The Gazette 1978

GAZETTE

SEPTEMBER 1978,

will shortly have in operation, the Euro-net system which will mean that there will be no additional cost to a subscriber because of his remoteness from the data-base provided that he is within reach of one of the E.E.C. Capitals including Dublin. In other words if the data-base were situated in Brussels a lawyer who wished to have access to it using a terminal in Dublin would pay the same for the use of his line connecting him to the Data-base as a lawyer in Brussels, or in Paris, Rome or London. It is hard to see how it would be economically feasible to put into that Data-base the Statute Law and Case Law of each of the member countries, but of course if the Commission were prepared to subsidise it, it is conceivable that it might be done at a cost which would enable Irish solicitors to use such a data-base for their research. The other interesting paper was that presented by Keith James on the topic of word-processing, the general description applied to the development of the Memory typewriter originally marketed by IBM. Mr. James described the technical developments which have taken place in word processing, and which are still continuing. It is perfectly obvious that the equipment now on the market is very much more sophisticated than that which was being marketed seven or eight years ago and in terms of real cost it is of course very much less expensive than it used to be. Word processing machines clearly have very practical applications to the practice of solicitors in Ireland even practices which operate on a relatively small scale. The cost of such equipment is in the range of £6,000 to £8,000 per unit, but when one considers that the introduction of such equipment may prove an acceptable alternative to adding one or more staff members on a permanent basis then the capital outlay is seen in a very different light. The machines currently on the market are much more versatile than their predecessors and use screens for composition of the text which need not be typed until it is perfected and can then be reproduced by printers at remarkably high speeds. Obviously it would not be possible to describe in detail all that transpired over the entire weekend in this brief summary but anyone who is interested in further information should consider subscribing to the Journal of the Society for Computers in Law and can do so by contacting Mrs. Diana Wilson, 6, Latton Close, Chilton, Nr. Didcot, Osfordshire, OX 11 OSU. Computer applications for legal practice was one of the main topics at the International Bar Association Conference in Sydney. The Session was chaired by David Andrews who is now Chairman of the Society for Computers and Law and since many of the same personnel took part a good deal of the same ground was covered. One notable difference was that Jerry Rubin was not physically present but was linked into the discussion by sattelite telephone link which despite the wonders of technology was less satisfactory than having him there in the flesh. The reaction of the very many conferees who attended was a clear indication that it is widely acknowledged that Computer Technology will profoundly affect the way many lawyers conduct their business over the next decade. In Australia where wages and salaries are more than twice those being paid here word processing installations are proceeding apace although scattered population and relatively small numbers in the profession has hampered the development of systems of legal information retrieval.

NON-CONTENTIOUS PRACTICE EVIDENCE OF FOREIGN LAW

PROBATE

Direction of the President of the High Court

Where evidence of the law of a country outside the State is required on any application for a grant, the affidavit of any person who practises, or has practised, as a barrister or advocate in that country and who is conversant with its law may be accepted by the Probate Officer, provided that the Probate Officer may, in his discretion, accept the affidavit of a solicitor practising in Northern Ireland, England, Scotland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man as to the law of the country in which he practises and provided that in no case shall an affidavit be acceptable where the deponent has a personal or professional interest in the estate of the deceased. T. A. FINLAY, President of the High Court. 21-11-1978.

Valuation for compensation is our

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Duolin 760251 Cork 21371 Galway 65261

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