Law Society paid out €2.5m to 18 executives in 2015

Seventeen top executives at the Law Society along with the Law Society president shared €2.5 million in remuneration in 2015.

That is according to the Law Society’s 2015/16 annual report which shows that former president Kevin O’Higgins received compensation of €110,000 for his year in office – or more than €2,000 a week – for the part-time role.

The average pay to the seven Law Society directors and 11 heads of department works out at on average €139,000 each.

However, Law Society director general Ken Murphy said: "That total figure includes pension and PRSI costs. When pension and PRSI costs are factored out, the average salary of the 18 most senior staff in the society is €110,000."

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Mr Murphy also defended the annual €110,000 subvention to the president. Mr O'Higgins's term concluded in November 2015 and he was succeeded by Cork solicitor Simon Murphy for his year in office.

Mr Murphy said: “This subvention, approved many years ago at an annual general meeting of members, is well justified in view of the enormous time a president devotes to Law Society duties during his/her term in office.”

He added: “The purpose of this payment is to enable the president to take the considerable time out from his/her practice required by this demanding role and to allow for employment of additional solicitor(s) in his/her firm if necessary.”

Remuneration review

On the top pay for executives, Mr Murphy said: “Three years ago, Towers Watson conducted an objective remuneration review of executive pay in the Law Society. That independent expert report concluded that executive pay in the Society is in line with market comparators and that the governance structures of the Society are working well to manage pay levels.”

The Law Society’s accounts for 2015 show that it recorded a modest operating loss of €36,495 in 2015 after enjoying a surplus of €1.2 million in 2014.

The society’s income totalled €22.67 million with the biggest contributor being €12.9 million in fees and subs while it generated €8.1 million in education activities.

The society’s annual report shows that women now account for 52 per cent of the 10,826 solicitors. The statistics show that 59 pre cent of solicitors are based in Dublin.

Mr Murphy said: "The society is proud that the Irish solicitors' profession was the first legal profession in the world to have reached gender balance. This achievement is all the more remarkable when one considers the fact that the first woman solicitor, Dorothea Heron, was only admitted to the Roll of Solicitors in 1923."