The Gazette 1995

GAZETTE

DECEMBER 1995

pointed out that the recent High Court ruling - striking down a crucial exemption for law graduates seeking training as solicitors - has highlighted a crisis in the legal professions. The article questioned whether the crush for entry into an overcrowded area is in the public interest and asked whether it is in the public interest for lawyers to have such complete control over access to qualifications - and for universities to keep creating courses. The article continued that the system is clogged up with a backlog of previous years law graduates still seeking places. The article went on "since the granting of the exemption to law graduates, according to Ken Murphy, Law Society Director General, the Society has been staggering under the weight of increasing numbers of graduate applicants. Waiting lists are in the hundreds and waiting time for a law graduate to gain admission to the course has ranged from one to one and a half years; The Society now runs five separate intakes to the course over each two year period." The article quoted Paul O'Connor, Dean of UCD Law Faculty. He does not see anything intrinsically wrong, as a general principle in the Law Society operating an entrance exam for law graduates, providing it does so for sound education reasons and to maintain standards in the profession rather than as a 'crude device' to limit numbers. The Law Society Council met on 31 October 1995 to discuss the issue of the effect of the Bloomer case. On 1 November a press release was issued which outlined the decision taken. The press release stated that the Law Society decided it was reasonable and appropriate that certain university law graduates whose eligibility for entry to the Society's professional training course had become legally uncertain in consequence of a High Court Judgment of the 22 September 1995, should have that legal uncertainty removed. The decision applied to:- Statement issues after Special Council Meeting

proposed entrance to the Society's Law School have found themselves consequent upon the recent High Court decision. A detailed review of the implications of the decision is being carried out by the Society and the concerns of those most immediately affected are foremost in the Society's considerations. A Special Meeting of the Council will be held on Tuesday 31 October next to specifically address these concerns and the consequent legal issues raised by the High Court decision. Because the High Court Judgment is under Appeal to the Supreme court, the Law Society must abide by its legal advice that it cannot take any other action at this time." This statement was reported in the Irish Times on 21 October in an article headed 'Law Society to Meet on Entrance Issue'. The statement was also covered in the Irish Independent of 21 October 1995. The editorial of the Irish Times on 24 October dealt with the issue of legal education. It referred to the fact that the recent High Court decision on the issue of entry procedures to the Law Society's training course for solicitors is a symptom of a much wider malaise; and one that involves not just 300 Irish Times Editorial - the issue of legal training

the Law Society but also the Kings Inns', the equivalent training body for Barristers. It stated that the whole question of how students are admitted to both professional bodies, how they are selected, who is eligible for selection and the adequacy of the training provided has been the subject of controversy and public concern for several decades. The editorial referred to the fact that the present debate is understandably centred on the plight of the recent law graduates but that the Law Society has to comply with the courts ruling pending the outcome of the Supreme Court decision and the Appeal by the Queens University students. The editorial referred to the Fair Trade Commission Report which dealt with the issue of legal training. The editorial stated "five years on the problem is far more acute than when the Commission reported". It concluded that: "it is time the whole question of legal education, both at university level and in terms of professional training was examined. Only a Government can initiate such an examination."

Education and Living Supplement

In the Education and Living Supplement of the Irish Times on the same day October 24 there was an article on the problem of numbers entering both the barristers profession and solicitors profession. The article

(i) persons who had received a proported exemption from the