The Gazette 1993

GAZETTE

SEPTEMBER 1993

Alliance was still hopeful that it might achieve its withdrawal. The Society would continue to campaign against the 1 tax as part of the Alliance. Pilot Civil Legal Aid Scheme The Council considered a proposal by the Minister for Equality & Law Reform for a pilot project which would involve private practitioners in the Scheme of Civil Legal Aid at District Court level. The Minister was making a solicitors would act in judicial separa- tion cases for a fee of £65 (exclusive of VAT) less withholding tax. i The President of the Society said that while the Minister was clearly enthusi- astic about resolving the deficiencies in the Civil Legal Aid system he proposed to respond to the Minister on the basis that the Council felt that the terms on offer left them no option but to reject the proposal. The Council agreed that the fee being offered was derisory and inadequate and endorsed the President's approach. Criminal Legal Aid As part of the agreement concluded in Mairead Bourke, admitted Trinity 1992, who set up practice in Westport in September, 1992, won first prize in the Young Business Woman Award, Galway and District regional final. Her "user friendly legal practice" won out against some very tough competition. As Chairman of the Practice Management Committee, I asked Mairead what she did differently. She replied: "My interest in good practice management stems from my work experience as a Socio Economic Advisor with Teagasc and the jaundiced view many of my farm family clients held regarding the legal profession. When I set up in practice myself, I resolved to create a pleasant and stress free atmosphere in the office, as I was surprised that some clients find it traumatic to have to j sum of £100,000 available for the project and he was proposing that

late 1992 with the Department of Justice on criminal legal aid fees, it had been agreed that special fees would be negotiated in exceptional, complex cases. The Criminal Law Committee reported to Council that despite this agreement the Department had not yet put in place arrangements for determin- ing the higher level of fees. The Council gave the Committee approval to take all necessary steps, including withdrawal from the scheme, to ensure that the Department met its commitment. The Council also approved a proposal to provide an indemnity to a colleague to take an action challenging the linking of solicitors' fees with counsels' fees. The Chairman of the Litigation Com- mittee reported to Council that the Medical Council had approved an amendment to its Ethical Guide and doctors were now under a strict obliga- tion to provide medical reports when requested to do so by parties to litigation. Doctors' Ethical Guide

I Costs Committee reported that a seminar on costs would take place in Dublin on 22 September in conjunction | with the DSBA. All other bar associations had been asked to suggest dates and venues for holding of regional seminars on the issue. In the meantime, each practice would be issued with a "ready reckoner" form to assist them in calculating the cost per hour of running their offices. As is the tradition, the nominees of the Law Society of Northern Ireland attended the July meeting of the Council | and at the meeting Anthony McGettigan, | President of the Law Society of I Northern Ireland, thanked the President and the Council for the welcome and hospitality extended to the nominees during their visit. While there was no corresponding right for Law Society j Council members to attend meetings of the Council of the Northern Ireland Law Society, Mr. McGettigan invited the President, Senior Vice-President and Director General of the Law Society of Ireland to attend his Society's Council meeting in August. • "In addition, I see busy clients outside of office hours. I note name of clients' spouses and children, wherever possible. I send out personalised j Christmas cards, which have a very favourable response. I would always try to keep the client informed of progress on a file, and pre-empt the situation where he/she contacts me to find out ! what is happening. It's a difficult one to achieve with a heavy work load. Finally, I make a point of always being here to keep appointments and telephone clients if there will be a delay." Congratulations Mairead, I'm sure your I initiative will pay dividends. ! Justin McKenna Chairman, Practice Management Committee • Northern Ireland Nominees taken note of the other two!"

Seminars on Remuneration/Costs

The Chairman of the Remuneration/

Sol ici tor Wins Young Bus iness Woman Award

Z

St

Mairead Bourke

breach the bastions of a lawyer's office. My reception office is bright, dust free and stocked with in date magazines, the Irish Times daily, plants and fresh flowers and a small toy box (suggested by a male colleague). I practice as a matter of course eight out of ten management tips suggested by Brian O'Reilly in his recent article and have

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