Briefing
Committee reports
Garda station visits Under a new scheme of payments to solicitors for visits to garda stations which is expected to come into operation shortly, solicitors attending at a garda station for the purpose of consultation with a client who is detained under specified legislative provisions will be entitled to a fee in respect of such consultation. This scheme will operate outside the criminal legal aid scheme regulations and therefore any solicitor attending will be entitled to a fee: that is, it is not necessary for the solicitor to be on the criminal legal aid panel. The Law Society’s Criminal Law Committee is currently compiling a list of solicitors who are prepared to attend at garda stations. This list will be provided to persons detained in garda stations. If you wish to place your name on the list, please advise Colette Carey, secretary, Criminal Law Committee, Law Society of Ireland, Blackhall Place, Dublin 7.
CORPORATE AND PUBLIC SECTOR I have recently been appointed as chairman of the Corporate and Public Sector Committee, the committee of the Law Society which is charged with ensuring that the needs of solicitors outside private practice are met. The committee had its first meeting in December. We look forward to working on your behalf. If there is a particular matter of interest or concern to you, please contact us through Geraldine Hynes, secretary to the committee, at the Law Society. You will be pleased to note
that transcripts of the lectures from the series of four seminars on corporate management and administration which were held in October are now available from the CLE office of the Law Society. The seminars had a direct relevance to in-house solicitors and were very well received. Topics covered included: • The fundamentals of corporate governance • Update on company law legislation • Share registration – Crest settlement • Interpretation of accounts • Advising on legal and commercial risks • Corporate decision-making • Human resource techniques. Kevin Finucane, Corporate and Public Sector Committee
GUIDANCE AND ETHICS As recently-appointed chairman of the Guidance and Ethics Committee, I invite your suggestions with regard to projects which might be undertaken by the committee relating to any matter of practice or conduct which would be of practical assistance to solicitors. You should contact Therese Clarke, secretary to the committee, at the Law Society with your suggestions. The committee has recently launched a quality service statement for display in solicitors’ offices. Your firm will be receiving a copy later this month. We believe that clients will welcome this positive statement by their solicitors. The committee’s work on the second edition of the Guide to conduct has been completed for some time. However, publication has been delayed awaiting a court decision and legisla-
tion which may be relevant to the area of solicitor/client confidentiality. We are anxious to ensure that the guide reflects the current position on this important topic. As part of its helping role, over the past number of years the committee has invited solicitors setting up in practice with their first practising certificate to a meeting with two committee members and one of the Law Society’s investigating accountants. This is an opportunity for the newly-qualified solicitors to discuss their proposals for practice with experienced practitioners and to raise any queries they may have with regard to the accounts regulations. These meetings have been well received. I am now extending the invitation to include any solicitors setting up in practice irrespective of how long they are qualified. If you wish to come to a meeting, please contact us at the Law Society. By way of further support to solicitors setting up in practice, the committee has published an information booklet. Solicitors in this situation need information under many different headings. While the information has always been readily available within the Law Society, it necessitated the solicitor having to speak to several different people. With the assistance of the staff involved, we have brought together all the necessary information in one booklet. Copies are available from Therese Clarke at the Law Society. The Law directory 2001 will be arriving in your offices shortly. The committee has updated and expanded the reference material at the back of the directory. Solicitors have
been letting us know that they find this material very useful. I look forward to hearing from you. John P Shaw, Chairman, Guidance and Ethics Committee
PROBATE, ADMINISTRATION AND TAXATION TAX BRIEFING The following extract from Tax briefing, issue 42, is reproduced by kind permission of the Revenue Commissioners. Budget 2001 Probate tax Probate tax is being abolished in respect of deaths occurring on or after 6 December 2000. CGT/stamp duty Parent-to-child site transfer (on or after 6 December 2000) for purpose of construction of child’s principal private residence is exempt from CGT/stamp duty (limited to one site with a maximum value of £200,000 per child). The committee advises practitioners to read the article on the town renewal scheme published in issue 42 of Tax briefing, which can be accessed in the publications section of the Revenue’s website, www.revenue.ie. Tax briefing is also available on subscription from the Revenue Commissioners. G
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CRIMINAL
SOLICITORS’ HELPLINE The Solicitors’ Helpline is available to assist every member of the profession with any problem, whether personal or professional. The service is completely confidential and totally independent of the Law Society. If you require advice for any reason, phone:01 284 8484