The Gazette 1980

JULY-AUGUST

19

GAZETTE

Replying to

- Continued from page 78 this development but in my view it is to be welcomed on at least two counts. First from the point of view of the public interest, it represents help for the citizen with problems that he cannot easily solve for himself. The help may not be from the best trained source but frequently it is more than adequate and in most cases it is very much better than no help at all, which in practice would normally be the alternative. Secondly, from the narrow point of view of the lawyer's self interest lay advisory agencies tend to generate a great deal of work for lawyers mainly by direct referrals. It is in any event a fact of modern life and likely to increase. There is therefore a movement in many countries reflecting a heightening of consciousness about the existence of the unmet need for help with legal problems and concern about ways of meeting it. Many new ways of bringing services to the client have been developed in the past decade and I dare say that in the next ten years we will discover even more. In the enactment of a new civil legal aid scheme the Irish Government is taking a major step in securing equality of justice for its citizens and although I have ventured to offer some criticisms of the scheme I recognise that it represents a step in the right direction. Moreover the first step is not I hope the last. In this field we are learning all the time and we try to move as far and as fast as our respective financial resources permit. I wish the Irish scheme much success and look forward to returning some time in the future to review with you the progress made. Blackhall Place The President's Hall has been subject to yet another change of use for which, doubtless, planning and bye law permission were obtained long in advance. Since ceasing to accommodate the religious observance of the Pupils of The Free Hospital and School of King Charles the Second, the President's Hall has filled many widely diverging roles from the Presentation of Parchments to newly admitted colleagues, through the Whiddy enquiry, Seminars, Dinners and Weddings to, most recently, providing a "night life" atmosphere for Rock Fox and his famous orchestra and "Chris Meehan & Friends" Jazz Rock Group. On Thursday, April 10th, the President's Hall was the setting for the first public recital of classical music, under 'he auspices of the Music Association of Ireland. The occasion was the coming-out recital of Una Hunt, a native of Belfast who had studied the piano at the Ulster College of Music, at the Royal Irish Academy of Music in Dublin and at the Hochschule Fur Musik, Vienna. Miss Hunt's excellently played programme included J.S. Bach's French Suite No. 6 B V W 817; Beethoven's Piano Sonata, Opus 110, in A. Flat; Sonata in three movements (1910) by Igor Stravinsky and Chopin's Piano Sonata in B Minor Opus 58. The acoustics of the Presidents Hall were found to be surprisingly good and would, it was felt, be even better with a large audience. It is hoped that the Music Association of Ireland will use the Presidents Hall for similar recitals in the future.

correspondence — the

Solicitor's obligations

The Society is seriously concerned at the number of complaints it is receiving from clients and other Solicitors arising out of the failure of Solicitors to acknowledge or reply to correspondence. In certain cases such failure may in fact amount to professional misconduct. Between professional colleagues the failure of one party to answer correspondence creates a great deal of extra work for the other Solicitor involved, not to mention a natural sense of annoyance and frustration at correspondence being ignored. There may be many reasons why a Solicitor is not immediately in a position to fully reply to a letter received from a colleague, but there is not reason why he cannot at least acknowledge the letter. When complaints received by the Society from clients of Solicitors are analysed, it is found that the principal reason why such clients have sought the assistance of the Society is that they cannot get any information from their Solicitors. A particular Solicitor can be carrying out the work that he has been instructed to do, but unless that Solicitor regularly communicates with his client there will be the inevitable break-down in the professional relationship. The client most likely will not know the procedures for extracting a Grant of Probate or bringing a High Court action to trial and it is therefore essential that the Solicitor should correspond with his client and keep him fully informed about what has happened, and what is to happen, and when. It is, of course, even more important that any correspondence received from the client should be promptly acknowledged and fully answered. The Council urges all practitioners to communicate regularly with clients and answer promptly all correspondence from clients or fellow practitioners and so ensure that the standards we all expect from Solicitors in practice are maintained.

Independent Actuarial Advice regarding Interests in Settled Property and Claims for Damages BACON & WOODROW

Consulting Actuaries 58 Fitzwilliam Square Dublin 2 (Telephone 762031)

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