The Gazette 1992

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 1992

GAZETTE

New Council Members Maeve Hayes, Brian Sheridan and John Shaw, newly-elected

members

of the Council of the Law

Society, introduce

themselves

and outline their

priorities.

Brian Sheridan It is particularly significant that the members of the Society have elected a Legal Aid solicitor to the Council and I hope in the coming year to promote interest in, and debate on, the development of a comprehensive scheme of civil legal aid. Having been in private practice prior to joining the Legal Aid Board, I am aware of the problems of the profession but I hope also to act in some way as a voice for the many members of the Society who are practising in areas other than the private sector. I feel that the solicitor makes a valuable contribution to the fabric of society and ours is in many fundamental respects a "caring profession". This unfortunately is not reflected in the public image of the solicitor and is an omission which we must actually strive to redress. As a solicitor of some years ex- perience, as an Executive member of the European Movement and as a long standing consultant at the Society's Law School, I hope that I can make a positive practical contribution to the diverse work of the Council and I am grateful to those who supported my election.

John Shaw As a recently qualified solicitor, I would hope that my election will improve the lines of communication between the younger members of the profession and the Council and will also encourage the younger members to take a more active interest in the business of the Council and the Society generally. In terms of matters which need attention, apart from the obvious ramifications of the Solicitors Bill, the public image of the solicitor could do w i th a radical overhaul. Each solicitor obviously has his or her own part to play, but it is impo r t ant t hat t he ex t r eme ly valuable service that the solicitor provides to the general public be properly presented. Finally, coming from a family tradition of serving on the Council, it is a matter of considerable honour for me to have been elected by my colleagues and I take this opportunity of thanking you for your support. •

Maeve Hayes I am a Partner in the firm of Mason Hayes & Curran. Over the period of eighteen years, when our Managing Partner, Maurice Curran, was a member of the Council of the Law Society, I became conscious of the enormous amount of work that is done by the members of the Council for the benefit of the profession as a whole throughout the country. Then, when I myself became a member of the Con- veyancing Committee many years ago, I found the monthly contact w i th the other members of the Committee very interesting and enlightening. I also found that one developed contacts w i th a wide range of solicitors around the country, who have conveyancing queries from time to time and wh om the members of the Com- mittee try to assist at all times but, in particular, at the mon t h ly meeting. Coming up to the election in 1991 it was suggested to me that I should run for election to the Council which, having given it very brief consideration, I did and having been successfully elected (at least this year), I am looking forward to serving on the Council. Obviously at this stage it is a learning process and I anticipate that it will be some time before I will be in a position to be productive on the various Committees to which I have been appointed.

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