The Gazette 1979

SEPTEMBER 1979

GAZETTE

The One Day Course on Civil Litigation

This seminar was the first of a series of thirteen which are designed to run from the 11th of September up until the 1st November in Blackhall Place. The philosophy underlying this type of educational seminar could be summed up in the phrase "learning by doing". By contrast with courses which employ a mere academic and lecture style approach, the emphasis here is placed on the participation of those who attend. Personal involvement takes the forms of discussion and exercises which involve role playing. Real life situations are simulated. Access to audio visual technology, including Close Circuit Television (C.C.T.V.) contributes significantly to this approach. Problem solving takes place in an environment which ensures that should mistakes occur, as they inevitably will, those who make them are cushioned from the consequences in a way for which real life situations do not allow. Admittedly there is no substitute for experience in legal practice as is the case in every walk of life but it is intended that this type of seminar or refresher course be of a more practical nature than that characteristic of a lecture or talk. In this sense a solicitor is helped in a realistic way to deal with the various areas of law which arise in the course of work. The function of the Consultants to each course is precisely to help participants to cope in a practical way with the area under review. Their methodology is geared to this end. As experts in the field, they make available their experience to participants. The justification for continuing this type of "learning by doing" approach in one day seminars for solicitors derives from the response of participants. They are given

the opportunity to judge the success or failure of each course on its completion. This takes the form of filling in an assessment sheet. When the results are quantified, we get a picture of how participants have perceived the relevance of the material. To date the response has been overwhelmingly positive and the words of one solicitor sums up the feelings of many. His general comment was "I was vastly impressed and interested". The one day course on Civil Litigation could be regarded as a good example of what has been written above. It was the first of the present series and took place on the 11th of September in Blackhall Place. Professor Richard Woulfe, the Director of Education opened the seminar. The Director of Training Professor Laurence G. Sweeney, Training Specialist Patrick Quinn, Education Officer Nicholas Moore and tutors Geraldine Pearse and Anna Hegarty were present. The Consultants on this one day seminar were solicitors Bryan Strahan (Gerard Scallon and O'Brien) and Noel Smith (N. T. Smith & Co. and Good and Murray). The areas covered during the day included pursuing a debt by summary summons in the High Court and processing a High Court Action up to the hearing. Thirty participants attended. As an opening seminar in the present series of thirteen, it was a hugh success in the opinion of those present, an encouragement to those who planned it and to the Consultants involved in giving it. The demand from participants at the end of the day for another seminar on Civil Litigation which was expressed both verbally and in writing consequently came as no surprise.

INCORPORATED LAW SOCIETY OF IRELAND Employment Register Members and apprentices are reminded that the Society keeps a register of

Expert Evidence in Handwriting

(0 Solicitors seeking Assistants; (ii) Solicitors seeking Vacancies; (iii) Apprentices seeking Vacancies.

T. R. Davis, M.A., B.Litt. (Oxon.), Lecturer in Bibliography, University of Birmingham, will give expert forensic opinion on any kind of forged, anonymous, or otherwise suspect document, whether written, printed, or typed. Department of English, University of Bermingham, P.O. Box 363, Birmingham, B15 2TT, England. (Phone 021 472 1301 ext. 7081).

Members or apprentices who wish to avail of this service (which is free of charge) should write to: NICHOLAS MOORE, Education Officer, The Law Society, Blackhall Place, Dublin 7.

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