The Southern Law Association (SLA) annual general meeting was held on Tuesday last at the Clayton Hotel, Cork city, where the large attendance included not only local colleagues but also the Law Society’s director general Ken Murphy, immediate past president Patrick Dorgan and the new president Michele O’Boyle.

Those gathered listened intently to Richard Hammond’s presidential report before handing over the presidency to Robert Baker.

Outgoing President Richard Hammond thanked both the SLA Council and members for giving him the opportunity to serve as president, which he said was “the honour of his career”.

Chains of office

He then presented newly-commissioned ‘travel’ chains of office to both the incoming president Robert Baker, and incoming vice president Julie Rea.

Both of these were specially commissioned for the holders of those offices, and consist of a replica pendant of the SLA logo suspended on a red ribbon.

Robert Baker takes over the role of president of the SLA for a one-year term.

In his inaugural address to the meeting, he reminded those present of the substantial contribution made by SLA and Law Society Council members to the betterment of the profession at large, all done on a voluntary basis.

Enormous contribution

Robert Baker specifically outlined the enormous contribution to the profession made by Richard Hammond, not only during his term as SLA President, but also in his many other roles.

This includes his educational work with the Law Society, his chairmanship of several Law Society Committees and his highly respected contributions to the Law Society Council meetings, which were “always well considered and superbly articulated”.