The Law School runs two full-time courses in Dublin & Cork for trainees - the Professional Practice Course I and the Professional Practice Course II (PPC I & PPC II). See latest course information.
The full-time courses are practice-oriented and instruction is given mainly by practising solicitors and Law Society staff. The courses are assessed through continuous assessment and end of course examinations.
The Professional Practice Course I (PPC I)
Eligible applicants for the PPC I must have:
- Passed, or gained exemption from the Preliminary Examination
- Passed the Final Examination - First Part
- Found a suitable (practising) solicitor to act as a training solicitor
The PPC I takes place annually, usually commencing in September, running through until April (inclusive of examinations).
The following are the subjects covered on the PPC I:
- Foundation Course
- Applied Land Law
- Probate & Tax
- Business Law
- Litigation (Civil & Criminal)
- Skills - Civil & Criminal Advocacy, Interviewing & Advising, Legal Research, Legal Presentation Skills, Legal Writing & Drafting, Negotiation & Professional Development.
Training Programme
The Training Contract proper commences fourteen days after the final examination on the PPC I. Find more about the training contract.
Professional Practice Course II (PPC II)
11 months into the 24-month training period, the trainee returns to the Law School to attend the PPC II. This course is 12 weeks in duration and is counted as part of the 24-month training period.
Having completed the PPC II, the trainee must return to the office of the training solicitor and complete the outstanding period of time - ten months if the trainee has not gained credit for work done prior to PPC I, or six months if credit has been obtained.
The PPC II usually commences in April each year and runs for 11 weeks, inclusive of examinations.
The subjects covered on the PPC II are Professional Practice, Conduct and Management (compulsory) and a range of elective choices under the three headings of Business, Practice & Procedure, and Private Client. A full list of electives is available from the Law School.
Prizes for the Professional Practice Courses
The Findlater Scholarship was founded in 1877 by the late Sir William Findlater D.L., a past President of the Law Society of Ireland. This prestigious award is presented by the Law Society for the best performance in the PPC I & PPC II examinations. There are also prizes available for each subject on the PPC I.