Paul Anthony McDermott

Paul Anthony McDermott is a stupid fucking cunt.

Or Panthwoney as I believe his is known among is colleagues.

Panthwoney's recent outburst on legal firms not retaining the services of apprentice solicitors because of reduction in company fee income (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/ireland/article5438687.ece) is as pointless as it is hypocritical, inconsistent and just an example of him building his brand rather than making any real sense. He says that legal firms have made enough money from these apprentices in the good times. So they should retain these apprentices in bad times. Legal firms are apparently to be prevented from taking action to ensure their survival in difficult times. Apparently he wants to impose an obligation on these firms to provide employment to apprentices even if they do not have work for them.

Panthwoney is a barrister. The pupils of barristers in Ireland (devils) do not get paid. There was an attempt sponsored by a legal chambers in the UK (Rebecca Edmonds and Essex Street and Michael Lawson QC) in 1999 to have pupil barristers be entitled to receive the minimum wage but this was overturned by the Court of Appeal in 2000. Panthwoney has not spoken out against devils not getting paid. He has not spoken out against practices of his own Bar Council that affect the ability of newly qualified barristers to earn a living such as restrictions against the type of part time job a barrister can get to subsidise his or her (they cannot work in bars or restaurants as this would bring the Bar into disrepute) or unable to form groups (such as Chambers as in the UK).

Barristers generally get work from solicitors. Perhaps solicitors should take action against Panthwoney's hypocrisy in criticising their profession while not advocating changes in his own profession.