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Irish lawyers and pro bono work

  • 04-12-2008 07:38PM
    #1
    Thirdfox
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,110 ✭✭✭


    Hey guys,

    I was wondering about the situation of bona fide pro bono work in Ireland - is it something that happens quite often here?

    I'm currently in the US and it seems like a common place practise (often firms will oblige its employees to meet a minimum amount of bona fide pro bono hours). In fact 3 of our professors are employees in a firm and donating all their wages to charitable causes as part of their bona fide work.

    Of course, US lawyers get paid quite handsomely too so maybe that's why they can afford to take on jobs for free but I just get the impression that it's not such a big deal here in Ireland... I do know of FLAC though. Would Irish employers look at you strange if you ask for time off to take on bona fide pro bono work?


Comments

  • #2
    Amazotheamazing
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,048 ✭✭✭Amazotheamazing


    pro bono?


  • #3
    ronnie3585
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,677 ✭✭✭ronnie3585


    Thirdfox wrote: »
    I was wondering about the situation of bona fide work in Ireland - is it something that happens quite often here?

    Oh the irony!


  • #4
    maidhc
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,726 ✭✭✭maidhc


    Thirdfox wrote: »
    Would Irish employers look at you strange if you ask for time off to take on bona fide work?

    I wouldn't be saying that too loudly :):):)

    I think it depends on the individual employer and the initiative of the employee.


  • #5
    Thirdfox
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,110 ✭✭✭Thirdfox


    Amazotheamazing wrote: »
    pro bono?
    ronnie3585 wrote: »
    Oh the irony!

    :(

    My face has actually gone red with embarrassment... yes, of course I had meant pro bono not bona fide.

    But perhaps it was a Freudian slip? :pac:


  • #6
    johnnyskeleton
    Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Politics Moderators Posts: 14,561 Mod ✭✭✭✭johnnyskeleton


    Thirdfox wrote: »
    Of course, US lawyers get paid quite handsomely too so maybe that's why they can afford to take on jobs for free but I just get the impression that it's not such a big deal here in Ireland... I do know of FLAC though. Would Irish employers look at you strange if you ask for time off to take on bona fide pro bono work?

    No. Don't pro bono work is not such a big thing in Ireland because the successful litigant usually gets their legal costs paid by the other side (which is not normally the case in the USA). The majority of people who have genuine good causes to fight in the courts usually either get legal aid or else their solicitor will take the case on on the basis that if they win they will get the fee and if they lose they will only ask for nominal costs. When someone cannot get a solicitor to represent them it is usually because they are crazy, their case has no chance of success or else they haven't tried very hard to get a solicitor to take on their case.


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  • #7
    Thirdfox
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,110 ✭✭✭Thirdfox


    Ah yes, I had forgotten that costs are not awarded normally in a US case.

    So in the case of an Irish homeless/unemployed guy trying to sue to get adequate healthcare (random hypothetical case) can he wander into FLAC and present his compelling case? (Let's say that he does have an actual valid case against the HSE or whoever).

    I have heard that civil legal aid in Ireland isn't commonly given (perhaps due to the massive cost of the criminal legal aid programme?) Is this true? e.g. Joe Bloggs sues Jane Doe over a property trespass - if Jane for whatever reason couldn't provide legal counsel for herself would the state intervene or would she have to defend herself in court?


  • #8
    Our man in Havana
    Closed Accounts Posts: 29,472 ✭✭✭✭Our man in Havana


    Civil legal aid is really only given for family law matters.


  • #9
    johnnyskeleton
    Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Politics Moderators Posts: 14,561 Mod ✭✭✭✭johnnyskeleton


    Thirdfox wrote: »
    Ah yes, I had forgotten that costs are not awarded normally in a US case.

    So in the case of an Irish homeless/unemployed guy trying to sue to get adequate healthcare (random hypothetical case) can he wander into FLAC and present his compelling case? (Let's say that he does have an actual valid case against the HSE or whoever).

    Flac don't provide legal representation, only legal advice. The legal aid board has a number of law centres across the country and a number of private practitioners who receive referrals from them. Civil legal aid is provided through these.
    Thirdfox wrote: »
    I have heard that civil legal aid in Ireland isn't commonly given (perhaps due to the massive cost of the criminal legal aid programme?) Is this true? e.g. Joe Bloggs sues Jane Doe over a property trespass - if Jane for whatever reason couldn't provide legal counsel for herself would the state intervene or would she have to defend herself in court?

    You have to satisfy a number of criteria in order to get legal aid, including that if you did have sufficient means to engage a private solicitor a reasonable person would take the case. Because a lot of private practitioners would take a good case on in the expectation of getting costs at the end, and because the legal aid board will only give legal aid where there is a reasonable prospect of success there are very few cases where someone would get legal aid but not get a private practitioner to act for them.


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