The Gazette 1991

GAZETTE

NOVEMBER 1991

for the contribution and commit- ment of so many colleagues, who are clearly not motivated either by self interest or sectional interest, and at the same time a great sense of pride in belonging to the same profession. In conclusion I wish to express my thanks to all the members of the profession for their encouragement during the past year and to say that it has been a great honour to serve as your President. My sincerest thanks also to the Vice-Presidents, to the Council and Committees, to the Director General and entire administration for their unfailing help and support at all times throughout the year. I also wish to extend my best wishes to my designated successor, Adrian Bourke, who, as this goes to press, is due to take up office on the 15th November. I am very grateful for his support as Senior Vice-President during the past year and know that the Society will be in capable hands under his leadership. • ^TOCARGO MAWNE SURVEYORS LTD. Capt. Thomas C. Nash M. INST. PET. Marine Consultancy; Independent Marine Surveyors; Vessel & Terminal Safety Inspection; Recruitment; Procedures Manuals. Cooleen House, Rushbrooke, Cobh, Co. Cork. Tel: 021-811677 Fax: 021-813009 Marine Expert Witness; Ship to Ship Transfer;

the field of lawyers and generally to try to secure a cheaper and less costly service from the maximum amount of competition. There is pressure to permit multi-disciplinary partnerships or, as they call them in the United States, ancillary services. There are complaints about the level and amount of litigation and the cost both of claims and litigation. There are ongoing attacks on the historic lawyer/client privilege and legislative attempts to remove this in different areas (frequently this being mistaken for a lawyer's rather than a client's privilege). There is the argument about fusion of barristers' and soli- citors' profession in South Australia, there are the social and legal problems arising from the increas- ingly pluralist nature of the societies in which we liva There are the usual complaints about the standard of services from lawyers and the fees of lawyers; and the absence of lay persons upon lawyers' complaints committees. The scala dimension or emphasis of the problems may differ but the general nature is extra- ordinarily similar to those at home. My great fear is that, in the pursuit of supermarket bargain prices for legal services, the independence and integrity of the profession may be undermined and the rights of the individual eroded. In speaking to lawyers it is not necessary for me to stress the importance to any nation or society of a competent, inde- pendent, and honest legal profession. Importance of Communication Perhaps one of the most important points made in different ways at the conferences is the need for communication at all levels. The

need for the profession to com- municate and respond to the media (although the response should be considered, it should not be delayed too much because the opportunity may then disappear); the need for the lawyer to communicate wi th and inform the client as to what is involved in the handling of the client's legal business including the basis of charge; the need for communica- tion between members of the profession wi th each other and wi th their Law Societies or Bars; the need to communicate with other professions and organisa- tions; and finally, (as suggested by Lord Chancellor Mckay) the need to communicate with one's self be- cause at the end of the day in terms of spiritual and moral responsibility, this may be what will count the most. Communication is clearly one of t he most impo r t ant requirements of our profession - it can help to educate the public as to the role of the lawyer and the importance of the rule of law; it can help to inform ourselves, our clients and others with whom we deal in the course of our legal affairs and to avoid unnecessa ry mis- understandings. Finally, there is a very heartening impression that the legal profession in all these jurisdictions is alive and well, and is fully aware of the challenges and problems that are being faced. There is an extra- ordinary high level of commitment by so many of our professions not merely in the service of their own profession and clients but also in the greater service to the public good. Indeed it is impossible not to feel a strong sense of admiration

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