Over 170 solicitors attended a major annual legal conference in Treacy’s West County Hotel, Ennis on Friday 22 June.

Organised by the Law Society Finuas Skillnet in partnership with the Clare and Limerick Bar Associations, the conference is a yearly opportunity for solicitors to upskill in important areas of law.

Local success

The annual legal conference is delivered just three months after local Clare solicitor Mary Cashin, formerly of Cashin & Associates Solicitors, was appointed to the judiciary of the District Court.

Solicitor Marina Keane is President of the Clare Law Association. She says the annual event is an opportunity for local solicitors to stay up to date on developments in the sector.

“The Clare Law Association is delighted to support the visit of the Law Society Finuas Skillnet to Ennis where experts in topics such as civil litigation, conveyancing, data protection, family law and criminal law will deliver the latest developments in these areas to Clare and Limerick solicitors,” says Ms Keane.

Data protection

The new GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) rules came into force for everyone in Europe on 25 May 2018 and will be discussed at the conference.

“Clare and Limerick solicitors have been to the fore in recent times in advising businesses and organisations throughout the counties in relation to the impact of the recently introduced GDPR,” says Ms Keane.

“All local businesses should review their company policy on personal data. Anyone dealing with personal data needs to be following these rules.”

Personal data is any information that can identify an individual person. This can include, but is not limited to, a name, postal address, images or anything relating to the identity of a person.

All organisations, including sports clubs, volunteer groups and SME’s, who are not compliant, may face severe penalties in the coming months, including fines.

“Solicitors are key advisors across a number of business matters. Your local solicitor can help with GDPR through advice on data protection audits, preparing for data breaches and appointing a data protection officer within the business.”

Conveyancing

The conference also provided Clare and Limerick solicitors with an update on conveyancing from experts in the field.

“A solicitor’s work is often at the heart of economic activity and what comes across a solicitor’s desk can be a good indicator of the health of the economy.”

“Clare solicitors have seen a slow but steady increase in the property market in the past year, however, legacy issues from the boom and bust are still haunting some properties. Taking sound legal advice at an early stage is essential in all prospective property transactions,” says Ms Keane.

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