The Gazette 1992

GAZETTF

OCTOBER 1992

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In the context of Ireland, the publishers write of the "big five" Dublin law firms but state that the big firms' monopoly of top-tier work has been eaten into by a number of medium-sized firms that are clearly ambitious to close the gap between themselves and the "big five". Interestingly, the editorial states that Irish law firms have been thriving in recent years with many firms doubling in size in the past five years. Law Firms in Europe is a useful guide to the leading law firms throughout Europe. Lawyers who have an eye on the mainland continent of Europe and the United Kingdom could usefully peruse the pages of this book. Compulsory Purchase and Compensation in Ireland: Law and Practice By McDermott & Woulfe, Butterworths, Irish Property Series, Dublin 1992, 397pp. Hardback. This book represents a first venture into the complex area of compulsory purchase of land in Ireland. That the law has evolved into a tangled bramble bush of procedures, * is perhaps a failure on the part of legislators to tackle the whole issue as a single problem, requiring consolidating legislation. The book is divided into two sections. The first part by Professor Richard Woulfe, considers all aspects of compulsory acquisition up to the formulation of a claim for compensation and picking up the procedure again from the conclusion Eamonn G. Hall

of the claim either on settlement, following negotiation, or on completion of the arbitration process. It ends with the transfer of ownership to the acquiring authority and the payment of compensation to the owner. The second part by Mr. McDermott, deals with the compensation to be paid to the owner for the expropriation of his property or for the deprivation of certain of his rights over property. Practitioners have yearned for such a reference book for many years; until now having to rely on old notes or counsel's opinions. It is a most welcome addition to the book shelf and will survive as a standard text book for so long as the present laws remain and that should see us into the next millenium and the years beyond. Essays in Honour of Brian Walsh: James O'Reilly (Editor) The Round Hall Press, Dublin 1992, 384pp. £47.50 Hardback. Festschrifts are rare events in Irish legal writing. It is a curious though welcome coincidence that the volumes honouring two of our most distinguished judges both in the national and international scene should be published almost contemporaneously. The volume dedicated to Mr. Justice O'Higgins has already been reviewed in these pages ( Gazette ) and this tribute to Mr. Justice Walsh must also receive a generous welcome. The range of topics and contributors is extremely wide. Not only do the 313 Justin McKenna Human Rights & Constitutional Law

Law Firms in Europe

Edited by John Pritchard, Legalease Europe, London 1992, 488pp. 1992, £29 Paperback. The world as we know it today could hardly function without lawyers. However, lawyers have always been unpopular figures. It was Dick the Butcher who proclaimed in a drunken state in Henry VI Part II: " The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers". Hamlet in the graveyard held up the skull of a lawyer and spoke to Horatio about the tricks of the lawyers. We survive. We battle on. We all endeavour to give the best possible service to our clients. Law Firms in Europe is essentially an introductory guide to the major law firms throughout Europe. The book combines a mixture of factual information and personal comment. Each chapter falls into two distinct sections: directory and editorial. The directory section for each country is made up of professional information such as the total number of lawyers and the location of offices - supplied by relevant firms and approved by them prior to publication. In addition to this factual information, the publishers have included their own editorial commentary. The editorial sections include a general review of firms performing particular types of work and a review of firms which are generally recognised to have a good reputation within the national and international legal community. The publishers have stated that in reaching opinions about law firms they have been largely influenced by the confidential opinions expressed to them by many lawyers. Over a thousand lawyers contributed indirectly to the editorial sections either by letter or telephone conversation.