The new chairman of the Bar Council, John McMena min SC, elected last week by more than 1,000 practising barristers, takes over from James Nugent SC as peace breaks out between the two legal bodies, the Council and the solicitors body, the Law Society. The two committees met last week for the first time since November 1995 and, says Law Society Director General Ken Murphy, "it was all very cordial and constructive and the two branches of the law have put our unhappy differences firmly behind us. I congratulate John McMenamin and look forward to working with him."
It was not always thus. The rowing among the legal eagles reached a peak some 18 months ago when barristers objected to solicitors being eligible under the new Courts Act for appointment, subject to certain conditions, as judges of the circuit courts. A misunderstanding arose whereby the Bar Council understood that the Law Society would not lobby for such appointments. When it did, relations took a serious turn for the worst.
McMenamin, who, like his predecessor, has long associations with Fine Gael, was a surprise victor in that he defeated the vice-chairman, Patrick Hanratty, for the two-year term. Hanratty was deemed a shoo-in but may have peaked too early.
Junior counsel Fergal Foley was the third candidate. The previous week, two new SCs were elected to the Bar Council - Michael Gleason (brother of the former AG, Dermot Gleason) and Rory Brady, who represented FF at the tribunal.
Meanwhile, the Bar Council should avoid being too complacant. Word has it the Working Group on appointments to the High and Supreme Court benches, set up late last year by former Minister for Justice, Nora Owen, will report in the autumn and that it may recommend opening these top jobs to solicitors too.
There could, therefore, be a new outbreak of hostilities as barristers see the solicitors encroach even further into jobs they considered their preserve.