In-office Training

Information about the period of your in-office training and the breakdown of your training contract is outlined here.

Training period

In-office training starts 14 days after the last examination on the Professional Practice Course I (PPC I) - PPC I exams are usually held at the end of March/early April.

This ends in April the following year to allow for attendance on the Professional Practice Course II (PPC II) - usually April-July.

After completion of PPC II, you return to your office to complete your training - usually 10 months unless the trainee has credit. Credit takes into account time the trainee may have served in an office before starting the PPC I. The maximum amount of credit is four months.

Breakdown of training contract

In-office training post-PPC I 11 months
Attendance on PPC II  3 months
In-office training post-PPC II * 10 months*
Total   24 months

* Post PPC II training may be reduced by up to 4 months for time spent in the office pre PPC I

Code of conduct

Download the Code of Conduct for Trainee Solicitors and Training Solicitors During the Period of In-Office Training

Need a training contract?

Add your CV to the Trainee Solicitor Register.

PPC Course Details

For timetables, important dates and other information relating to PPC I and PPC II, see PPC Courses.

Indenture Expiry Date

The date that your training period is due to end is also referred to as the Indenture Expiry Date. See the training start and expiry dates.

The expiry date of your training contract means that the contract between you and your training solicitor is at an end. It is not your qualification date. You qualify once:

  • all statutory and regulatory requirements concerning your education and training have been met, and
  • you have been accepted onto the Roll of Solicitors.

Time spent in the office of your training solicitor or another practising solicitor, immediately prior to starting PPC I, can entitle you to apply to shorten your in-office training period by a maximum of four months.

For more information, read the Training Programme FAQs.

September 2017 update for PPC II

An update was sent by the Society's Traineeship Section in September 2017 to PPC II trainee solicitors. This included information on claiming credit and joining the roll.

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