Solicitor based in IE?

Offspring wrote: »

I have two questions:

The first is, my Aunt is a property solicitor back in the States. Can I use her as my solicitor? If yes, then the next question isn't really required, but might help anyway.

If no, does anyone have any suggestions on a good solicitor for a first time buyer? I'm based in Dublin, so I assume the solicitor should be semi-local.

They don't have solicitors in the States, they have attorneys.

She won't be accepted by any bank in Ireland to deal with the conveyance unless she is enrolled as a solicitor in Ireland and has professional indemnity insurance to cover her for the transaction. Even if you are not getting a mortgage no Irish solicitor will deal with someone from an another jurisdiction who is not qualified to act in this jurisdiction.

Offspring wrote: »

Thanks for the suggestion. So watching the video, it sounds like solicitors are kind of jacks of all trades in terms of the law, whereas in the US they're specialized. Is that accurate?

Some solicitors are jacks of all trades, but others will be quite specialised in what they do, e.g. a lot of the serious criminal law work in Dublin is done by a small number of firms. Those firms likely don't do a lot of corporate, property, employment or immigration law. Similarly, the corporate firms don't do a lot of property or criminal law work.

Talk to the people you know that have bought property and see what they recommend an what issues they came up against.

Depending on the property, you may also need a construction professional to do a survey of the property.

Legally, the only thing that matters is the contract. Anything that the seller, the estate agent or anyone else tells you is NOT binding.

Note that both sides of a property transaction - buyer and seller - need advice from separate solicitors. Do NOT accept solicitor recommendations from the seller, estate agent, etc.