The Gazette 1996

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 1996

GAZElTE

MedicolLegal Liaison Group Established

The Second String Community/Civic Activities Networking with Potential Referral Sources Newsletters

Any person who wishes to contact any of the above with queries or suggestions is more than welcome to do so. The committee currently comprises of Dominic Dowling, Chairman, John Glynn, Michael Peart, Elma Lynch, Robert Pierse, Brian O'Reilly, Frank Lanigan, Michael Irvine, John Harte and Cillian MacDohmnaill of the Law Society. techniques which they hope will be of benefit to the profession generally. which arise between individual doctors and solicitors which do not require disciplinary or regulatory intervention may be capable of resolution by referral to the Liaison Group. If members encounter problems which may be usefully referred to the Liaison Group, full particulars should be forwarded to the Litigation Committee, Law Society, Blackball Place, Dublin 7. (As the Society does not have the power to "agree" fees with the medical profession, the Society will not deal in any way with the subject of scales of fees suggested by the medical profession.) Litigation Committee

The Law Society's Litigation Committee is pleased to advise the profession that a Liaison Group has been established comprising representatives from the Litigation Committee, the Irish Medical Organisation (lMO) and the Irish Hospital Consultants Association (lHCA).

Clutching at Straws Tactics Publicity Brochures Seminars (ballroom scale)

Direct Mail Cold Calls Sponsorship of Cultural/Sports Events Advertising Video Brochures

An inaugural meeting was held at the Society's premises on 26 July, 1996.

The aim of the Liaison Group is to establish greater co-operation between the medical and legal professions. We hope that policy issues which affect our respective members will be discussed and that attempts will be made to achieve consensus . In addition, problems

In stressing the value of these 'first team' I tactics, it does not imply that other marketing tactics do not work. All tactics work to a degree. The real issue is one of effectiveness - which tactics is likely to give the best return on investment? Second string activities such as networking or community/civic activities have value and may be more important in Ireland than in any other countries. In particular, they have the advantage of personal contact in a social environment - an important consideration. We will all have examples of people who collect business on the golf course. However, the increasing formality in decisions related to professional services is resulting in reducing effectiveness of these traditional mainstays of business development for the professional. The challenges for our businesses are firstly whether we are sufficiently engaged in marketing our services at all and secondly whether our marketing tactics reflect the changing world of our additional advantage of personal contact - note the respective positions of the small scale ballroom scale seminars! Top of Maister's list comes small scale seminars, speeches, articles, and proprietary research. What these four have in common are that they involve giving something of value to the prospective new client - new facts, new knowledge, new ideas. They pass the test of demonstrating rather than asserting the firm's usefulness and competence. The absolute leading tactic of small scale seminars has the

o

Practice Management Committee

3. Preparing a seminar on Risk Management which will enable solicitors to monitor work-load and files to prevent'professional negligence actions arising. The committee is anxious to assist solicitors by providing a flow of information on good management 2. Providing workshop courses on management for practitioners in conjunction with the Irish Management Institute and the University of Limerick. I. Updating an office manual on management and administration for solicitors. The Practice Management Committee is currently undertaking the following activities:- The Practice Management Committee attempts to assist practitioners by informing them of updated management techniques which may assist in making practices more efficient and profitable .

James Hyland & Company Forensic Accountants

26/28 South Terrace, Cork, Ireland. Phone (021) 319 200 Fax: (021) 319 300

potential clients. Justin McKenna, President, DSBA

E-mail jhyland@indigo.ie

o

253