The Gazette 1996

GAZETTE

NOVEMBER 1996

N E WS

New editor for the Gazette

The Law Society Gazette, which will be 90 years old next year, has a new editor - an experienced journalist who promises to turn the journal into a 'vibrant monthly magazine'. Conal O' Boyle is the former editorial manager at Cork Publishing and deputy editor of circulation of 60,000. Prior to this, he worked as a reporter, feature writer, sub-editor, and accountancy editor on a weekly public sector magazine in London. Under his stewardship, Certified Accountant swept the boards at last year's Irish Independent! Communicators in Business magazine awards, winning first prize for writing, certificate of excellence in design and overall award for best editor. This year the magazine won first prize for design, and a certificate of excellence for writing. 'The Gazette's been around for a long time', says O'Boyle, 'and has a proud history of serving the legal profession. But the profession is changing and the magazine must change with it to reflect Certified Accountant, a monthly magazine with an international

the confidence and professionalism of the Law Society's members. The Gazette is generally regarded as worthy, but boring and academic: I hope to change all that'. The new editor plans to launch a redesigned magazine early in the New Year. Some of the planned improvements include: • Greater use of colour and photographs • Introducing a discrete 'one-stop shop' professional information section that will aim to meet all the regulatory and professional needs of members • Making articles more interesting and accessible by using plain English and avoiding jargon. • Separating opinion and fact in news and feature articles • Redesigning the magazine and impos- ing a recognisable structure on it. 'I will be commissioning more external contributors, including controversial and topical columnists, with a view to stimulating debate on the main issues of the day', says O'Boyle. 'Readers may not necessarily agree with the views and regulatory roles was overwhelmingly defeated in a postal ballot. Members voted 14,199 to 8,881 against the proposal. The total poll was 24,317 - just under 30% of the 81,580 solicitors entitled to vote. The result was welcomed by the English Law Society, which described the motion as 'potentially damaging'. English President Tony Girling said: "The profession has sent a clear message that solicitors do value self-regulation and that they believe the interests of solicitors are inextricably linked to the interests of their clients. It is time to draw a line under this divisive and costly argument".

New editor: Conal O'Boyle expressed, but I hope they will always find them thought-provoking'. 'The Society owes a great debt of gratitude to Mary Kinsella who, as acting editor, has held the journal together for the last 12 months. I look forward to working closely with her as we chart a new course for the Law Society Gazette'. • Of interest It is the time of year when solicitors receive not only the bills for indem- nity insurance and practising certifi- cates but, in many cases, letters from finance houses inviting you to avail of a facility to finance these expenditures by spreading the costs over 12 months using a fixed loan facility. Solicitors should be aware that at least some finance houses are quoting rates of interest which appear very attractive but which on examination turn out not to be the APR rate. In at least one case, the APR rate has turn- ed out to be almost twice the rate quoted in the letter.

Cahalane joins English Law Society The Law Society's former public relations executive Barbara Cahalane has been appointed director of

communications at the English Law Society. Cahalane spent three years at Blackhall Place, where she also edited the Gazette, before moving to London in 1994 to take over as head of public relations at the Chartered Association of Certified Accountants. Commenting on the appointment, English Law Society President Tony Girling described Cahalane as 'clearly the most outstanding candidate'. She takes up her new position on 9 December.

• Meanwhile, a motion to split the English Law Society's representational

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