Your in-office training period commences 14 days after the last examination of the second semester of the PPC.

The date that your in-office training period is due to end under your training contract is 24 months from the start date of your in-office training period. 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.

Legal work experience in the office of your training solicitor or another practising solicitor, or in the Courts Service, prior to starting the PPC can entitle you to credit of up to four months against your two year in-office training period. You must apply formally to the traineeship section for this credit.

In addition to credit for work prior to the PPC, a trainee solicitor completing the Part-time (Hybrid) PPC may also be in a position to accrue credit of up to five months for working in the Republic of Ireland in their training firm/ the office of another practising solicitor/ the Courts Service during the Part-time (Hybrid) PPC.

The following conditions apply when making a Credit Application –

1. Before you apply for credit, you must have successfully completed 18 months of your in-office training (Full-time PPC) or 13 months of your in-office training (Part-time (Hybrid) PPC).
2. You can only seek credit for legal experience while attending the office of your training solicitor/ the office of another practising solicitor/ working for the Courts Service within the jurisdiction of the Republic of Ireland.
3. The maximum credit time you can be granted is four months.
4. The time in the office, for which you are seeking credit, must have been undertaken up to one year immediately preceding attendance on the PPC.
5. Your training solicitor must sign the credit application form.
6. Any credit time awarded will be deducted from the end of the traineeship period.
7. It is important to keep a written record of the work in which you have gained experience. This will assist you when the time comes to complete the form, as you will also be required to submit a written certificate signed by you giving details of the categories of work undertaken by you during the applicable period.
8. You can claim credit for work undertaken on a part-time basis. Send a letter detailing your usual working week and the Traineeship Section will calculate the total credit due. If, for example, you work an 18-hour week over an eight-month period, this would equate to credit of four months.

Download the Credit Application Form

Download a sample Credit Application Certificate

The information below shows the completion dates for in-office training with or without credit.

Full-time PPC 2024

• Course commenced: 3 September 2024
• Training contract commenced: 1 May 2025
• Expiry date: 1 May 2027
• Expiry date with maximum pre-PPC credit: 1 January 2027

Hybrid PPC 2024

• Course commenced: 11 December 2024
• Training contract commenced: 24 December 2025
• Expiry date: 24 December 2027
• Expiry date with maximum Hybrid credit only: 24 July 2027
• Expiry date with maximum pre-PPC and Hybrid credit: 24 March 2027

Hybrid PPC 2023

• Course commenced: 13 December 2023
• Training contract commenced: 25 December 2024
• Expiry date: 25 December 2026
• Expiry date with maximum Hybrid credit only: 25 July 2026
• Expiry date with maximum pre-PPC and Hybrid credit: 25 March 2026

The training contract is a binding contract. Applications to move offices and/or change your training solicitor should only arise in exceptional circumstances. However, if your training solicitor consents to the change then, subject to a few small conditions, you can anticipate that your application to change training office / solicitor will be granted by the Law Society. If your training solicitor is not consenting to the move, you can still submit your application but you will need to provide written evidence of the request you made to your training solicitor for such consent.

The application process varies depending on whether or not you have already started your in-office training.

Changes before commencement of in-office training – Transfer

If you have not started your in-office training and you wish to apply to change your training solicitor, this is called a transfer. Your in-office training period commencesl 14 days after the last exam of the second semester of the PPC. The procedure to transfer your training contract from one solicitor to another is similar to the application process to enter into a training contract. To apply for a transfer you will need to submit the following documents to the Traineeship Section, with a letter of release from your training solicitor.

• Form 1
• Annexe to Form 1
• Form 2A
• Annexe to Form 2A
• Form 2B (for trainees in a firm with a Training Officer)
• Annexe to Form 2B (for trainees in a firm with a Training Officer)
• Code of Conduct
• Certificate to accompany Form 2A/Form 2B, Certificate of proposed Training Solicitor, if Training Solicitor has additional trainees.

Your training solicitor's letter of release should state that they are prepared to release you from the obligations contained in the training contract. There is no requirement to submit a second fee or to re-submit the evidence in support (e.g. birth certificate).

In the case of a proposed transfer of a training contract (indentures), the letter of release from the training solicitor cannot be unreasonably withheld. If you cannot obtain a letter of release, you may provide written evidence of having sought same in lieu of the letter of release. The Education Committee will consider the application and may grant same if it is appropriate to do so under the circumstances.

Once your application to transfer your training contract has been completed, you will be issued with fresh consent to enter into a training contract and you will be given a fresh training contract to complete.

Please note that until the new training contract is fully completed and returned for registration by the Registrar of the Law Society, you will continue to be contracted to your former training solicitor and correspondence will continue to be sent to their office.

Changes after commencement of in-office training

The training contract is a binding contract. Applications to move offices and/or change your training solicitor should only arise in exceptional circumstances. However, if your training solicitor consents to the change then, subject to a few small conditions, you can anticipate that your application to change office/ solicitor will be granted by the Law Society. If your training solicitor is not consenting to the move, you can still submit your application but you will need to provide written evidence of the request you made to your training solicitor for such consent.

If you have started your in-office training and wish to apply to change training office / solicitor, you must apply for permission to have your Training Contract assigned. Applications that are non-retrospective to a Partner in another solicitor firm are made to the Education Committee of the Law Society.   The application can be submitted by email to the Traineeship Section at TraineeSection@LawSociety.ie. The application should include the following:  

1. A letter setting out the reasons for the proposed assignment and a date for when it is hoped that the assignment will take effect.
2. A letter from your current training solicitor setting out whether they consent to the request.
3. A letter from the proposed training solicitor confirming that they are prepared to have the Training Contract assigned to them and that they accept and agree to be bound by the conditions therein and furthermore the date that the proposed assignment is said to take place.
4. Pay fee of €120 to be paid by EFT.

In the case of a proposed assignment of training contract (indentures), the letter of consent to same from the training solicitor cannot be unreasonably withheld. If you cannot obtain a letter of consent, you may provide written evidence of having sought same in lieu of the letter of consent. The Education Committee will consider the application and may grant same if it is appropriate to do so under the circumstances.

Applications that are non-retrospective to a Partner within the same training firm can be sent to the Director of Education for approval. The application requirements listed above remain the same and the fee of €60 will apply for these applications.

A retrospective assignment application will need to be heard at the Education Committee. The application requirements remain the same, however a reason must be given as to why the application was not made at the time of the move. A fee of €375 will apply for these applications.

The Law Society’s Education Committee will examine whether your application is made with good cause and whether or not the application is made with the consent of all parties. If your training solicitor refuses to consent to the proposed assignment, the Committee may consider representations from them together with any representations or submissions that you may choose to make.

Applications must be submitted to the Traineeship Section well in advance of scheduled Committee meeting.

Education Committee meetings 2025/26

Education Committee Decisions

Decisions on application are sent by email. This usually takes between 1-5 working days following the Committee meeting.

If your application to have your Training Contract assigned is successful, you will be sent the assignment form. The form, which is made up of two parts, Forms 4A/B and 5, has to be completed and returned to the Traineeship Section. Your new training solicitor must complete the part of the form known as Form 4A/B, “Statutory declaration of intended training solicitor as to execution of training contract or Assignment of training contract”. You and your training solicitor must sign and complete Form 5 “Assignment of training contract”. Once both parts of this form have been returned, it will be registered and returned to you for your safekeeping.

Please note: until the Deed of Assignment of Training Contract is fully completed and returned for registration by the Registrar of the Law Society, you will continue to be contracted to your former training solicitor and correspondence will continue to be sent to their office.

Changing training solicitor/ office without consent

Please note that it is a requirement of the training contract that a trainee be at the office of the training solicitor on a “continuous and full-time basis”. Therefore, moving offices without consent represents a breach of the regulations. The time spent at another office without such consent will be disregarded when assessing the qualification time. You may be required to complete an extended in-office training period. Application to change training office / solicitor should therefore be made in good time in advance of your proposed move.

Your in-office training period starts 14 days after the last examination of semester 2 on the PPC.

To make the most of your in-office training experience you should arrange to meet your training solicitor at certain times during the week and use these regular meetings to discuss and explore issues. It is better idea to take a more structured approach when you need guidance.

If there are any points which you do not understand or need explained, talk to colleagues in the practice who will be glad to help you. Don’t be afraid to ask.

Please see Your Employment Rights for useful information around working hours, holidays etc.

A secondment is an opportunity for you, during the course of your training, to work elsewhere. This work can be in Ireland or abroad and need not be in a solicitor’s office. In order to go on secondment, you must demonstrate that the work would be advantageous to further your education or training (or both) and to your preparation for admission to the solicitor’s profession.

• Learn more about secondment

The Law Society recognises and values difference and is committed to promoting diversity and inclusion for the benefit of all and endorses the principles of inclusive teaching, learning, and assessment.

Reasonable and appropriate accommodations and other supports are determined on a case-by-case basis and in accordance with the individual's certified disability/specific learning difficulty.  It is important that a formal and timely application is made for such supports so that the appropriate supports can be identified and provided where necessary.

• Find more information about the supports offered

Traineeship Section

• Tel: 01 672 4802
• Email: TraineeSection@LawSociety.ie 
• Postal Address: Traineeship Section, Law School, Law Society of Ireland, Blackhall Place, Dublin, D07 VY24
• DX: 79 Dublin