A round-up of today's Law Matters in brief
New EU small claims procedure
• Irish consumers will be able to make use of a specific procedure to pursue small claims against suppliers or service providers from other countries in the EU from January 1st, 2009.
A new EU Regulation will allow claims of less than €2,000 to be pursued across member states with the exception of Denmark, the Minister for Justice, Dermot Ahern, has announced.
The European Small Claims Procedure is intended to improve access to justice by simplifying and reducing the cost of cross-border small claims litigation in civil and commercial matters.
Judgments delivered under this procedure are recognised and enforceable in member states without the need for a declaration. The procedure is optional and is offered as an alternative to the possibilities existing under the national laws of the member states. It applies only to cross-border cases.
The Minister has also made regulations which allow the creation of a European order for payment procedure. This establishes a procedure which is intended to simplify the recovery of uncontested claims in a cross-border context. Full texts of these regulations are available on the department's website: www.justice.ie
'Recent legal developments'
• A half-day conference on recent developments in litigation, disputes resolution and public law for the State and public authorities will take place on Wednesday, January 28th, in the Conrad Hotel, Dublin, starting at 9am.
Keynote speakers will include the Attorney General, Paul Gallagher SC, the President of the Law Reform Commission, Mrs Justice Catherine McGuinness and the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, Bernard Allen TD.
The conference is organised by Public Affairs Ireland which can be contacted at 01- 8198 500.
Seminar on Advertising
• A breakfast seminar on "Advertising Campaigns - Beware the Legal Minefield", will be held by Beauchamps Solicitors on Tuesday, February 10th, in their office in Sir John Rogerson's Quay.
The speakers will be Ed McDonald, chief executive of the Association of Advertisers in Ireland and a board member of the Advertising Standards Authority of Ireland, Maureen Daly of Beauchamps solicitors, and Niall O'Brien, also of Beachamps.
New partner in AL Goodbody
• Mark Traynor has been appointed a partner in AL Goodbody. He specialises in the areas of restructuring, reorganisation and insolvency.