Contents GazetteLawSociety Regulars Cover story Lords and masters News 2 10 One aspect of Irish court procedure that non-lawyers find surprising is the mode of address used towards judges in the superior courts. Letters 8 Brian Conroy tugs his forelock and makes the case for reform Tech trends 28 Book reviews 31 There’s something about Mary When someone as volatile as Michael McDowell Briefing 33 16 describes you as ‘fiery’, you’ve got to be doing Practice notes 33 something right. Straight-talking deputy Legislation director general Mary Keane tells Conal update 35 O’Boyle about her career and the challenges facing the profession FirstLaw update 37 Eurlegal 41 People and Contract law: an places 46 20 opportunity for reform Irish contract law is a mess, and EU Professional intervention in the area is not much better. information 49 Now the EU has decided to embark on a process Recruitment of reform, and the scope and ambition of what it contemplates is advertising 55 breathtaking. Paul Keane reports COVER PIC: www.edeandravenscroft.co.uk Scotch on the rocks 24 Like its counterparts in this country, the Scottish legal profession is coming under scrutiny from consumer and competition bodies. Paul Rogerson brings us up to speed on what’s been going on Editor: Conal O’Boyle MA. Deputy editor: Garrett O’Boyle. Designer: Nuala Redmond. Editorial secretaries: Catherine Kearney, Valerie Farrell. For professional notice rates (lost land certificates, wills, lost land title deeds, employment, miscellaneous), see page 49. Advertising: Seán Ó hOisín, 10 Arran Road, Dublin 9, tel: 837 5018, fax: 884 4626, mobile: 086 811 7116, e-mail:
[email protected].