Dr. Don Thornhill:

If I could come in here with a more general point, the structures of the legal profession have been frozen in time for a considerable period dating to before the establishment of the State. I refer to the division of roles between barristers and solicitors, with barristers acting as sole agents and solicitors acting in partnership or as single agents. The reforms and changes that will follow the application of the Act will be the first time for more than a century that there will have been changes in the structures of the delivery of legal professions. One would hope that increased competition will prevent the types of abuses referred to by Deputy Wallace. In a more competitive market, for example, a solicitor will not have the comfort of being able to underpay staff, if such is happening, simply because good staff will go elsewhere.