Support for a new generation of solicitors

The scheme provides funding of €18,000 to the training firm over the course of the two-year training contract. It will also provide funding of €7,000 to the trainee solicitor by way of a discount on the Professional Practice Course (PPC) fee. In 2024, five such grants will be made available.

Eligibility criteria

The proposed training contract firm should:

• be located outside of the City and County of Dublin and the urban districts of Cork, Limerick and Galway,

• be a small firm, consisting of five or fewer solicitors (including principal, partners, consultants and employed solicitors),

• be able to comply with the related / connected persons rule as set out in the Scheme, and

• agree to pay the trainee at least the living wage (currently €14.80 per hour).

For more information, download the rules for the scheme and application form

Testimonials

Three recipients of the Small Practice Traineeship Grant have kindly shared how the scheme helped them, and their firms.

Eileen O'Neill

2021 grant recipient, Coughlan Kelly, Co. Wexford

"I would not be training as a solicitor without the PPC Hybrid and this grant. Taking my own personal life situation into account, I could not have stopped working and relocated to Dublin to undertake the full-time course. The PPC Hybrid allows me to work and study simultaneously and the Traineeship Grant has taken a financial burden off me. This grant is a huge initiative for students who may find themselves in difficulty meeting the costs of the training course. The same is true for small firms, who will have the opportunity to train a new solicitor and share their knowledge. My advice is to go for it and apply! The Law Society is such a diverse organisation and by enabling solicitors to remain in their local communities, more trainees have the opportunity of training in small practice and can bring their own fresh ideas. Also, city life is not for everyone, and this grant will allow prospective trainees, who otherwise may not have considered this career, to train locally."

Donna Ferry

2020 grant recipient, Phelim O’Neill, Co. Roscommon

"From my experience seeking a traineeship, I learned you should not fear voicing the idea of the Small Practice Traineeship Grant. It adds an extra element to your CV and may just secure that much-needed traineeship. The application form is short and simple, and I could not believe my luck when I found out I was selected as one of the five recipients in 2020."

Jason Laverty

2020 Grant Recipient, Browne & Co. Solicitors LLP, Co. Donegal

"The Small Practice Traineeship Grant, together with the PPC Hybrid Course, allowed me not only to initiate my traineeship without the initial worry of the fees, but also not having to spend an extended period of time away from home. My training firm was always supportive of me completing the course and were delighted with the grant to help towards the cost. I was already employed in the firm prior to my traineeship so it was great to be able to stay there and complete my traineeship. I am 20 minutes from my home which suits perfectly."

Apply by 7 June 2024

Entries for the grant must be submitted by 7 June 2024.

• Download the rules for the scheme and application form