Law Society rejects proposals to reform legal profession

THE Law Society of Ireland has rejected radical proposals by the Competition Authority to reform the legal profession, including the creation of a new independent regulatory body.

It has also rejected the recommendation to grant the general public direct access to barristers. Nor is it in favour of the authority’s recommendation of ending the monopoly on education exercised by the Law Society in the case of solicitors and the King’s Inns in the case of barristers.

The proposals were outlined by the authority last February and included a recommendation that the ‘sole trader’ rule for barristers be abolished. Barristers must operate out of the Law Library as individual service-providers, briefed by solicitors. It recommended they be permitted to form partnerships with solicitors and with other professionals in multi-business partnerships.