Law Society proposals for radical reform of procedures for appointing judges

The Law Society has sent a 38 page submission to Justice Minister Alan Shatter recommending major changes designed to de-politicise the system for appointing judges.

It recommends a rigorous assessment, by the Judicial Appointments Advisory Board, of every candidate in accordance with published categories of ‘merit criteria’, with just three names per judicial position then sent to the Minister for Justice instead of the far greater number of names under the current system.

A summary of the Society’s nine main recommendations appears on pages 4 and 5 of the Society’s submission.

Launch of Good Professional Conduct Guide

The Minister for Justice, Equality and Defence, Alan Shatter TD, was warm in his praise for the Law Society on Monday, 4th November, 2013 at the launch of its third edition of A Guide to Good Professional Conduct for Solicitors at Blackhall Place.

Speaking at the launch, Minister Shatter said that the guide was “about ensuring that individual members of the profession behave in a manner that ensures the profession is in good standing with the general public, that people feel that they can approach their solicitor with a sense of trust and confidence and a sense that their lawyer will give them, not just the right advice, but will always act in their best interests.”

New Court of Appeal Vote

View a transcript of RTE Radio One’s interview with Ken Murphy, Director General, regarding the upcoming vote on a new Court of Appeal.