The Gazette 1995

p R A c E M A N A G E M E N T c T i

GAZETTE

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 1995

A Review of: 'This is Your Practice' - the video

by Brian O'Reilly, Solicitor

" The Red Book ".

Holder, is about to receive notification of a 16th claim and all celebrate his strangle-hold on the record. The point of the production is very simple, that despite the pressures that we as practitioners undergo, good administration and careful file husbandry is an essential element in the successful claim-free practice. In 1990, there were claims to the value of £ 1 2 0 million in England. The obvious truth is stated - that if there were fewer claims there would be lower premiums. This production, which lasts about 15 minutes, should be viewed by every member of every solicitor's practice in Ireland. Footnote: "This Is Your Practice" is available for rent from the Law Society Library, Blackhall Place. The deposit is £ 1 5 . 00 for two weeks. •

The use of video as a medium for teaching management skills has been popular for some years in industry. Its success can be attributed to the ability of the format to create thought provoking and easily disseminated information. There are unfortunately few management videos available to the legal profession but one such is "This Is Your Practice ", produced by the British Solicitors Mutual Defence Fund. This video, which is satirical, programme "This Is Your Life". It follows the professional life of a mythical solicitor, Miles Platting (played by John D. Collins) who is "surprised" while dining in Fountains Restaurant by Andrew Amos (played by Peter Tilbury) brandishing very direct and wickedly funny involves a parody on the I TV The Council of the Bars and Law Societies of the European Commun i ty ( C C B E ) is co-operating with the Council of Europe on the TH EM I S No. 7 project on assistance to lawyers in Central and Eastern European Countries and the New Independent States (of the former Soviet Union). Firms interested in taking lawyers from these countries on 1 weeks study visits (travel and expenses paid by the Council of Europe) should contact: Veronica Williams, C C B E , Rue Washington 4 0, B - 1 0 5 0 Brussels

Miles Platting has the British national record for professional indemnity claims standing at 15 in number over his professional career and Miles is led from the restaurant with the usual ceremony to the studios across the road where he meets former partners of, and many of the previous claimants against, his practice. This video is brilliantly shot in a superbly realistic setting based in every detail on "This Is Your Life". The tight and well-written script pulls no punches and whilst we are left laughing at the plight of Miles Platting we examine our own consciences as we review the litany of mistakes made by him over the years. Before winding up the proceedings, Andrew Amos declares that he is happy to announce that Miles Platting, Record

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Placements sought in Sol icitors' Off ices for Overseas Lawyers

The German Bar Association is seeking firms willing to take young German lawyers for a 6 month traineeship period. This would form part of the trainee's two year period o f post law school practical training in legal work required before admission to practise.

Contact: Martina

Err ens, DeutscherAnwaltVerein, Adenauerallee 10,

5 3 1 7 5 Bonn, G E R MA NY

Tel: 0 0 4 9 2 2 8 - 2 6 0 7 4 9 Fax: 0 0 4 9 2 2 8 - 2 6 0 7 66

B E L G I UM.

o - C : : - ' 1 - 6 7 1 0 7 Gillian Mac"

Tel: 0 0 3 2 2 - 6 4 0 5 8 0 4 Fax: 0 0 3 2 2 - 6 4 7 7 9 4 1

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