The Gazette 1995

Editor Law Society Gazette Law Society Blackhall Place Dublin 7

necessary in the Irish context because of emigration). It is interesting to note ; that a comparable course (that of the Diplóme de Juriste Conseil d'Entreprise) which is now provided by all of the major universities in France has become one of the most prestigious legal qualifications available and a virtual guarantee of job selection. In her interesting article describing the UCG course, Sofie Cacciaguidi refers to the general lack of proficiency in foreign languages which prevails in Ireland (and, of course, throughout the English- speaking world). It has been my ' experience that whatever their origin, anglo-saxons invariably offer the same explanations for this condition, namely that English is spoken everywhere, that time prevents one from learning another language and 1 that other languages just seem so ; much more complicated compared i with the rather minimal rules of English grammar. While all of these explanations have some foundation, I have also observed in recent years that Continental Europeans are becoming rather less j tolerant of chronic anglo-saxon j monolingualism. There is a perception j that having been in what is now called the European Union for over twenty years, it is surely time that efforts I were made to communicate in the language (or, better still, languages) of one's neighbours. Í j This perception is likely to increase j for the coming generations for there has been recognition on the Continent composed of members who were not ' used to practising foreign languages. : The younger generation of Irish I lawyers, however, will be expected to J i be more proficient because their ! | counterparts in Europe (with the , notable exception of the U.K.) have j j that up to now, the UK and Irish business communities have been | j |

realised the importance of foreign languages, at least in the field of commercial law.

By way of illustration, a survey published in December last and which ! was undertaken among one thousand j French in-house corporate counsel revealed that 77% of respondents practised one or more foreign languages but the figure was much higher for the under-30s. Interestingly, nearly 14% of the latter also held a legal qualification from a foreign university. It is by no means unusual in France to-day to find tri- lingual and even quadri-lingual ' members of the legal profession j among the younger generation. While twenty years ago, knowledge of English was considered advantageous | for a French business lawyer, nowadays, it is regarded as the bare minimum for any one intending to practice commercial law. In short, lack of linguistic proficiency really reduces career prospects so much so j that a French lawyer starting his career but not having any foreign language capabilities probably only has a one in ten chance i of finding a job (and invariably not a very interesting or well paid one at that). Having learned Irish, we have the advantage of being more open to the realisation that learning other languages is within our grasp whereas native English-speakers elsewhere often assume that mastering another language is an insurmountable psychological barrier for all but those who have an aptitude for languages. Irish law graduates intending to emigrate would deprive themselves of really worthwhile job opportunities in Europe through failure to speak at least one European language. Native English speaking lawyers are much in demand both in private practice and in industry but they are also invariably Continued on page 85 j

Dear Editor

As an Irish lawyer who has been practising for over twenty years in France, it was extremely heartening to read that an Irish university has established a business law course with a strong component of the national law of a European country and its national language which, in the case of the U.C.D. degree, is that of France. I would like to express some personal views on its relevance to improving the job prospects of Irish law graduates in France and elsewhere. Considering that some entrants to the profession in Ireland may be required to pursue their careers elsewhere, our law faculties have a key role to play in preparing them to take advantage of the very real job opportunities which exist in continental Europe. Young Irish lawyers seeking employment abroad, whether through lack of prospects at home or through personal ambition to practice in a foreign jurisdiction, should not be forced to enter the rat race of the big law firms of London, New York or other mega- centres of legal practice in the English-speaking world when careers which are at least as rewarding in professional terms, and often much more so in terms of fulfilment as individuals, are available elsewhere - provided one has the language and the legal training. While the sceptics might be inclined to view the UCG course as a slightly exotic academic experiment, in fact, it is very much in line with the way in which other universities in Europe have been redefining their approach to legal education (although the UCG scheme is probably even more

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