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Keeping pace

In a challenging and evolving economic environment, the Law Society has been looking at ways to highlight and promote the expertise of the profession to the public, writes Eamon Harrington.

Perhaps you have noticed additional publicity in your local community recently about making a will? This was the first in a series of regional media campaigns launched in collaboration with 17 bar associations to encourage members of the public to write a will in 2025.

It has resulted in widespread newspaper and online coverage, as well as radio interviews with seven solicitors around the country.

Look out for the next campaign, which will focus on the benefits of using a solicitor when buying or selling property – again in collaboration with bar associations, which is currently underway.

And for those of you engaged in commercial lease transactions, an updated specimen ‘pre-lease enquiries’ precedent was released by the Law Society’s Conveyancing Committee. It is now available to download from the ‘precedents’ area of lawsociety.ie.

The committee has published over 20 practice notes in the past year, with more to come. If you’d like to keep up to date with the latest conveyancing guidance, sign up for notification alert emails by contacting solicitorservices@lawsociety.ie.

I was delighted to help mark International Women’s Day at a Law Society event on 5 March in Dublin and to meet so many colleagues at different stages of their careers.

Special thanks goes to all who shared their real-life stories in the media in order to highlight the successes of women in the profession. Such positive stories benefit colleagues, future solicitors, and the public.

Women in Leadership

While more than 50% of the profession is female, it’s important to note that the percentage of those holding the most senior positions is significantly lower, at 37%.

If you would like help to transition to a senior role, or alternatively would like to mentor a female colleague, the Law Society’s Women in Leadership programme opens for applications on 7 April.

In all, 600 lawyers have taken part in this programme since its launch in 2018 – an important step in bringing us closer to gender equality.

Complete the survey

To be as prepared as possible for the future, and to achieve a just and accessible legal system that works for all, I’m sure you will agree that the Law Society must continuously adapt and improve its services for all practising solicitors to enable enduring success.

To do that, we need your feedback on your work, how it’s changing, and how you are navigating the current challenges and opportunities – whether you work in practice or in-house, and are based across the country, from Cork to Donegal, or Dublin to Mayo.

You should have recently received an email invitation to complete a Law Society survey from our research partner Ipsos B&A Research, which has been sent out the week commencing 31 March.

Thanks to those of you who have taken the time to complete it. If you haven’t yet had the chance, I would encourage you to take ten minutes to click on the survey link and share your insights by mid-April.

All responses are anonymised and will help determine how the Law Society will support and shape its work in the future to enable your professional success and a thriving solicitors’ profession.

Eamon Harrington is President of the Law Society.