new legislation in relation to fiscal matters is of the utmost importance to our clients and they should be informed of the general effect of the changes which have been made. Communication with clients in the carrying out of specific transactions is of the utmost importance, not only to the Solicitor himself, but also to the profession as a whole. The Solicitor's ability to unravel with efficiency and courtesy the problems of a client will make that client an effective spokesman for the pro- fession. The commonest complaint by clients is that they do not know what is happening. To us there is