The Gazette 1980

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 1980

GAZETTE

Society participates in Inaugural Meeting of Law Teachers Body

The Society was represented by John F. Buckley. Chairman, Education Committee, and Professors Richard Woulfe and Laurence Sweeney as well as the Misses Pearse and Sheehan, wholetime tutors, at the inaugural meeting of the Irish Association of Law Teachers which was held in University College, Cork, from December 14th to 16th. Professor Woulfe was elected to the Council of the Association for the coming year. The meeting was attended by approximately sixty law teachers from various third-level institutions in Ireland. The Association is to be congratulated, not only in estab- lishing itself on an all-Ireland basis, but in opening its doors to all engaged in third-level law teaching. The U.K. example where university and professional teachers group themselves in the Society of Public Teachers of Law while those teaching in polytechnics and other "lesser" institutions are grouped in the Association of Law Teachers has well been avoided. The opening lecture was given by Dr. Paul O'Higgins on "Irish Law — does it really exist?" and his principal theme was our neglect of our own legal history. It must have come as a considerable surprise to many of his audience to learn just how great a treasure house they were ignoring (and were probably ignorant of). The other principal guest at the meeting was Professor William Twining, formerly of Queens University, Belfast, and now of the University of Warwick, whose contri- bution to the session on "Legal Literature and Publica- tions in Ireland" was extremely valuable and illum- inating. Professor Twining was Chairman of the Society of Public Teachers of Law's Working Party on Legal Literature in Small Jurisdictions. Dr. Henry Ellis of N.I.H.E. was the other invited contributor to this session while Tom Hadden of Q.U.B., Andrew Prideaux of Sweet and Maxwell and John Buckley also took part in the discussion. As the Society is now the leading law publisher in Ireland its representatives were most interested in the views expressed in the discussion. They were even more interested in the succeeding session on Professional Legal Training in which Professor Woulfe participated as a guest speaker. Unfortunately, the Kings Inns had no official representative present. We learned from Mr. James Russell of the Institute of Profes- sional Legal Studies, Belfast, that the problems facing an institution endeavouring to teach a "skills" course leading to a professional qualification in one jurisdiction are remarkably similar to those which arise in other juris- dictions. After the morning session the Madrigal Society of University College, Cork, treated the attendance to a short concert of medieval songs and Christmas carols which we much appreciated. Working sessions on the teaching of various subjects were held in the afternoon and the meeting concluded with a dinner in the Arbutus Lodge Hotel on the Saturday evening at which the President of University College, Cork, was the guest of honour.

The meeting was organised with great efficiency and friendliness by the Law Faculty of University College, Cork, to whose head, Professor Bryan McMahon, and his staff, particularly David Tomkin and David Morgan, the thanks of the participants are due. It is to be hoped that the Association having got off to such an auspicious start will grow and flourish. The officers of the Association for the coming year are: President Prof. R. F. V. Heuston Hon. Treasurer Mr. j . Brehony Hon. Secretary Prof. D. S. Greer Council Members: Professors K. Boyle, J. C. Brady, B. McMahon, R. Woulfe, Dr. H. Ellis, Ms. P. Maxwell.

INTERNATIONAL BAR ASSOCIATION

Berlin to be 1980 Conference Site for International Bar Association The Eighteenth Biennial Conference of the International Bar Association will be held from 25th to 30th August 1980 in Berlin. Karl Carstens, President of the Federal Republic of Germany, will address the opening session. General sessions of the conference will focus on dis- cussion of two topics: a code of conduct for transnational corporations and lawyer advertising and specialisation. Simultaneous translation into French, German and English will be provided. In addition to the general sessions there will be dozens of committee-sponsored meetings. Among topics to be debated in these meetings will be atomic energy projects in Europe, expropriation by governments of real property, procedures for settling disputes, construction contracting in the Peoples Republic of China, and a wide variety of criminal law subjects. International Bar Association members attending the meetings will be guests at receptions hosted by the government of the Federal Republic of Germany at Castle Charlottenberg, by the Deutscher AnwaltVerein in the National Gallery, and by the government of West Berlin at the Berliner Philharmonie. Other social events highlighting die meeting will be a banquet in the historic Funkturm, a boat trip on the Berlin lakes, and excursions in both East and West Berlin. For complete programmes and registration forms contact the Director General, The Incorporated Law Society of Ireland, Blackhall Place, Dublin 7; or write to The International Bar Association, Byron House, 7-9 St. James' Street, London SW1A 1EE; or Telex 8812664 INBAR G. 15